Since 2011. An occasional commonplacing of the U.S. Circuit Courts of Appeal.
Neither an authoritative statement of the law nor legal advice. Quick work.
Sixth Circuit: Brandon Hefferan v. Ethicon Endo-Surgery
Conflict of Laws, Federal Jurisdiction, Subject Matter Jurisdiction, Torts
No abuse of discretion in court's refusal to hear claim under forum non conveniens, despite Germany's lack of adversarial process and lack of remedy for loss of consortium -- US courts would likely apply the law of the place of the delict (Germany), and the medical manufacturer has consented to service there.
&c, &c...
Brandon Hefferan v. Ethicon Endo-Surgery
Fifth Circuit: Rainier DSC 1, L.L.C., et al v. Rainier Capital Mg
Arbitration, FRCP, securities
A stay of the litigation pending compulsory arbitration is at the discretion of the court, and where the legal issues are distinct from those being arbitrated, although both arise from the same transaction or series of transactions, the proceedings may continue, simultaneous with the arbitration.
No genuine issue of material fact as to whether a partnership was created by estoppel in securities
memorandum, given that there was no evidence that the relevant parties were aware of the statements.
Rainier DSC 1, L.L.C., et al v. Rainier Capital Mg
Fifth Circuit: USA v. Henry Walker
Drugs, Guns, FRCrimP, Crim
Given quantity of drugs, sufficient facts in evidence to support a guilty plea for possession of a firearm in furtherance of the drug crimes, despite lack of showing as to proximacy of guns to drugs or presence of ammunition.
USA v. Henry Walker
Fourth Circuit: Melanie Lawson v. Union County Clerk of Court
Free Speech, Employment, First Amendment, S1983
[Assuming S1983, since QI is discussed. c/a not specific.]
A deputy clerk need not have political allegiance to the boss -- it was clearly established law that a clerk who opposed the head clerk in an election should not have been placed on leave for the simple fact of having done so.
The head clerk is not shielded from suit under the 11th Amendment.
Insufficient facts in record for judgment on whether the speech was ultimately protected under a non-categorical balancing test. Insufficient record for ruling on summary judgment.
Long dissent: given burden to establish lack of retributive character to the employment action, there are sufficient facts for judgment in the record
Melanie Lawson v. Union County Clerk of Court
Fourth Circuit: Hunter Laboratories, ex rel. v. Commonwealth of Virginia
Federal Jurisdiction, Subject Matter Jurisdiction, FRCP
Although the injury alleged in a state false claims act suit implicated a question of federal law, federal resolution of the question is not necessary to provide the plaintiff complete relief, and the District Court is therefore without subject matter jurisdiction over the claim.
Hunter Laboratories, ex rel. v. Commonwealth of Virginia
Fourth Circuit: Gabriel Santos Alvarez v. Loretta Lynch
Statutory Construction, Immigration
Commonwealth's crime of Forgery is categorically relevant to decisions under the federal immigration law, since the federal standard is largely the same -- the document has to be transformed into something other than it was.
Gabriel Santos Alvarez v. Loretta Lynch
Second Circuit: United States v. Faux
Fourth Amendment, Miranda
Regulation of deft's movements during two hour interrogation held during a search of the personal residence did not amount to custody for purposes of determining the admissibility of statements made to police prior to arrest.
United States v. Faux
Second Circuit: Collymore v. Lynch
Statutory construction, Immigration
State statute is categorically a crime relevant to the immigration statute, since the prohibition on counterfeit controlled substances incorporates the proximate definition of controlled substances.
Collymore v. Lynch
Ninth Circuit: USA V. LAVELLE PHILLIPS
Sentencing, Guns
No procedural error in sentencing--sufficiently explained.
Active concealment required for misprision suffices to make constitutional a bar on possession of firearms after conviction for Misprision of Felony.
USA V. LAVELLE PHILLIPS
Ninth Circuit: JENNY FLORES V. LORETTA LYNCH
Immigration
Consent decree applies to both accompanied and unaccompanied minors, since the potential policy issues do not preclude reading the contract in its plain terms.
Decree does not create a duty to release parents, though.
JENNY FLORES V. LORETTA LYNCH
Eigth Circuit: United States v. Charles Ewert
Sentencing
Sentencing guidelines not unconstitutional.
State misdemeanor with penalty of more than a year in prison was properly considered a felony in sentencing.
Not substantively unreasonable.
United States v. Charles Ewert
Eighth Circuit: United States v. Santos Chavarria-Ortiz
Sentencing
Lack of contemporaneous objection to explanation of sentence at trial is forfeiture of claim, not waiver.
Within-guidelines sentence sufficiently explained, as the court characterized the sentence as reasonable and evinced some knowledge of the deft's circumstances.
Within-guidelines sentence not substantively unreasonable.
United States v. Santos Chavarria-Ortiz
Eighth Circuit: Katie Moore v. Kansas City Public Schools
Federal Jurisdiction, IDEA, FRCP
As school-based tort claim did not explicitly invoke IDEA, removal and dismissal for lack of exhaustion was improper.
The claim's reference to similar terms did, however make the claim colorable, so fees are denied.
Katie Moore v. Kansas City Public Schools
Eighth Circuit: Jerome Emmanuel Davis v. Warden Kent Grandlienard
Habeas, AEDPA, Miranda
As the post-invocation statement admitted at the trial was facially exculpatatory and cumulative, state court did not err in denying Habeas.
Concur in J -- The statement was the only evidence placing the deft at the scene of the crime, but state court could have reasonably read it as harmless error.
Jerome Emmanuel Davis v. Warden Kent Grandlienard
Eighth Circuit: Critique Services, LLC v. LaToya L. Steward
Bankruptcy, Ethics
Pre-petition motion for equitable disgorgement is maintainable by petitioner so long as the trustee has abandoned the estate.
Insufficient basis to question impartiality of judge who previously headed US Trustee's office that engaged in adversarial process against petitioner LLC.
Court properly construed pro se petition; LLC properly a party; partial payment didn't moot the claim, etc.
Sanctions upheld.
Critique Services, LLC v. LaToya L. Steward
Seventh Circuit: Melvin Phillips v. Sheriff of Cook County
S1983, Prisons, Class Actions, FRCP
Prisoner claims asserting deliberate indifference under S1983 were improperly certified into a class, since although they shared an essential claim, the question of commonality implies a consideration of redressibility, and the relief sought in individual claims did not always support the remedy sought on behalf of the class as a whole.
Motion for relief from final judgment was inappropriate to challenge denial of certification -- an amended motion to certify the class remained available, appealable if a subsequent decision of the court materially alters the position of the class.
Melvin Phillips v. Sheriff of Cook County
Seventh Circuit: Eileen Felix v. Wisconsin Department of Transportation
Discrimination, FMLA, Employment
Medical inquiry that considered the prospective behavior of the employee did not therefore have to establish a direct threat in order to justify the ending of employment.
Eileen Felix v. Wisconsin Department of Transportation
Sixth Circuit: Avelino Cruz Martinez v. USA
En Banc, International, Extradition
Issuance of arrest warrant stops the clock for purposes of statutes of limitations referenced in extradition treaties.
Treaty reference to lapse of time does not incorporate the speedy trial guarantee.
Concur in J -- Speedy Trial analysis doesn't follow textually, but is correct given the purposes of treaty.
Dissent 1 - Treaty incorporates the guarantee -- plain meaning.
Dissent 2 - Translation inaccurate.
Avelino Cruz Martinez v. USA
Sixth Circuit: Yaqob Thomas v. Joseph Meko
Habeas, AEDPA, FRCP
A second state Habeas claim ultimately deemed to be barred procedurally for having been available to the petitioner at the filing of the first petition nonetheless tolled the AEDPA clock, as the second petition also asserted a claim for relief from judgement under the state rules.
Yaqob Thomas v. Joseph Meko
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