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.

Nov 10 2025
3:21-cv-00329-MCR-ZCB Published

Watson v. Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

The Eleventh Circuit affirmed the dismissal of most tort and contract claims against Saudi Arabia but reversed the dismissal of claims alleging gross negligence in hiring and vetting a terrorist trainee. The court held that the Kingdom's affirmative acts in sending Mohammed Al-Shamrani to the United States were sufficient to overcome sovereign immunity under the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act.

Criminal Violent Crimes
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Nov 10 2025
1:23-cv-21742-JB Published

Storey Mountain v. Del Amo

The Eleventh Circuit affirmed that a joint bank account held by a married debtor and his spouse is exempt property in Chapter 7 bankruptcy under Florida law. The court held that a standard signature card stating the account is a joint tenancy with right of survivorship does not constitute an express disclaimer of tenancy by the entirety ownership.

Bankruptcy Civil
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Nov 6 2025
8:22-cr-00208-VMC-AAS-1 Published

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA v. JEROME MILLER, JR

The Eleventh Circuit vacated a defendant's sentence because his prior Florida cocaine delivery convictions did not qualify as serious drug offenses under the Armed Career Criminal Act. The court held that the state law at the time of the offenses was broader than federal law due to the inclusion of ioflupane, creating a categorical mismatch.

Criminal Drug Trafficking
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Nov 5 2025
1:21-cr-20052-DPG-1 Published

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA v. ANTHONY BERNARD CARTER

The Eleventh Circuit affirmed Anthony Carter's sex trafficking convictions, rejecting claims that a minor victim's statements to police were testimonial hearsay. The court also found that jury instruction errors regarding the indictment did not constitute plain error and that the evidence was sufficient to support the transportation charges.

Criminal Supervised Release
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Nov 4 2025
4:23-cv-00208-AW-MAF Published

Shen v. Commissioner, Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services

The Eleventh Circuit affirmed the denial of a preliminary injunction regarding Florida's registration and affidavit requirements for real property owners. However, the court reversed the lower court's decision on the purchase restriction, ruling that the plaintiffs lacked Article III standing to challenge that specific provision.

Criminal National Defense & Espionage
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Nov 4 2025
6:20-cv-00025-RBD-DCI Published

Aguirre-Jarquin v. Seminole County

The Eleventh Circuit affirmed the denial of qualified immunity to a latent print examiner who allegedly fabricated forensic evidence, but reversed the denial of immunity for investigators who failed to pursue alternative suspects. The court held that fabricating a positive print match violates clearly established due process rights, while no such right existed to an investigation that eliminates all doubts about a suspect.

Criminal Drug Trafficking Qualified Immunity
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Oct 30 2025
21-11416 Per Curiam

ARIEL MARCELO BASTIAS v. U.S. ATTORNEY GENERAL

The Eleventh Circuit denied a petition for review of a Board of Immigration Appeals decision, holding that a Florida child neglect conviction qualifies as a deportable crime of child abuse under the Immigration and Nationality Act. The court affirmed that the state offense matches the federal generic definition because it requires culpable negligence and creates a substantial risk of harm to a child.

Civil Immigration (Civil)
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Oct 29 2025
1:21-cv-23103-BB Unanimous

Casa Express Corp. v. Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela

The Eleventh Circuit held that a federal district court lacked ancillary jurisdiction to enforce a New York judgment against third-party defendants in Florida supplementary proceedings because the claims involved entirely new facts and theories of liability. The court affirmed the dismissal for lack of jurisdiction but vacated the district court's alternative merits rulings and remanded the case for dismissal without prejudice.

Bankruptcy Civil
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