United States Court…

United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit

Every decision we've summarized from United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit.

Oct 9 2024
23-7105 Panel Decision

Tony D. Parks v. Giant Food Store, Company

The D.C. Circuit affirmed the dismissal of Tony Parks' Title VII retaliation claims, ruling that his pleadings failed to allege facts constituting a materially adverse action or a causal link to protected activity. The court further held that Parks forfeited challenges to his failure-to-promote and other discrimination claims by failing to raise them in his appellate brief.

Civil Civil Rights - Employment Summary Judgment
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Oct 8 2024
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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Sep 6 2024
22-7171 Panel Decision

ESTATE OF YAEL BOTVIN, BY RUSSELL ELLIS ADMINISTRATOR v. HEIDEMAN, NUDELMAN & KALIK, P.C

The D.C. Circuit reversed the dismissal of a legal malpractice claim, holding that plaintiffs adequately pleaded proximate cause by showing the loss of a settlement opportunity was a foreseeable result of attorney negligence. The court clarified that foreseeability requires only that the general type of harm be predictable, not the precise sequence of events leading to it.

Civil Civil Rights - Employment
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Sep 4 2024
24-5045 Panel Decision

Lettieri v. Federal Marshals

The D.C. Circuit affirmed the dismissal of a civil rights complaint because the plaintiff failed to provide a short, plain statement of the claim required by Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 8(a). The court further held that the district court correctly denied leave to amend the complaint, as the proposed changes would not have cured the original pleading deficiencies.

Civil Civil Rights - PLRA / Prisoner
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Sep 3 2024
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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Sep 3 2024
23-7057 Panel Decision

MARGDA PIERRE-NOEL, "MS. PIERRE," v. BRIDGES PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOL AND DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, A MUNICIPAL CORPORATION

The D.C. Circuit held that the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act requires school districts to provide door-to-door assistance for a wheelchair-bound student to access school. The court reversed summary judgment, ruling that transporting a child from their apartment door to a school bus constitutes a mandatory transportation service under federal law.

Civil Civil Rights - Education Summary Judgment
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Aug 16 2024
23-7031 Panel Decision

NEXTERA ENERGY GLOBAL HOLDINGS B.V. AND NEXTERA ENERGY SPAIN HOLDINGS B.V v. KINGDOM OF SPAIN

The D.C. Circuit held that U.S. district courts have jurisdiction under the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act to confirm arbitration awards against Spain, even as Spain argued EU law voided the underlying arbitration agreements. However, the court reversed the lower court's decision to enjoin Spain from seeking anti-suit relief in European courts, citing the sensitive nature of imposing such orders on a foreign sovereign.

Civil Civil Rights - Voting
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Aug 9 2024
22-7129 Panel Decision

Oyoma Asinor and Bryan Dozier v. District of Columbia, et al.

The D.C. Circuit held that the Fourth Amendment requires the continued retention of personal property seized incident to a lawful arrest to remain reasonable, even after the arrestee has been released. The court reversed the district court's dismissal of claims alleging that the District of Columbia unreasonably retained plaintiffs' property for months or years without justification.

Criminal Drug Trafficking
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Aug 8 2024
23-7167 Panel Decision

Thomas v. Moreland

The D.C. Circuit affirmed the district court's grant of summary judgment in a defamation case, ruling that the appellant's motion for additional discovery was untimely and that the statements were protected by common interest privilege. The court held that the appellant failed to meet the difficult burden of proving actual malice required to overcome that privilege.

Civil Summary Judgment Tort / Personal Injury
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Aug 6 2024
23-7033 Per Curiam

HENRY SEARCY, JR v. DEMAURICE FITZGERALD SMITH

The D.C. Circuit held that Section 301 of the Labor Management Relations Act does not completely preempt a prospective agent's state law claims against the NFLPA, thereby stripping the District Court of federal question jurisdiction. The court remanded the case with instructions to dismiss the claims for lack of subject matter jurisdiction rather than for failure to state a claim.

Civil Labor
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