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Jan 30 2026
11th Cir. 3:23-cr-00039-MCR-1 Published

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA v. MYELICIA T. RODGERS

The Eleventh Circuit affirmed Myelicia Rodgers' conviction for mail tampering and theft, ruling that the district judge did not impermissibly draw an adverse inference from her decision not to testify. The court held that the judge's neutral reference to the lack of testimony merely explained that the prosecution's evidence remained uncontradicted, rather than punishing Rodgers for exercising her Fifth Amendment right.

Criminal Embezzlement & Forgery
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Jan 29 2026
United States Court… 25-3090 Panel Decision

United States of America v. Joseph Smith

The D.C. Circuit affirmed the district court's denial of a prisoner's motion for free case files, ruling that the argument was waived because it was not raised in the lower court. The court clarified that while there is no constitutional right to free transcripts for preparing § 2255 motions, statutory avenues remain available for indigent prisoners.

Constitutional Habeas Corpus - Federal Prisoner (28 USC 2255)
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Jan 29 2026
4th Cir. 25-1436 Panel Decision

JEREMY JAMES SKIDMORE v. MICHAEL SCHINKE; GAIL SAUL

The Fourth Circuit vacated a district court ruling that dismissed an employment retaliation case, finding the lower court erred in concluding the plaintiff had no possibility of success against an in-state defendant. The appellate court held that the district court improperly applied a high standard for fraudulent joinder without resolving ambiguous state law questions.

Civil Labor
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Jan 29 2026
4th Cir. 25-1032 2-1

SOUTH CAROLINA STATE CONFERENCE OF THE NAACP; DISABILITY RIGHTS SOUTH CAROLINA; JUSTICE 360 Plaintiffs – v. SOUTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF JUVENILE JUSTICE; EDEN HENDRICK

The Fourth Circuit affirmed the dismissal of an institutional reform lawsuit against South Carolina's Department of Juvenile Justice because the plaintiff advocacy groups lacked Article III standing. The court held that organizations cannot substitute for detained juveniles to drive litigation regarding conditions of confinement.

Civil Civil Rights - Section 1983 Standing
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Jan 29 2026
1st Cir. 24-1655 Panel Decision

JENNIFER DEANGELIS; NATALIE TOMASELLI v. HASBRO, INC

The First Circuit vacated the dismissal of a Title VII claim alleging religious discrimination and retaliation against Hasbro, Inc. The court held that the plaintiffs plausibly alleged that their sincerely held religious objections to the COVID-19 vaccine were not accommodated and that the employer's subsequent actions constituted adverse employment actions.

Civil Civil Rights - Employment
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Jan 29 2026
1st Cir. 25-1219 Panel Decision

ANN MARIE MACCARONE v. SIEMENS INDUSTRY, INC

The First Circuit affirmed the dismissal of a wage-and-hour lawsuit after the plaintiff refused to sign a written settlement agreement that had been orally agreed upon and recited in court. The court held that the plaintiff's subsequent refusal to comply with the court's enforcement order justified dismissal with prejudice under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 41(b).

Civil Labor
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Jan 29 2026
11th Cir. 9:24-cr-80018-KAM-1 Published

United States v. Ott

The Eleventh Circuit affirmed a defendant's sentence, ruling that an attempt to commit New York second-degree robbery qualifies as a crime of violence under the Sentencing Guidelines. This decision relies on a 2023 amendment that explicitly includes inchoate offenses within the definition of a crime of violence.

Criminal Drug Trafficking Sentencing Guidelines
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Jan 29 2026
11th Cir. 3:22-cv-00312-RAH-JTA Published

Denise Hughes, as Administrator of the Estate of Edwin Dewayne Moss v. Darian K. Locure, an individual; Monique N. Locure, Administratrix of the Estate of Darian K. Locure

The Eleventh Circuit reversed the district court's denial of qualified immunity to a sheriff's deputy sued for drunk driving that caused a fatal collision. The court held that existing circuit precedent did not clearly establish that such conduct violated the Constitution, shielding the deputy from federal liability.

Civil Civil Rights - Section 1983 Qualified Immunity
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Jan 28 2026
4th Cir. 23-7016 Panel Decision

TONY DAUGHERTY v. DENNIS DINGUS, Warden

The Fourth Circuit affirmed the denial of habeas relief, holding that a juror's comments about knowing the defendant's family and fearing for their safety were internal to the deliberation process. The court ruled that the West Virginia Supreme Court did not unreasonably apply federal precedent in finding this conduct did not constitute impermissible external influence.

Constitutional Habeas Corpus - State Prisoner (28 USC 2254)
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