Topic
Every decision we've filed under Civil.
The Sixth Circuit denies petitions for review, affirming that Arch Resources remains liable for black lung benefits under the Black Lung Benefits Act despite selling its subsidiary in 2005. The court holds that its prior decision in *Apogee Coal Co. v. Director, OWCP (Howard)* binds the outcome, rejecting identical arguments regarding successor liability.
The Fourth Circuit affirmed the district court's denial of a pro se litigant's postjudgment motion to amend, finding no reversible error in the lower court's conclusion that the appellant presented no grounds for relief. Relying on a prior unpublished opinion that dismissed the underlying complaint, the appellate court upheld the dismissal without oral argument.
The Ninth Circuit affirmed the dismissal of a putative class action alleging that Facebook's design incited violence against the Rohingya in Myanmar. The court held that Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act bars claims treating Meta as a publisher of third-party content, even when the platform's algorithms recommend such content.
The Sixth Circuit denies petitions for review, affirming that Arch Resources remains liable for Black Lung Benefits Act claims against its former subsidiary, Apogee. The court relies on binding precedent to reject the argument that selling the subsidiary in 2005 terminated Arch's self-insured liability for pre-2005 claims.
The Fourth Circuit affirmed the dismissal of a pro se civil rights action because the appellant failed to challenge the district court's reasoning in his informal brief. Additionally, the court held that the appellant's objections to the magistrate judge's recommendation were not sufficiently specific to preserve the issues for appeal.
The Eighth Circuit affirmed the district court's grant of qualified immunity to Officer Harris, holding that no clearly established law prohibited his warning against using foul language in public near children during a noise complaint investigation. The court found that Ward's belligerent conduct provided arguable probable cause for a disorderly conduct arrest, defeating his constitutional claims.
The Sixth Circuit denied petitions for review seeking to overturn a Benefits Review Board order holding Arch Resources liable for Black Lung Benefits Act claims. The court ruled that the petitioners' arguments were identical to those rejected in a binding 2024 precedent, leaving the Board's decision affirming Arch's financial responsibility in place.
The Fourth Circuit affirmed the dismissal of a former employee's claims for unpaid profit-sharing, ruling that oral agreements contradicting a written contract's 'Entire Agreement' clause are unenforceable. The court held that the written contract's explicit statement of 'full compensation' barred quasi-contractual theories like promissory estoppel and unjust enrichment.
The Seventh Circuit vacated a dismissal of an ADA claim because the district court failed to address the plaintiff's argument for equitable tolling. While the court affirmed that the plaintiff's initial intake form did not count as a statutory charge, it ordered a remand to determine if the agency's confusing communications warranted extending the filing deadline.
The Sixth Circuit affirmed the award of Black Lung Benefits Act benefits to a miner's surviving spouse, ruling that the employer failed to rebut the statutory presumption of pneumoconiosis. The court held that negative chest x-rays do not preclude a finding of legal pneumoconiosis, leaving the employer's burden of proof unmet.