Topic
Every decision we've filed under Summary Judgment.
The Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed in part and reversed in part a jury verdict against CACI Premier Technology, Inc. The case involved allegations of torture and conspiracy under the Alien Tort Statute.
The Seventh Circuit affirmed the district court's grant of summary judgment in a civil rights case alleging excessive force during a jail booking. The court held that body-worn camera footage contradicted the plaintiff's version of events, leaving no genuine dispute for a jury to resolve regarding the reasonableness of the officers' actions.
The Fourth Circuit affirmed the dismissal of a federal employee's race discrimination and hostile work environment claims but vacated summary judgment on his retaliation claim. The court held that while the plaintiff failed to prove an abusive work environment, evidence of a supervisor's threat to fire him for filing an EEO complaint created a genuine dispute of material fact on retaliation.
The Fifth Circuit affirmed the dismissal of a wrongful death lawsuit against a Louisiana prison warden, ruling that issuing padlocks to inmates was a reasonable security measure that did not violate the Eighth Amendment. The court held that the low frequency of padlock-related assaults and the necessity of securing inmate property failed to establish the deliberate indifference required for liability.
The Third Circuit affirmed summary judgment for police officers and municipalities in a civil rights case arising from a drunk driving crash and subsequent arrest. The court held that the officers had reasonable suspicion to stop the appellant and that the force used to subdue him was reasonable under the Fourth Amendment.
The Third Circuit affirmed summary judgment for an insurance company against a former employee who alleged wrongful termination and failure to accommodate due to thyroid cancer. The court held that the employee failed to prove a public policy exception to at-will employment and could not establish pretext for retaliation or the ability to perform essential job functions.
The Ninth Circuit affirmed the denial of qualified immunity for a police officer who fatally shot an unarmed individual. The court held that viewing the evidence in the light most favorable to the plaintiffs, a reasonable jury could find the use of deadly force violated clearly established law.
The Ninth Circuit affirmed a jury verdict finding an employer unlawfully retaliated against an employee for taking COVID-19 quarantine leave. The court vacated and remanded the attorney's fees award to allow for the deduction of fees related solely to state law damages.
The Ninth Circuit vacated a district court's grant of summary judgment for a school principal who disciplined a first-grade student for a drawing. The panel held that elementary students retain First Amendment protections and that age is a relevant but non-dispositive factor in the Tinker balancing test.
The Sixth Circuit affirmed a district court's grant of summary judgment to an employer, holding that a signed termination release validly barred an employee's discrimination claims. The court found the release was executed knowingly and voluntarily because the employee received adequate time to review the document and consult counsel.