Every decision we've summarized — searchable, filterable, neutral.
The United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit affirmed a district court dismissal of a complaint for failing to meet pleading standards. The court held that the appellant failed to provide a short and plain statement of the claim required under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure eight comma a.
The D.C. Circuit dismissed a petition for a writ of mandamus, holding that the All Writs Act does not grant jurisdiction to intervene in a closed case where the appellate court lacks authority to review the underlying state court decisions. The court further affirmed the district court's denial of leave to file new documents, ruling that the lower court did not abuse its discretion in managing its docket.
The Ninth Circuit held that an asylum seeker's Jehovah's Witness faith was one central reason for his persecution by Salvadoran gangs, even though the gangs also sought to extort money from him. The court clarified that a protected ground need not be the sole motive to qualify for asylum if it would independently cause the harm.
The D.C. Circuit affirmed the SEC's denial of a whistleblower award to an attorney who reported his own client, holding that the disclosure was not reasonably necessary to serve the client's interests. The court reasoned that because the attorney suspected wrongdoing and intended for the tip to trigger an investigation against his client, the disclosure failed the regulatory requirement that such reports be permitted by applicable state bar rules.
The Ninth Circuit held that while the Board of Immigration Appeals erred by refusing to remand a case for voluntary departure eligibility following a change in law, the error was harmless because the petitioner failed to prove she met all statutory requirements. The court affirmed the denial of asylum and withholding of removal, finding substantial evidence supported the conclusion that the petitioner's fear of gang violence was speculative.
The D.C. Circuit affirmed a below-guidelines sentence for bank fraud, holding that the defendant forfeited his challenge to the loss calculation by failing to object when the district court confirmed the guideline range. The court found no plain error in calculating loss as the total amount stolen rather than the net amount remaining after recovery.
The D.C. Circuit affirmed the dismissal of the government's suit to compel registration under the Foreign Agents Registration Act because the alleged agent ceased his activities years before the lawsuit was filed. The court held that FARA registration obligations are prospective and expire when an individual stops acting on behalf of a foreign principal.
The Ninth Circuit affirmed John Howald's convictions for a federal hate crime and firearm discharge, rejecting his constitutional challenges to the statute's Commerce Clause reach. The court further held that an attempt to kill under the Hate Crimes Prevention Act constitutes a crime of violence, satisfying the elements required for the firearm enhancement.
The Ninth Circuit affirmed the fraud convictions and sentences of Elizabeth Holmes and Sunny Balwani, ruling that while some lay witness testimony improperly encroached on expert testimony under Rule 702, any error was harmless. The court further rejected arguments regarding the admissibility of a CMS report and other evidentiary challenges, finding no reversible error in the district court's decisions.
The Third Circuit affirmed the district court's denial of post-trial motions in a trade secret dispute, upholding a jury verdict that found the strategies were trade secrets but not misappropriated. The court also rejected a request for a jury trial on the issue of attorney's fees, ruling that such determinations are matters of law for the judge.
