Every decision we've summarized from United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit.
The Third Circuit affirmed summary judgment for Quest Diagnostics in an ERISA fiduciary duty case. The court held that the plan administrators followed a prudent process in maintaining investment options despite their underperformance.
The United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit affirmed a summary judgment in favor of New Jersey Transit Rail Operations, Inc. The court held that the employee failed to prove that anyone involved in her termination knew of her protected whistleblower activity.
The United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit vacated a preliminary injunction issued by the District Court, ruling that the lower court lacked jurisdiction over specific counts in a dispute regarding exhibits at Independence National Historical Park.
The Third Circuit affirmed the dismissal of an ERISA claim against an employer who delegated claims administration to an insurance carrier. The court held that the employer was not a proper defendant because it lacked authority over benefit determinations.
The Third Circuit affirmed the denial of a motion to reopen a habeas petition under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure sixty point B. The court held that a change in case law alone does not constitute the extraordinary circumstances required to reopen a final judgment.
The Third Circuit vacated a district court's award of attorneys' fees in a consumer class action settlement, ruling that contractual fee-shifting provisions are subject to the Supreme Court's strictures on lodestar multipliers. The court held that the district court erred by applying a multiplier without specific evidence that the baseline lodestar was inadequate to attract competent counsel.
The Third Circuit held that Philadelphia could be held in civil contempt for violating a bankruptcy discharge as to one property after pursuing post-discharge collection despite actual notice of the bankruptcy. But the court agreed contempt was not warranted as to a second property because the debtor failed to prove the discharge covered that debt.
The Third Circuit held that the Fair Labor Standards Act does not provide a remedy for overtime gap time claims. The court reversed the district court's award for such damages but remanded the case to correct the legal standard used for employee exemption analysis.
The United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit held that district courts possess inherent authority to set and enforce deadlines for the government to file a notice of intent to seek the death penalty. The court further ruled that territorial offenses from the Virgin Islands qualify as predicate crimes of violence under federal firearm statutes.
The United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit affirmed the Board of Immigration Appeals denial of Convention Against Torture relief. The court issued an equally divided vote on the statutory withholding claim, leaving the lower court's denial intact.