7th Cir.

United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit

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

Apr 2 2026
24-2210 Panel Decision

Nos. 24-1998 & 24-2210 DON LIPPERT v. LATOYA HUGHES, et al

The Seventh Circuit affirmed the district court's enforcement of a consent decree requiring the Illinois Department of Corrections to provide adequate medical care to prisoners. The court rejected the department's argument that new findings under the Prison Litigation Reform Act were necessary because the lower court had already satisfied those statutory standards when approving the implementation plan.

Civil Civil Rights - PLRA / Prisoner
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Apr 2 2026
24-2432 Panel Decision

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA v. EDLANDO M. WATSON

The Seventh Circuit affirmed Edlando Watson's conviction for possessing a firearm as a felon, holding that disarming individuals convicted of dangerous drug-dealing felonies aligns with the nation's historical tradition. The court applied the Supreme Court's two-step *Bruen* test to find the statute constitutional as applied to Watson, while explicitly declining to rule on whether non-dangerous felons may be similarly restricted.

Criminal Drug Trafficking Firearms
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Apr 2 2026
24-3252 Panel Decision

ROBERT W. BARKER and UNITED STATES OF AMERICA v. EDWARD BOETTCHER and BEVERLY BOETTCHER

The Seventh Circuit affirmed a district court order that remanded a state property dispute to state court while retaining a separate subpoena enforcement proceeding in federal court. The court held that the federal officer removal statute allows federal agencies to remove only ancillary proceedings involving their employees, not the underlying state-law case.

Civil Real Property
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Apr 2 2026
25-1553 Panel Decision

THOMAS T.D. POLK v. PROGRESSIVE NORTHERN INSURANCE COMPANY and SECURA SU- PREME INSURANCE COMPANY

The Seventh Circuit affirmed summary judgment for Progressive and Secura, holding that Illinois law permits anti-stacking provisions to cap total recovery at the highest single-policy limit. The court ruled that the plaintiff's existing $900,000 recovery from other sources satisfied the cap, leaving the insurers liable only for the remaining $100,000.

Civil ERISA / Employee Benefits Insurance Summary Judgment
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Apr 2 2026
25-2361 Panel Decision

KENNETH KARWACKI v. JOSH KAUL, Attorney General of Wisconsin

The Seventh Circuit affirmed the denial of a concealed-carry permit to a former soldier with a military drug conviction, holding that the Full Faith and Credit Clause does not restrict states from imposing firearm disabilities based on federal military judgments. The court further ruled that Wisconsin's prohibition on firearm possession for individuals convicted of distributing drugs is constitutional both on its face and as applied to the appellant.

Criminal Drug Trafficking Firearms
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Apr 1 2026
25-2185 Panel Decision

REGINALD CLAY v. UNION PACIFIC RAILROAD COMPANY

The Seventh Circuit held that a 2024 Illinois amendment to the Biometric Information Privacy Act applies retroactively to pending cases. The court ruled that the amendment, which limits damages to a per-person basis, is a procedural change that courts must apply to cases filed before its enactment.

Civil Securities
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Apr 1 2026
24-2320 Panel Decision

MOHAMED M. MUTHANA v. MARKWAYNE MULLIN Secretary of Homeland Security, et al

The Seventh Circuit affirmed the dismissal of Mohamed Muthana's due process and administrative claims because his own immigration petition proved he listed the address where the government sent notice. By failing to meaningfully contest this dispositive evidence in the lower court or on appeal, Muthana waived his right to challenge the denial of his request to reopen immigration proceedings.

Constitutional Fifth Amendment - Due Process Summary Judgment
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Mar 31 2026
24-3234 Panel Decision

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA v. ANTHONY E. IBEKIE

The Seventh Circuit affirmed the denial of a motion for judgment of acquittal on a wire fraud count, ruling that sufficient circumstantial evidence supported the conviction despite the victim's failure to testify. The court held that evidence linking the defendant to a shell company and his use of an alias was enough for a jury to infer intent and the use of interstate wires in the fraud scheme.

Criminal Fraud
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