Every decision we've summarized — searchable, filterable, neutral.
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.
The Eleventh Circuit affirmed a district court ruling that the Parkland High School shooting constituted a single occurrence under the Sheriff's excess liability policy. The court held that the term occurrence was ambiguous under Florida law and must be construed in favor of the insured, triggering coverage after one self-insured retention.
The Eleventh Circuit affirmed Eduardo Martinez's convictions for smuggling ivory and obstructing justice, rejecting arguments that antique exceptions excused his failure to declare the goods. The court upheld a 51-month sentence, ruling that an art dealer's own listing prices provided a reliable basis for valuing unsold ivory statues under the Sentencing Guidelines.
The D.C. Circuit affirmed the district court's dismissal of a complaint filed against the President, ruling that the pleading failed to provide fair notice of the claims under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 8(a). The court further held that the district court properly declined to grant leave to amend sua sponte because the appellant identified no viable amendments that would entitle her to relief.
The Ninth Circuit affirmed a district court's decision to apply a fluctuating federal interest rate to a mixed federal and state law judgment. The court held that when a verdict does not distinguish between state and federal claims, the district court retains discretion to select the rate that most accurately compensates the plaintiff for lost wages.
The Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed the district court's denial of Robert Peter Russell's motion for a new trial. The appellate court found no reversible error in the record to justify granting a new trial under Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 33.
The Ninth Circuit held that the Mandatory Victims Restitution Act authorizes the government to seize funds accumulated gradually from multiple sources in an inmate's trust account. The court affirmed the district court's order turning over over $1,200 to satisfy unpaid restitution obligations.
The Ninth Circuit affirmed the denial of a motion to compel individual arbitration, holding that a consumer was not a 'party aggrieved' when an arbitration provider consolidated thousands of identical filings. The court ruled that the Federal Arbitration Act does not allow a petitioner to challenge procedural consolidation or seek to modify the agreement to force individual arbitration.
The Ninth Circuit affirmed Philip Powers III's convictions for setting three forest fires, ruling that his necessity defense failed because his actions were objectively unreasonable and he did not face imminent harm at the time of the first fire. The court held that even in a life-threatening situation, a defendant must choose the safest available method to signal for help, and Powers failed to meet this standard.
The Ninth Circuit affirmed Brandon Wade Kurns's conviction and sentence for being a felon in possession of a firearm. The panel held that photographic evidence and ATF transfer forms sufficiently proved the enhancements applied, and that the district court did not violate the Fifth Amendment by suggesting Kurns could testify to rebut the government's case.
