Decisions

Every decision we've summarized — searchable, filterable, neutral.

Feb 18 2026
United States Court… 25-7090 Panel Decision

Alfreda Turnbow v. Sibley Memorial Hospital, also known as Sibley Memorial Hospital/Johns Hopkins Medicine

The D.C. Circuit affirmed the district court's grant of summary judgment to Sibley Memorial Hospital on the appellant's race discrimination and failure-to-accommodate claims. The court held that the appellant forfeited her challenge to the accommodation claim and failed to provide sufficient evidence to support her pretext argument for discrimination.

Civil Securities Summary Judgment
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Feb 18 2026
United States Court… 25-3082 Panel Decision

United States of America v. Wei Chin

The D.C. Circuit affirmed the district court's denial of a motion to file a discovery request in a closed criminal case, ruling that the lower court did not abuse its discretion in managing its docket. The court also denied the appellant's motions for appointment of counsel and a certificate of appealability, clarifying that the latter is unnecessary for this specific type of interlocutory appeal.

Criminal Other Criminal
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Feb 18 2026
7th Cir. 24-1733 Panel Decision

MARLEIS TROVER, as Personal Representative of the Estate of DONALD D. GADDIS v. CRAIG OGLESBY and DUSTIN KELLEY

The Seventh Circuit affirmed summary judgment for police officers in a civil rights suit involving an inventory search of a trespasser's vehicle. The court held that the plaintiff failed to prove the officers' conduct was clearly established as unlawful and that the district court did not abuse its discretion in refusing an adverse inference instruction for missing dashcam footage.

Civil Civil Rights - Section 1983 Qualified Immunity
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Feb 18 2026
7th Cir. 25-2508 Panel Decision

WESLEY C. TAYLOR v. DIANE COWGER

The Seventh Circuit affirmed the dismissal of a § 1983 lawsuit challenging a state family court order, holding that federal courts lack jurisdiction to review or alter such orders under the Rooker-Feldman doctrine and the domestic-relations exception. The appellate court modified the judgment to clarify that claims dismissed on jurisdictional grounds should be dismissed without prejudice, while claims dismissed on immunity or pleading deficiencies remain with prejudice.

Civil Civil Rights - Section 1983
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Feb 18 2026
7th Cir. 25-1558 Panel Decision

Yang Shao, Debtor-Appellant v. Customers Bank, Creditor-Appellee

The Seventh Circuit affirmed the dismissal of Yang Shao's bankruptcy petition, ruling that her repeated filings across multiple jurisdictions constituted a bad-faith scheme to defraud creditors. The court upheld the lower courts' findings that Shao violated filing restrictions and engaged in fraudulent asset transfers to evade foreclosure.

Bankruptcy Civil
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Feb 18 2026
1st Cir. 14-1572 Panel Decision

NIRANJAN KHANAL; GITA KHANAL v. PAMELA J. BONDI, Attorney General

The First Circuit vacated the Board of Immigration Appeals' denial of asylum and related relief, ruling that the agency erred by relying solely on an adverse credibility finding while ignoring independent documentary and testimonial evidence. The court also held that the agency applied the incorrect legal standard to the withholding of removal claim by failing to conduct a purely objective assessment of future persecution.

Civil Immigration (Civil)
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Feb 18 2026
1st Cir. 25-1267 Panel Decision

ROSA LIDIA CANTE MIJANGOS v. PAMELA J. BONDI, Attorney General

The First Circuit denied a petition for review of an asylum denial because the petitioner failed to develop specific legal or factual arguments challenging the Board of Immigration Appeals' nexus finding. The court held that without a developed argument connecting the abuse to the petitioner's protected status, the claim fails regardless of the severity of the harm suffered.

Civil Immigration (Civil)
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