Every decision we've summarized from United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit.
The United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit vacated and remanded a sentencing decision due to ambiguity in the district court's reasoning. The appellate court found it could not conduct meaningful review because the judge's reference to the defendant's association with convicted felons was unclear.
The United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit reversed a district court order remanding a toxic tort case to state court. The appellate court held that General Electric satisfied the federal officer removal statute by demonstrating it acted under federal authority and that the allegations related to its government contracts.
The United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit affirmed a district court's grant of summary judgment in an employment discrimination case involving a Dartmouth College professor. The court held that the plaintiff failed to provide sufficient evidence that the university's denial of tenure and subsequent research misconduct investigation were motivated by discrimination or retaliation.
The United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit affirmed a district court ruling upholding a Centers for Disease Prevention regulation requiring all imported dogs to be at least six months old. The court held that the age requirement constitutes a valid inspection measure under the CDC's statutory authority and was not arbitrary or capricious.
The First Circuit affirmed a district court's judgment as a matter of law in an Americans with Disabilities Act case involving a deaf job applicant. The court held that no reasonable jury could find a reasonable accommodation existed that would allow the applicant to perform the essential functions of a Chair Car Driver without imposing an undue hardship on the employer.
The First Circuit affirmed a district court order suppressing evidence obtained from a smartphone seized during a search warrant execution. The court held that federal agents lacked objective good faith when they searched an iPhone model different from the one specified in the warrant despite knowing the discrepancy at the time of seizure.
The First Circuit affirmed a district court's denial of a motion to vacate a default judgment in a maritime injury case. The court held that the defendant's two-year delay in challenging the judgment was unreasonable under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure sixty point one.
The First Circuit affirmed a district court order upholding the Board for Correction of Naval Records denial of a discharge upgrade. The court held that the Board properly applied Department of Defense guidance and that the veteran's serious misconduct outweighed mitigating mental health factors.
The First Circuit affirmed a conviction for possessing child pornography, ruling that a defendant using the Freenet file-sharing network in Opennet mode lacks a reasonable expectation of privacy. The court held that law enforcement's use of a modified Freenet tool to log voluntary requests did not constitute an unreasonable search under the Fourth Amendment.
The United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit affirmed the district court's grant of summary judgment in favor of the federal government. The court held that the plaintiff failed to demonstrate good cause for additional discovery and could not prove that her termination was pretextual retaliation.