Every decision we've summarized from United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit.
The Seventh Circuit affirmed summary judgment for prison officials, ruling that the evidence did not establish deliberate indifference to unsanitary cell conditions or retaliation for grievances. The court held that the plaintiff failed to prove officials had actual knowledge of a serious health risk or that adverse actions were motivated by his protected speech.
The Seventh Circuit affirmed the dismissal of a challenge to a USCIS waiver denial, holding that federal statutes unequivocally preclude judicial review of agency decisions regarding waivers of inadmissibility. The court also admonished the petitioner's attorney for submitting a brief containing non-existent citations and false quotations generated by artificial intelligence.
The Seventh Circuit affirmed the denial of a habeas petition challenging the deprivation of nearly 19 years of good time credits for a violent attack on a correctional officer. The court held that the administrative record contained sufficient evidence to support the finding of serious bodily injury and that the sanction was not grossly disproportionate under the Eighth Amendment.
The Seventh Circuit reversed a district court's denial of a motion to enforce a criminal restitution judgment against a third-party employer, finding that material questions of fact exist regarding the nature of a severance payment. The court held that an evidentiary hearing is necessary to determine if the employer's calculation of stock options and offsetting debts constituted a prohibited transfer of assets.
The Seventh Circuit affirmed the defendants' Hobbs Act robbery convictions, ruling that robbing customers at a convenience store disrupted interstate commerce by forcing the business to close. The court also rejected a claim of jury confusion regarding the specific victim, finding the argument was waived because it was not raised at the trial level.
The Seventh Circuit affirmed convictions for Hobbs Act robbery and brandishing a firearm, ruling that the robbery of customers at a convenience store satisfied the interstate commerce nexus. The court also rejected a claim of jury confusion, finding that the defendants failed to present a separate legal theory to the jury regarding the robbery of a customer outside the store.
The Seventh Circuit affirmed the defendants' convictions for Hobbs Act robbery and brandishing a firearm, rejecting the argument that the robbery failed to affect interstate commerce. The court further held that the defendants forfeited any claim that the jury might have relied solely on a robbery of a victim outside the store.
The Seventh Circuit affirmed the Army's denial of a former soldier's reenlistment application, ruling that federal military regulations prohibiting waivers for major misconduct override state expungement laws. The court held that the Army acted within its congressionally delegated authority and did not act arbitrarily or capriciously in rejecting the appellant's request.
The Seventh Circuit dismissed Michael Tovar's appeal in a civil forfeiture case because his brief failed to challenge the district court's reasoning on issue preclusion. The court held that Tovar could not relitigate the source of the seized cash, which had already been determined during his criminal sentencing and prior appeal.
The Seventh Circuit granted appointed counsel's motion to withdraw under Anders v. California, dismissing the appeal as frivolous. The court held that the defendant's broad plea agreement waiver barred his challenges and that no non-frivolous issues remained for review.