Every decision we've summarized from United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit.
The Eleventh Circuit affirmed Larry Neel's conviction for felon possession of firearms, ruling that his constitutional challenges raised for the first time on appeal did not constitute plain error. The court held that the district court acted within its discretion during the suppression hearing and that binding precedent forecloses Neel's Second Amendment argument.
The Eleventh Circuit vacated a federal dismissal order and remanded with instructions to dismiss without prejudice, clarifying that the Rooker-Feldman doctrine does not bar claims for damages against private parties in state court proceedings. The court held that the plaintiff's federal claims were wholly insubstantial because they lacked a plausible foundation in federal law and did not involve state action.
The Eleventh Circuit affirmed the dismissal of a pro se plaintiff's § 1983 claims against state judges and officials but vacated the judgment to remand with instructions for a dismissal without prejudice. The court held that the plaintiff abandoned her challenge to the domestic relations exception on appeal, requiring the lower court to dismiss the case on that specific jurisdictional ground rather than other procedural bases.
The Eleventh Circuit affirmed the denial of a motion to compel arbitration, ruling that Zeus Networks failed to provide sufficient inquiry notice for its terms of service. The court held that a small, gray hyperlink buried beneath prominent red action buttons was not conspicuous enough to bind a user to a mandatory arbitration agreement under Florida law.
The Eleventh Circuit affirmed the denial of Denzil Stewart's motion for a new trial based on newly discovered evidence. The court held that the evidence merely constituted cumulative impeachment of a cooperating witness and was insufficient to likely change the trial's outcome given the overwhelming proof of guilt.
The Eleventh Circuit dismissed an appeal challenging a district court's denial of a temporary restraining order because the order was not a final decision. The appellate court lacks jurisdiction to review the ruling until the underlying litigation concludes.
The Eleventh Circuit affirmed Jasper Jermaine Stuckett's conviction for possessing a machinegun, rejecting his facial Second Amendment challenge. The court held that binding precedent establishes the Second Amendment does not protect the possession of machineguns.
The Eleventh Circuit dismissed Wilfort Foster's appeal of his drug conspiracy and money laundering convictions because he signed a valid plea agreement waiving his right to appeal. The court found the record clearly showed Foster knowingly and voluntarily understood the waiver's terms, which barred his specific challenges to the sentence.
The Eleventh Circuit affirmed that Transamerica Premier Life Insurance Company violated Florida contract law by unilaterally annuitizing Quin Briscoe's annuity without her selection of a payment option. The court held that the contract required the owner to elect a specific payout method before payments could begin, making the insurer's default action a breach of the agreement.
The Eleventh Circuit affirmed the denial of Jeffery Lewis's motions to withdraw his guilty plea, ruling that the district court did not plainly err in accepting it. The court held that Lewis was competent to plead guilty and fully understood the consequences, including the potential for a consecutive sentence based on methamphetamine involvement.