Topic
Every decision we've filed under Summary Judgment.
The Tenth Circuit affirmed the dismissal of an employee's retaliation claims after he was fired for missing shifts following a COVID-19 diagnosis. The court held that the employer did not violate Colorado law by enforcing its attendance policy when the employee failed to provide required notice of his absence.
The Fifth Circuit reversed the district court's grant of summary judgment for protest organizer DeRay Mckesson, holding that sufficient evidence exists for a jury to determine if his negligence in leading a violent protest proximately caused injuries to Officer John Ford. The court emphasized that after eight years of litigation, the case must proceed to trial to resolve factual disputes regarding Mckesson's leadership role and the foreseeability of the violence.
The Sixth Circuit affirmed summary judgment for an employer, ruling that the plaintiff failed to prove his termination was pretextual discrimination under the ADA. The court held that the company's stated reason for firing the employee—searching co-workers' bags without permission—was supported by video evidence and the honest-belief rule.
The Eighth Circuit affirmed summary judgment for a Minneapolis police officer who used a less-lethal projectile against a protester during the 2020 riots, ruling the force was objectively reasonable under the Fourth Amendment. The court also upheld the dismissal of the officer's qualified immunity defense and the district court's refusal to exercise supplemental jurisdiction over state law claims.
The Fourth Circuit affirmed the district court's grant of summary judgment on the plaintiff's federal civil rights claims and its order remanding state law claims to state court. The court found no reversible error in the lower court's proceedings and addressed several procedural motions regarding the appellant's informal brief and request for counsel.
The Fourth Circuit affirmed the Tax Court's dismissal of Eric Pinckney's challenge to restitution-based tax assessments and its grant of summary judgment regarding unpaid federal income taxes and civil penalties. The appellate court found no reversible error in the lower court's jurisdictional ruling or substantive decisions.
The Fourth Circuit affirmed the district court's grant of summary judgment against a pro se plaintiff on defamation and Title VII employment discrimination claims. The court limited its review to specific objections raised by the appellant and found no reversible error in the lower court's ruling.
The Tenth Circuit affirmed summary judgment for the City of Tulsa, ruling that a plaintiff failed to prove that the city's stated reason for hiring a less qualified candidate was pretext for age and race discrimination. The court held that procedural irregularities in the hiring process and the city's subsequent policy changes did not demonstrate discriminatory animus where the employer honestly believed the candidate possessed superior leadership experience.
The Fifth Circuit affirmed the district court's grant of summary judgment, holding that the plaintiff's insurance claims were time-barred under Michigan law. The court further ruled that the policy's choice-of-law provision selecting Michigan law was valid and enforceable.
The Fifth Circuit affirmed a district court judgment finding Texas International Terminals liable for breaching a facility agreement by failing to issue a Notice of Stable Operations. The court held that the contract term stable operations possessed an ordinary meaning of steady, consistent operations, not a specific production rate.