Decisions

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

Nov 14 2025
1st Cir. 22-1735 Panel Decision

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA v. CARLOS MALDONADO-VARGAS

The First Circuit affirmed Carlos Maldonado-Vargas's securities fraud conviction and sentence, rejecting claims that bank record summaries were inadmissible and that the evidence was insufficient to prove a Ponzi scheme. The court also upheld the restitution order, ruling that the district court could calculate losses and identify victims based on a broader scheme than those explicitly named in the indictment.

Criminal Fraud Sentencing Guidelines
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Nov 14 2025
11th Cir. 2:21-cr-00022-LGW-BWC-3 Published

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA v. WILLIAM BRYAN

The Eleventh Circuit affirmed the federal convictions of William Bryan, Gregory McMichael, and Travis McMichael for interference with rights and attempted kidnapping related to the death of Ahmaud Arbery. The court held that sufficient evidence supported the jury's findings regarding racial animus and the public nature of the streets, and established that automobiles are per se instrumentalities of interstate commerce.

Criminal Firearms
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Nov 14 2025
11th Cir. 4:22-cv-00461-CLM Published

New South Media Group, LLC v. City of Rainbow City, Alabama

The Eleventh Circuit affirmed the dismissal of a First Amendment challenge to a city's sign regulations, ruling that the plaintiffs lacked Article III standing. The court held that the plaintiffs could not trace their injury to the specific provisions they challenged because the city denied their applications under an unchallenged billboard prohibition.

Civil Securities Standing
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Nov 12 2025
11th Cir. 2:23-cv-00733-SPC-KCD Published

Koletas v. United States of America

The Eleventh Circuit held that Transportation Security Officers qualify as investigative or law enforcement officers under the Federal Tort Claims Act, waiving sovereign immunity for intentional torts committed during airport security searches. This ruling reverses the district court's dismissal, allowing the plaintiff's claims of battery and false imprisonment to proceed against the United States.

Criminal Drug Trafficking
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Nov 10 2025
11th Cir. 3:21-cv-00329-MCR-ZCB Published

Watson v. Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

The Eleventh Circuit affirmed the dismissal of most tort and contract claims against Saudi Arabia but reversed the dismissal of claims alleging gross negligence in hiring and vetting a terrorist trainee. The court held that the Kingdom's affirmative acts in sending Mohammed Al-Shamrani to the United States were sufficient to overcome sovereign immunity under the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act.

Criminal Violent Crimes
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Nov 10 2025
11th Cir. 1:23-cv-21742-JB Published

Storey Mountain v. Del Amo

The Eleventh Circuit affirmed that a joint bank account held by a married debtor and his spouse is exempt property in Chapter 7 bankruptcy under Florida law. The court held that a standard signature card stating the account is a joint tenancy with right of survivorship does not constitute an express disclaimer of tenancy by the entirety ownership.

Bankruptcy Civil
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Nov 6 2025
11th Cir. 8:22-cr-00208-VMC-AAS-1 Published

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA v. JEROME MILLER, JR

The Eleventh Circuit vacated a defendant's sentence because his prior Florida cocaine delivery convictions did not qualify as serious drug offenses under the Armed Career Criminal Act. The court held that the state law at the time of the offenses was broader than federal law due to the inclusion of ioflupane, creating a categorical mismatch.

Criminal Drug Trafficking
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Nov 5 2025
11th Cir. 1:21-cr-20052-DPG-1 Published

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA v. ANTHONY BERNARD CARTER

The Eleventh Circuit affirmed Anthony Carter's sex trafficking convictions, rejecting claims that a minor victim's statements to police were testimonial hearsay. The court also found that jury instruction errors regarding the indictment did not constitute plain error and that the evidence was sufficient to support the transportation charges.

Criminal Supervised Release
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Nov 4 2025
11th Cir. 6:20-cv-00025-RBD-DCI Published

Aguirre-Jarquin v. Seminole County

The Eleventh Circuit affirmed the denial of qualified immunity to a latent print examiner who allegedly fabricated forensic evidence, but reversed the denial of immunity for investigators who failed to pursue alternative suspects. The court held that fabricating a positive print match violates clearly established due process rights, while no such right existed to an investigation that eliminates all doubts about a suspect.

Criminal Drug Trafficking Qualified Immunity
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