Decisions

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

Dec 19 2025
1st Cir. 24-1475 Panel Decision

United States v. Robertson

The First Circuit affirmed the convictions and sentences of two Massachusetts State Police officers for a federal overtime fraud scheme but vacated a forfeiture order against one defendant. The court held that the government failed to prove which portion of the defendant's financial aid was directly traceable to his fraud rather than what he would have received legitimately.

Dec 19 2025
1st Cir. 24-1475, 24-1540, 24-1541 Panel Decision

United States v. Robertson and Griffin

The First Circuit affirmed the convictions of two Massachusetts State Police officers for wire fraud and theft of federal funds but vacated a forfeiture order against one defendant. The court held that the government failed to prove which portion of the financial aid received by the defendant was traceable to the fraud versus what he would have received legitimately.

Dec 19 2025
1st Cir. 24-1541 Panel Decision

United States v. Robertson

The First Circuit affirmed the convictions of two Massachusetts State Police officers for defrauding federal highway safety grants but vacated a forfeiture order against one defendant. The court held that the government failed to prove which portion of the financial aid received by the defendant was directly traceable to the fraud rather than what he would have received anyway.

Dec 18 2025
1st Cir. 24-1244 Panel Decision

DELMA TERENZIO, as Personal Representative of the Estate of Joseph A. Terenzio; THOMAS SULLIVAN, as Personal Representative of the Estate of John J. Sullivan; EDWARD POULIN, as...: DELMA TERENZIO, as Personal Representative of the Estate of Joseph A. Terenzio; THOMAS SULLIVAN, as Personal Representative of the Estate of John J. Sullivan; EDWARD POULIN, as…

The First Circuit affirmed the District Court's grant of qualified immunity to state officials sued over the deaths of veterans at a state-run facility during the COVID-19 pandemic. The court held that the plaintiffs failed to plausibly allege that the defendants directly caused the harm or that the law was clearly established to prohibit the alleged conduct.

Dec 18 2025
1st Cir. 24-1736 Panel Decision

LIBBY HEWES v. SAMANTHA PANGBURN

The First Circuit affirmed the dismissal of a former student's civil rights claims against school officials and a police officer regarding sexual assault by a coach. The court held that the school officials lacked actual knowledge of the abuse and that the plaintiff failed to prove the state created the danger or that the officer was properly served.

Dec 18 2025
11th Cir. 2:23-cv-00648-RDP Published

Racheal Gantt v. Deputy Everett

The Eleventh Circuit vacated a district court ruling that denied qualified immunity to a jail deputy who remotely unlocked a pretrial detainee's cell for medical transport. The appellate court held that the deputy's actions did not constitute deliberate indifference to the detainee's known suicide risk because she lacked subjective awareness that unlocking the cell would cause the specific harm that occurred.

Dec 18 2025
10th Cir. 4:25-CV-00471-JFH-SH Panel Decision

Fayee Gu v. Gina Abadi

The United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit dismissed an appeal due to a lack of prosecution. The court issued an order stating that the appeal was dismissed pursuant to Tenth Circuit Rule forty-two point one.

Dec 17 2025
7th Cir. 25-1361 Panel Decision

TANYA N. SVOBODA and ANTONELLA M. ORTIZ COLOSI v. AMAZON.COM INC. and AMAZON.COM SERVICES, LLC

The Seventh Circuit affirmed the district court's certification of a class action against Amazon for alleged violations of the Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act. The court held that common questions regarding Amazon's data collection practices predominate over individual questions about user location, allowing the case to proceed as a class action.

Dec 17 2025
11th Cir. 4:20-cr-00045-RSB-CLR-2 Published

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA v. SHARON ELIZABETH KEEGAN

The Eleventh Circuit affirmed a conviction for child pornography production, ruling that a defendant's allegations of abuse made to a forensic psychologist were not admissible under the hearsay exception for medical diagnosis. The court held that because the statements were made primarily to prepare for litigation rather than to secure medical treatment, they lacked the necessary reliability to bypass cross-examination.

Dec 16 2025
11th Cir. 5:22-cv-01448-LCB Published

National Small Business United d.b.a. National Small Business Association v. U.S. Department of the Treasury

The Eleventh Circuit reversed the district court, holding that the Corporate Transparency Act is a constitutional exercise of Congress's Commerce Clause power. The court further ruled that the Act's reporting requirements do not facially violate the Fourth Amendment's prohibition on unreasonable searches.