Topic

Summary Judgment

Every decision we've filed under Summary Judgment.

Josh Malone v. United States Patent and Trademark Office

The United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit affirmed a district court judgment granting summary judgment to the Patent and Trademark Office, holding that draft decisions and related emails circulated among administrative patent judges are protected from disclosure under the deliberative process privilege of the Freedom of Information Act.

Constitutional FOIA Habeas Corpus - General (28 USC 2241) Summary Judgment

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May 4 2026

5th Cir. 25-30293 Per Curiam

White v. North Louisiana Criminalistics Laboratory

The United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit affirmed the district court's grant of summary judgment in a sex discrimination and retaliation case. The court held that the plaintiff failed to establish a prima facie case of discrimination and could not prove that the employer's reasons for termination were pretextual.

Civil Civil Rights - Employment Summary Judgment

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May 4 2026

6th Cir. 25-1690 Published

Stanalajczo v. Perry

The Sixth Circuit affirmed a summary judgment ruling in favor of dental school administrators sued for First Amendment retaliation. The court held that the plaintiff's speech regarding protective gear and workplace conditions did not address a matter of public concern.

Civil Civil Rights - Employment Civil Rights - Section 1983 Qualified Immunity

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May 4 2026

6th Cir. 25-1442 Unanimous

Doe v. Blanche

The United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit affirmed the dismissal of a federal employee's Title VII claims against the Attorney General. The court held that the plaintiff failed to plead sufficient facts to establish that her harassment or termination was based on her sex or other protected characteristics.

Civil Civil Rights - Employment Motion to Dismiss Summary Judgment

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May 4 2026

6th Cir. 25-3537 Published

Vaughn v. Rea

The Sixth Circuit affirmed a district court grant of qualified immunity to police officers who fatally shot a suspect who reached for a firearm and turned toward them. The court held that the officers' use of deadly force was objectively reasonable under the Fourth Amendment given the suspect's noncompliance and immediate threat.

Civil Civil Rights - Section 1983 Qualified Immunity Summary Judgment

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May 4 2026

9th Cir. 3:23-cv-08632-SMB Unpublished

Maloney v. United States Office of Navajo and Hopi Indian Relocation

The Ninth Circuit reversed a summary judgment denying relocation benefits to a Navajo applicant. The court held that substantial evidence supported the applicant's residence on Hopi Partitioned Lands despite an administrative enumeration.

Civil Social Security Summary Judgment

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May 1 2026

8th Cir. 25-2665 Panel Decision

John Carl Michel, Jr. v. Honeywell International Cigna Life Insurance Company of North America 1-10 Does

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.

Civil ERISA / Employee Benefits Securities Summary Judgment

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May 1 2026

10th Cir. 5:25-CV-03049-JWL Panel Decision

Martin v. Schnurr, et al.

The Tenth Circuit reversed a district court's dismissal of a prisoner's Eighth Amendment claim, holding that the lower court erred by relying on a Martinez Report to resolve factual disputes during the screening stage. The appellate court clarified that while such reports may help identify frivolous claims, they cannot be used to dismiss a complaint for failure to state a claim when the report conflicts with the plaintiff's pleadings.

Civil Civil Rights - PLRA / Prisoner Civil Rights - Section 1983 Summary Judgment

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May 1 2026

6th Cir. 25-1667 Published

Spicer v. Harvard Maintenance, Inc.

The Sixth Circuit affirmed the district court's grant of summary judgment against Oneka Spicer on her state-law employment discrimination claims. The court held that Spicer failed to present sufficient evidence to establish a prima facie case of discrimination or to prove that her employer's reasons for termination were pretextual.

Civil Civil Rights - Employment Summary Judgment

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May 1 2026

4th Cir. 26-6126 Per Curiam

Watts v. Burkey

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.

Civil Civil Rights - Section 1983 Summary Judgment

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