Verdict . News

Federal Circuit Court of Appeals

Jan 7, 2026•5 min read

Federal Circuit Upholds Patent Board Against Viasat in Flash Memory Case

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit affirmed the Patent Trial and Appeal Board's decision finding certain claims of Viasat's flash memory error correction patent unpatentable for obviousness. The nonprecedential ruling represents a setback for the satellite communications company in its patent dispute with Western Digital Technologies.

•Federal Circuit affirmed Patent Trial and Appeal Board's obviousness finding against Viasat's flash memory patent

•Decision invalidates certain claims of U.S. Patent No. 8,966,347 for forward error correction technology

•Sixth Circuit affirmed complete dismissal based on absolute and qualified immunity protections for township officials

6th Circuit Affirms Township Victory in Michigan Zoning Immunity Case

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit affirmed a district court's complete dismissal of a lawsuit filed by Benjamin and Sarah Martin and their company Soil Friends, LLC against Charter Township of Comstock, Michigan. The appeals court upheld immunity protections for municipal officials in the zoning dispute.

•Case involved farm owners challenging zoning restrictions on their commercial wine and cider operations

•Jarrod Sanford received 80 years in prison for federal child exploitation charges including production and possession of child pornography

6th Circuit Affirms 80-Year Sentence in Child Pornography Case

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit affirmed Tuesday the conviction and 80-year prison sentence of Jarrod Sanford on federal charges including production and possession of child pornography. The appeals court rejected multiple arguments challenging evidence admission and sentencing.

•The Sixth Circuit rejected challenges to evidence admission, including testimony about uncharged sexual abuse of the victim

•Smith pled guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, fentanyl, and cocaine after police searches

6th Circuit Reviews Drug Distribution Case with Search Warrant Challenge

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit issued an opinion in United States v. Michael Warren Smith, Jr., involving a defendant who pled guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, fentanyl, and cocaine after police executed search warrants at two properties. The case centers on challenges to the validity of the search warrants used in the investigation.

•Law enforcement conducted months-long investigation using confidential informants, surveillance, GPS tracking, and phone records

Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals

Fifth Circuit Grants Qualified Immunity in Dialysis Patient Arrest Case

The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals reversed a district court ruling and granted qualified immunity to five Texas police officers who damaged a dialysis patient's medical stent during a brief detention. The court held that the officers did not violate clearly established law when they handcuffed Michael Lewis for six minutes while searching for armed suspects.

•Fifth Circuit reversed district court's denial of qualified immunity to five Texas police officers

•Michael Lewis suffered damage to dialysis-related stent during six-minute handcuffing by officers searching for armed suspects

Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals

11th Circuit Affirms Summary Judgment on 58-Month Insurance Notice Delay

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit affirmed a district court's ruling that a 58-month delay in providing insurance notice violated a policy's requirement for notice 'as soon as reasonably possible.' The case involves a minor's sexual abuse claim against David Jacobs Barrow and Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company.

•The Eleventh Circuit affirmed summary judgment for Nationwide due to a 58-month delay in insurance notice from 2013 to 2018

•The court ruled the delay violated the policy's requirement for notice 'as soon as reasonably possible' as a matter of law

Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals

Jan 7, 2026•2 min read

8th Circuit Reviews Minnesota Sex Offender Civil Commitment Lawsuit

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit is hearing a major class action lawsuit challenging Minnesota's civil commitment program for sex offenders. Fourteen plaintiffs representing a broader class are suing state officials for alleged constitutional violations.

•Class action involves 14 named plaintiffs representing potentially hundreds of civilly committed individuals in Minnesota

•Defendants include high-ranking state officials sued in both personal and official capacities

•Sixth Circuit affirmed summary judgment dismissing hostile work environment and retaliation claims

6th Circuit Upholds Dismissal of Sexual Harassment Case Against CEO

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit affirmed a lower court's dismissal of sexual harassment claims against WNB Group LLC and its CEO Jay Wallis. The court ruled that plaintiff Lorna Vinsant failed to establish that alleged harassment created a hostile work environment or that retaliation occurred.

•Court found alleged harassment did not meet legal standard for severity or pervasiveness under Title VII

Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals

9th Circuit Affirms Dismissal in ON24 Securities Class Action Case

The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals issued a memorandum opinion Tuesday affirming a lower court's dismissal of a securities class action lawsuit against ON24, Inc. and major investment banks. Leadersel Innotech ESG alleged the company's IPO documents contained misleading statements about customer churn rates.

•Ninth Circuit affirmed dismissal of securities class action against ON24, Inc. over alleged IPO disclosure failures

•Lawsuit claimed company failed to disclose material customer churn rates before going public in 2021