11th Cir.

United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit

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

Dec 18 2025
2:23-cv-00648-RDP Published

Racheal Gantt v. Deputy Everett

The Eleventh Circuit vacated a district court ruling that denied qualified immunity to a jail deputy who remotely unlocked a pretrial detainee's cell for medical transport. The appellate court held that the deputy's actions did not constitute deliberate indifference to the detainee's known suicide risk because she lacked subjective awareness that unlocking the cell would cause the specific harm that occurred.

Civil Civil Rights - PLRA / Prisoner Civil Rights - Section 1983 Qualified Immunity
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Dec 17 2025
4:20-cr-00045-RSB-CLR-2 Published

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA v. SHARON ELIZABETH KEEGAN

The Eleventh Circuit affirmed a conviction for child pornography production, ruling that a defendant's allegations of abuse made to a forensic psychologist were not admissible under the hearsay exception for medical diagnosis. The court held that because the statements were made primarily to prepare for litigation rather than to secure medical treatment, they lacked the necessary reliability to bypass cross-examination.

Child Sexual Abuse Material Criminal
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Dec 16 2025
5:22-cv-01448-LCB Published

National Small Business United d.b.a. National Small Business Association v. U.S. Department of the Treasury

The Eleventh Circuit reversed the district court, holding that the Corporate Transparency Act is a constitutional exercise of Congress's Commerce Clause power. The court further ruled that the Act's reporting requirements do not facially violate the Fourth Amendment's prohibition on unreasonable searches.

Criminal Robbery & Extortion Summary Judgment
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Dec 16 2025
8:19-cv-01903-TPB-AAS Published

Creative Choice Homes XXX, LLC v. Amtax Holdings 690, LLC

The Eleventh Circuit affirmed the removal of general partners from affordable housing limited partnerships after finding their misappropriation of funds constituted a material breach of contract. The court rejected arguments that the removal was an impermissible forfeiture or that the limited partners had waived their rights through prior inaction.

Civil Forfeiture / Penalty
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Dec 15 2025
2:24-cv-00420-RDP Per Curiam

Alabama State Conference of the NAACP v. Attorney General, State of Alabama

The Eleventh Circuit certified four critical questions to the Alabama Supreme Court regarding the scope and criminal penalties of Alabama's SB1 absentee voting law. The federal court paused its review of a Voting Rights Act preemption claim because the state statute's ambiguity creates uncertainty about whether plaintiffs have standing to sue.

Civil Civil Rights - Voting Standing
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Dec 15 2025
1:23-cv-03236-VMC Published

Williams v. Shapiro

The Eleventh Circuit affirmed the denial of a motion to compel arbitration in an ERISA case involving a terminated employee stock ownership plan. The court held that the plan's arbitration provision was unenforceable because it prohibited plaintiffs from seeking plan-wide relief, thereby prospectively waiving substantive statutory rights under ERISA.

Civil ERISA / Employee Benefits Securities
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Dec 13 2025
4:25-cv-00488-MW-MAF Published

Walls v. Secretary, Department of Corrections

The Eleventh Circuit denied Frank A. Walls's motion for a stay of execution, ruling that his last-minute Eighth Amendment challenge to Florida's lethal injection protocol was barred by inexcusable delay. The court held that Walls failed to demonstrate a likelihood of success on the merits because he waited months to file suit despite knowing of his health risks and the protocol's history for years.

Constitutional Habeas Corpus - State Prisoner (28 USC 2254) Res Judicata
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Dec 12 2025
8:22-cr-00221-TPB-SPF-1 Published

United States v. Victor Yoel Perez Cremades

The Eleventh Circuit affirmed Victor Cremades' convictions for drug distribution, rejecting his arguments that the evidence was insufficient to support the jury's verdict. The court also held that any error in admitting a drug ledger was harmless given the overwhelming evidence of guilt.

Criminal Drug Trafficking
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Dec 9 2025
3:22-cv-22688-TKW-HTC Published

Kimberley Diane Settle, A Personal Representative for the Estate of Jacob Joseph Settle Sr v. David Collier

The Eleventh Circuit reversed the district court's denial of summary judgment, holding that Officer David Collier was entitled to qualified immunity for using deadly force against Jacob Settle. The court concluded that Settle's actions of starting his truck and shifting it into gear created an objectively reasonable belief of imminent threat, even though the vehicle did not move.

Civil Civil Rights - Section 1983 Qualified Immunity Summary Judgment
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