Raj Patel

Correspondent

Raj Patel

Breaking news correspondent, covers late-night developments and emergency rulings.

Immigration & Government

Decisions covered by Raj Patel

867 decisions
Dec 27 2024
2nd Cir. 22-2708 Panel Decision

United States ex rel. Camburn v. Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corp.

The Second Circuit established that a False Claims Act claim based on an Anti-Kickback Statute violation requires alleging that at least one purpose of the remuneration was to induce fraudulent conduct. The court partially affirmed the dismissal of the complaint, allowing specific allegations regarding sham speaker events and excessive compensation to proceed while rejecting other claims for insufficient particularity.

Civil ERISA / Employee Benefits
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Nov 13 2024
9th Cir. 23-114 Published

JOSE ERNESTO ALEMAN-BELLOSO v. MERRICK B. GARLAND, Attorney General

The Ninth Circuit reversed the Board of Immigration Appeals' denial of asylum and Convention Against Torture relief for a Salvadoran church leader, holding that substantial evidence compelled a finding that his persecution was motivated by his political opinions. The court remanded the case for the Board to determine if influential lay ministers constitute a cognizable particular social group and to reassess the risk of future torture given the FMLN's continued government influence.

Civil Immigration (Civil)
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Nov 5 2024
2nd Cir. 20-3324 Panel Decision

EVEROD RAY ANTHONY REID v. MERRICK B. GARLAND, UNITED STATES ATTORNEY GENERAL

The Second Circuit vacated the Board of Immigration Appeals' decision and remanded the case because the Immigration Judge failed to apply the correct legal framework for protecting the rights of noncitizens with mental incompetence. The court held that the IJ improperly concluded adequate safeguards existed without utilizing the specific procedural protections required under Matter of M-A-M- for respondents suffering from schizophrenia.

Civil Immigration (Civil)
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Oct 29 2024
2nd Cir. 23-738 Panel Decision

Tanvir v. Tanzin

The Second Circuit affirmed the dismissal of a RFRA claim against FBI agents, holding that the agents were entitled to qualified immunity because the plaintiffs failed to disclose their religious objections to serving as informants.

Qualified Immunity
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Oct 15 2024
2nd Cir. 23-1147 Panel Decision

Salazar v. National Basketball Association

The Second Circuit held that a user who exchanges personal data for a free online newsletter qualifies as a 'subscriber of goods or services' under the Video Privacy Protection Act. The court further ruled that the unauthorized disclosure of video viewing history to a third party constitutes a concrete injury sufficient for Article III standing.

Civil Social Security
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Oct 8 2024
United States Court… 23-5186 Panel Decision

O'Hare v. O'Malley

The D.C. Circuit affirmed the denial of Social Security disability benefits, holding that the Administrative Law Judge's decision was supported by substantial evidence. The court found the ALJ provided valid reasons for assigning less weight to treating physicians' opinions based on documented medical improvements and symptom control.

Civil Social Security
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Oct 4 2024
9th Cir. 23-95 Published

JASWINDER SINGH v. MERRICK B. GARLAND, Attorney General

The Ninth Circuit granted Jaswinder Singh's petition for review, holding that the Board of Immigration Appeals erred in its adverse credibility determination and its internal relocation analysis. The court remanded the case for a renewed credibility assessment and a proper individualized inquiry into whether Singh could safely relocate outside of Punjab.

Civil Immigration (Civil)
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Sep 26 2024
2nd Cir. 23-1005 Panel Decision

Bloomberg L.P. and Dow Jones & Company, Inc. v. United States Postal Service

The Second Circuit affirmed the district court's grant of summary judgment to the USPS, holding that aggregated change-of-address data qualifies as information of a commercial nature under the Postal Reorganization Act. The court ruled that FOIA Exemption 3 bars disclosure of this data because the underlying statute establishes specific criteria for withholding commercial information derived from the agency's core business operations.

Civil Environmental (Civil) FOIA Summary Judgment
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Sep 3 2024
United States Court… 22-1271 Panel Decision

United States Sugar Corporation v. Environmental Protection Agency

The D.C. Circuit held that the EPA violated the Clean Air Act by classifying industrial boilers built before 2020 as new sources, contradicting the statute's explicit temporal definitions. Consequently, the court granted petitions from industry groups challenging this classification while denying environmental groups' challenges to the agency's data selection.

Civil Immigration (Civil)
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