Every decision we've summarized from United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit.
The Second Circuit reversed a district court dismissal, holding that a foreign defendant transacted business in New York by accepting online orders from New York residents, even without physical shipment. The court clarified that New York's long-arm statute requires a transaction, not a completed delivery, to establish personal jurisdiction over interactive websites.
The Second Circuit dismissed an appeal for lack of jurisdiction because the appellant failed to file a motion for reconsideration within the strict deadlines set by federal rules. The court clarified that merely serving a motion on opposing parties does not toll the appeal clock, and that the relevant rule is a mandatory claim-processing rule immune from equitable tolling.
The Second Circuit vacated a district court ruling that denied sovereign immunity to a foreign state's UN mission, holding that the employment of a non-diplomatic chauffeur for high-ranking officials may constitute a sovereign function rather than commercial activity. The appellate court found the lower court erred by shifting the burden of proof and failing to conduct a nuanced examination of the specific context surrounding the driver's duties.
The Second Circuit clarified that an employer violates the Family and Medical Leave Act by interfering with an employee's use of leave benefits, even if those benefits are ultimately granted. Despite this legal clarification, the court affirmed the dismissal of the plaintiff's claims because they were time-barred or failed on the merits.
The Second Circuit affirmed Rickey Johnson's convictions for making threatening interstate communications and threatening United States officials. The court rejected Johnson's claims regarding jury composition, hearsay admission, and witness charges, finding any errors harmless or non-existent.
The Second Circuit affirmed the dismissal of a dispute over solar interconnection tax fees, ruling that federal courts lack subject-matter jurisdiction. The court held that the underlying tax questions were not substantial enough to support federal jurisdiction over state-law claims.
The Second Circuit affirmed summary judgment for four major book publishers, ruling that Internet Archive's practice of scanning and lending entire copyrighted books violates the Copyright Act. The court held that this digital lending program fails the fair use test because it is not transformative and usurps the publishers' market for licensed eBooks.
The Second Circuit held that proceeding to trial without a competency inquiry was objectively unreasonable given the petitioner's cyclical history of incompetence. The court reversed the district court's denial of habeas relief and remanded with instructions to issue a conditional writ.
The Second Circuit dismissed the Republic of Sudan's interlocutory appeal, holding that the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act's state-sponsored terrorism exception bars immediate appeals under the collateral-order doctrine. Sudan must now await a final judgment in the district court before challenging its immunity status.
The Second Circuit dismissed the Republic of Sudan's interlocutory appeal, holding that the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act's state-sponsored terrorism exception bars immediate appeals under the collateral-order doctrine. Sudan must wait for a final judgment in the underlying litigation before it can challenge the district court's denial of sovereign immunity.