Topic
Every decision we've filed under Civil.
The Fourth Circuit dismissed an appeal challenging a magistrate judge's denial of a motion to amend a civil rights complaint because the order was not final or immediately appealable. The court clarified that the subsequent grant of summary judgment does not cure the jurisdictional defect for the earlier amendment denial.
The Ninth Circuit denied a petition for review of a Board of Immigration Appeals decision dismissing an immigrant's claims for asylum, withholding of removal, and protection under the Convention Against Torture. The court affirmed the denial of cancellation of removal, finding substantial evidence supported the agency's conclusion that the petitioner's family would not suffer exceptional hardship.
The Fourth Circuit affirmed the dismissal of a civil rights complaint because the plaintiff failed to file specific objections to a magistrate judge's recommendation. This procedural failure forfeited the plaintiff's right to appellate review of the case's merits.
The Eighth Circuit affirmed the dismissal of wrongful termination and defamation claims against Honeywell and summary judgment for the insurers regarding disability benefits. The court held that the plaintiff failed to prove an employment contract exception, missed the statutory deadline for discrimination claims, and could not overcome statutory privilege for defamation.
The Fourth Circuit affirmed the district court's dismissal of John Rodgers Burnley's civil rights complaint as duplicative. The court found no reversible error in the lower court's procedural ruling and dispensed with oral argument.
The Seventh Circuit affirmed the denial of a petition to compel arbitration, holding that federal courts cannot overturn an arbitrator's discretionary decision to terminate proceedings. Because the American Arbitration Association properly closed the cases after Kohl's refused to register its agreement, the petitioners remain barred from judicial resolution of their claims.
The Fourth Circuit denied Debra Nelson's petition for a writ of prohibition, ruling that such relief is an extraordinary remedy unavailable when adequate appellate review exists. The court held that the writ cannot substitute for a direct appeal in her underlying employment discrimination case.
The First Circuit affirmed the dismissal of a Federal Tort Claims Act claim against the Coast Guard, holding that the Suits in Admiralty Act provides the exclusive remedy for maritime torts involving government vessels. Because the plaintiff's proposed amendment to add a claim under the Suits in Admiralty Act was time-barred, the court ruled that no federal subject matter jurisdiction existed over the tort claim.
The Eleventh Circuit dismissed an appeal challenging a district court's denial of a temporary restraining order because the order was not a final decision. The appellate court lacks jurisdiction to review the ruling until the underlying litigation concludes.
The Federal Circuit determined it lacked jurisdiction to hear this appeal because the underlying dispute did not involve patent laws or other statutory grounds under 28 U.S.C. § 1295(a). Consequently, the court ordered the transfer of the matter to the Third Circuit rather than dismissing the appeal.