Every decision we've summarized — searchable, filterable, neutral.
The Sixth Circuit affirmed the denial of Scot Gaither's federal habeas petition, ruling that his waiver of appellate counsel was knowing and intelligent. The court also held that his claim of ineffective assistance of trial counsel was procedurally defaulted and lacked merit.
The Fifth Circuit affirmed the denial of a federal prisoner's motion for compassionate release, ruling that the district court did not abuse its discretion. The appellate court held that even if extraordinary and compelling reasons existed, the district court properly weighed the seriousness of the offenses against public safety concerns.
The Fifth Circuit granted the government's motion for summary affirmance of a conviction for illegal reentry under 8 U.S.C. § 1326. The court held that the defendant's constitutional challenge to the statutory sentencing enhancement was foreclosed by Supreme Court precedent.
The Fifth Circuit affirmed a federal sentence, holding that Louisiana's armed robbery statute qualifies as a crime of violence under the Sentencing Guidelines. The court rejected the argument that the state law allows for reckless conduct, finding that the statutory elements inherently require the intentional use of force.
The Fifth Circuit affirmed Asha Kisindja's conviction for conspiring to transport illegal aliens resulting in death, applying a plain error standard due to her failure to object in the district court. The court held that the record demonstrated she understood the nature of the charge and that a sufficient factual basis existed for her guilty plea under Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 11.
The Fifth Circuit affirmed the conviction and sentence of a convicted felon for possessing a firearm, rejecting constitutional challenges to the federal ban. The court held that recent binding precedent explicitly forecloses arguments under the Second Amendment and Commerce Clause.
The Federal Circuit affirmed the Merit Systems Protection Board's decision to sustain the removal of a federal employee for excessive absences, rejecting claims of due process violations and whistleblower retaliation. The court held that prolonged absence without a foreseeable end constitutes just cause for removal, even when the employee has a history of disputes with management.
The United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit affirmed the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board's decision in a trademark dispute between Titanium, LLC and ZSpec Design LLC. The court issued a nonprecedential per curiam order under Federal Circuit Rule 36, providing no substantive reasoning for its ruling.
The United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit affirmed the Patent Trial and Appeal Board's decision in an inter partes review proceeding challenging patent validity. The court issued a per curiam order finding no error in the Board's prior ruling.
The Sixth Circuit affirmed the dismissal of a legal malpractice suit against a law firm, ruling that the claims were barred by Kentucky's one-year statute of limitations. The court held that the plaintiff had constructive notice of her injury in 2020 when she filed a related lawsuit, regardless of whether she had identified the specific wrongdoer at that time.
