Every decision we've summarized from United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit.
The Third Circuit denied William Kaetz's petition for a writ of mandamus seeking to overturn rulings in his federal habeas corpus proceeding. The court characterized Kaetz's arguments as frivolous and clarified that mandamus cannot be used as a substitute for the regular appellate process.
The Third Circuit affirmed the dismissal of Frank Nellom's complaint for failure to exhaust administrative remedies before seeking judicial review of his Social Security benefits. The court held that without a final decision from the Commissioner, the District Court lacked subject matter jurisdiction to hear the case.
The Third Circuit affirmed a district court order confirming an arbitration award resolving a law firm dissolution dispute. The court rejected the appellant's claims that the arbitrators manifestly disregarded the law or committed misconduct regarding fee distributions and jurisdictional limits.
The Third Circuit affirmed summary judgment for police officers who used deadly force against a man with a mental health crisis holding a pellet gun. The court held that the officers' perception of an imminent threat made their use of force objectively reasonable under the Fourth Amendment.
The Third Circuit affirmed a district court's grant of summary judgment against Lakeview Pharmacy, ruling that the exclusion of its untimely expert report was not an abuse of discretion. The court held that because Lakeview failed to seek proper extensions and disregarded discovery deadlines, the late submission was procedurally barred.
The Third Circuit granted counsel's motion to withdraw under Anders v. California, finding that Dayakar Mallu's appeal presented no nonfrivolous issues. The court affirmed Mallu's conviction and downward-varied sentence based on the enforceability of his valid appellate waiver.
The Third Circuit affirmed Brandyn Allen Seabreeze's conviction for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, ruling that the traffic stop and subsequent search did not violate the Fourth Amendment. The court further held that Seabreeze had knowingly waived his right to appeal the sentencing calculation in his plea agreement.
The Third Circuit affirmed Jerome Brown's conviction and sentence, ruling that while the District Court improperly participated in plea negotiations, the error was harmless. Brown failed to demonstrate that the judicial interference violated his substantial rights or resulted in a heavier sentence than he would have otherwise accepted.
The Third Circuit reversed the District Court's grant of summary judgment, predicting that the New Jersey Supreme Court would invalidate the state's 'Background Circumstances Rule' for employment discrimination claims. The court held that the rule, which imposes a heightened burden on majority-group plaintiffs, is incompatible with the text of the New Jersey Law Against Discrimination.
The Third Circuit dismissed a petition for a writ of mandamus filed by Jobadiah Weeks because the District Court subsequently ruled on the underlying motions. The appellate court found that the lower court's actions resolved the specific relief sought, eliminating the live controversy required for judicial intervention.