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The Eleventh Circuit affirmed the denial of a motion to compel arbitration in an ERISA case involving a terminated employee stock ownership plan. The court held that the plan's arbitration provision was unenforceable because it prohibited plaintiffs from seeking plan-wide relief, thereby prospectively waiving substantive statutory rights under ERISA.
The Eleventh Circuit denied Frank A. Walls's motion for a stay of execution, ruling that his last-minute Eighth Amendment challenge to Florida's lethal injection protocol was barred by inexcusable delay. The court held that Walls failed to demonstrate a likelihood of success on the merits because he waited months to file suit despite knowing of his health risks and the protocol's history for years.
The First Circuit affirmed the denial of James Garrey's habeas petition, ruling that the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court did not unreasonably apply federal law in upholding a prosecutor's peremptory strike of a minority juror. The court held that the state trial court's acceptance of the prosecutor's race-neutral explanation was reasonable given the ambiguous record and the high deference required under AEDPA.
The Eleventh Circuit affirmed Victor Cremades' convictions for drug distribution, rejecting his arguments that the evidence was insufficient to support the jury's verdict. The court also held that any error in admitting a drug ledger was harmless given the overwhelming evidence of guilt.
The First Circuit affirmed Haoyang Yu's conviction for possessing a stolen trade secret, finding sufficient evidence that he downloaded and retained proprietary microchip design files after leaving Analog Devices. The court also rejected Yu's claim of unconstitutional selective prosecution, ruling that he failed to prove he was treated differently than similarly situated non-Chinese individuals.
The First Circuit affirmed Haoyang Yu's conviction for unlawful possession of a stolen trade secret, finding sufficient evidence that he retained proprietary microchip design files after leaving his employer. The court also rejected Yu's constitutional challenges, ruling that the government provided a legitimate, non-discriminatory basis for the investigation and prosecution.
The First Circuit vacated and remanded a district court judgment in a family business dispute, finding that the lower court failed to properly apply partnership and implied contract principles to the siblings' decade-long conduct. The appellate court held that the siblings' long-standing practice of treating personal expenses as compensation created an implied agreement, requiring a new determination of Orkin's rightful share of Boost Web funds.
The First Circuit vacated a district court judgment that had found siblings liable for defamation and conversion in a dispute over a family business operated without formal corporate structure. The appellate court held that the lower court erred by failing to recognize an implied contract for compensation and by issuing an injunction that exceeded its authority to resolve ownership disputes.
The First Circuit vacated and remanded a district court judgment that failed to recognize an implied contract entitling a sibling to compensation for his decade-long management of a family business. The court also reversed a finding that the sibling's email accusing him of fraud was not defamatory, holding that the statement unambiguously imputed criminal conduct.
The D.C. Circuit affirmed the district court's dismissal of Harold Jean-Baptiste's complaint, upholding a pre-filing injunction that requires him to obtain court permission before filing pro se actions. The court rejected his motions for FOIA data, appointment of counsel, and relief from the injunction, ruling that his claims were frivolous and barred by the existing order.
