Topic

Summary Judgment

Every decision we've filed under Summary Judgment.

Ciria v. Gerrans

The Ninth Circuit affirmed the denial of qualified immunity to two San Francisco police inspectors who allegedly coerced a witness into fabricating evidence against a man later exonerated after thirty-two years in prison. The court held that a reasonable jury could find the officers violated the plaintiff's due process rights by threatening a young witness with an adult murder charge to secure a false statement.

Civil Rights - Section 1983 Constitutional Habeas Corpus - State Prisoner (28 USC 2254) Qualified Immunity

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Jun 5 2026

9th Cir. 2:23-cv-00729-JJT Unpublished

Jauregui v. Paccar, Inc., et al.

The United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit affirmed a summary judgment ruling in a product liability case involving a fatal truck collision. The court held that the plaintiff failed to present sufficient evidence of a design defect or to establish that the advanced driver assistance system was unreasonably dangerous.

Civil Summary Judgment Tort / Personal Injury

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Jun 4 2026

11th Cir. 1:22-cv-02411-SCJ Published

United States of America v. Eugene J. Niksich

The Eleventh Circuit affirmed the district court's grant of summary judgment against a taxpayer for willfully failing to file Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts Reports. However, the court reversed and remanded the portion of the case regarding the constitutionality of the penalties under the Excessive Fines Clause.

Civil Civil Rights - Education Summary Judgment

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Jun 4 2026

4th Cir. 24-1633 Per Curiam

Edward Bernard v. Jacob Rideout

The United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit affirmed a district court order granting summary judgment in a civil rights action. The appellate court held that the appellant waived review of several claims by failing to present properly developed arguments.

Civil Civil Rights - Section 1983 Summary Judgment

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Jun 4 2026

4th Cir. 24-7015 Panel Decision

Emmanuel King Shaw v. T. S. Foreman

The Fourth Circuit vacated a district court's summary judgment because the lower court failed to rule on a pending motion for spoliation sanctions. The appellate court held that the missing video footage was central to the plaintiff's due process and First Amendment retaliation claims.

Criminal Prison Offenses Summary Judgment

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Jun 4 2026

5th Cir. 25-40196 Per Curiam

Hadnot v. Lufkin Independent School District

The United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit affirmed the dismissal of a former police officer's federal civil rights claims as time-barred. The court held that the plaintiff knew or should have known of the causal connection between his non-hiring and his prior grievance filing in 2019, triggering the statute of limitations.

Civil Civil Rights - Employment Statute of Limitations Summary Judgment

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Jun 4 2026

5th Cir. 24-40535 Panel Decision

Martinez v. Hinojosa

The Fifth Circuit affirmed a district court ruling that no Fourth Amendment violation occurred when an officer shot a man he mistakenly believed to be an active shooter. The court held that the officer's split-second decision to use deadly force was objectively reasonable under the totality of the circumstances.

Civil Civil Rights - Section 1983 Qualified Immunity Summary Judgment

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Jun 4 2026

5th Cir. 25-50130 Panel Decision

The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod v. Christian

The Fifth Circuit reversed a district court dismissal that applied secular corporate law to a religious organization's governance structure. The appellate court held that the First Amendment's church autonomy doctrine bars civil courts from reinterpreting a church's internal polity to determine diversity jurisdiction.

Constitutional First Amendment - Religion Summary Judgment

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Jun 4 2026

6th Cir. 25-1946 Published

Smith v. Michigan Bell Telephone Company

The Sixth Circuit affirmed a district court's grant of summary judgment in an Americans with Disabilities Act case. The court held that the plaintiff failed to prove she was disabled or that she suffered an adverse employment action.

Civil Civil Rights - Employment Summary Judgment

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Jun 4 2026

6th Cir. 25-3258 Published

Klopfenstein v. Fifth Third Bank

The Sixth Circuit affirmed a district court's award of attorney's fees to a class of borrowers who prevailed on a Truth in Lending Act claim against Fifth Third Bank. The court vacated the portion of the award applying national market rates to all counsel, requiring a remand to apply local forum rates for attorneys other than the specialized lead firm.

Civil Civil Rights - Section 1983 Summary Judgment

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