Verdict . News

Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals

9th Circuit Reverses Denial of Navajo Relocation Benefits to Harvey Yazzie

The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals has reversed a lower court's decision and remanded a case involving Harvey Yazzie's challenge to the Office of Navajo and Hopi Indian Relocation's denial of benefits under the 1974 Navajo Hopi Land Settlement Act. The federal appeals court applied Administrative Procedure Act standards in reviewing the agency's determination.

•Ninth Circuit reversed district court's summary judgment in favor of ONHIR

•Harvey Yazzie challenged denial of relocation benefits under 1974 Settlement Act

Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals

9th Circuit Reverses Dismissal of Pro Se Lawsuit After Court Conference No-Show

The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals reversed a district court's decision to dismiss a pro se lawsuit with prejudice after the plaintiff failed to appear at a case management conference. The appeals court found the terminating sanctions were an abuse of discretion.

•Ninth Circuit reversed dismissal with prejudice of pro se lawsuit for missing case management conference

•District court improperly reviewed magistrate's recommendation for clear error instead of conducting de novo review

Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals

9th Circuit Dismisses Challenge to School District's COVID Mask Policy

The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals dismissed a lawsuit filed by a mother and daughter challenging the Roseville Joint Union High School District's face-covering requirements during the COVID-19 pandemic. The court issued a non-precedential memorandum decision on Jan. 6, 2026, upholding the district court's dismissal of the case.

•Pro se plaintiffs Desiree McGuire and daughter Cadence DeVault unsuccessfully challenged Roseville school district's COVID-19 mask requirements

•The Ninth Circuit issued a non-precedential memorandum decision affirming the district court's dismissal

Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals

6th Circuit Affirms Attorney's Fees Award in Trade Secret Case

The Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed a district court's decision to award reduced attorney's fees to Equity Resources, Inc. following its jury victory against T2 Financial, LLC d/b/a Revolution Mortgage in a trade secrets and business interference case. The appeals court rejected Revolution Mortgage's arguments challenging the fee award.

•Sixth Circuit affirmed attorney's fees award to Equity Resources after jury victory against Revolution Mortgage

•Original case involved allegations of trade secret theft and business interference in competitive mortgage lending market

State Court

•Idaho Supreme Court reversed district court judgment in estate dispute between widower and deceased wife's children

Idaho Supreme Court

Idaho Supreme Court Reverses Estate Decision in Nelson v. Wylie

The Idaho Supreme Court reversed a district court's judgment in a contentious estate dispute involving the late Glenna Mae Wylie-Nelson. The high court vacated the lower court's decision, reversed orders denying amendment requests and awarding attorney fees, and remanded the case for further proceedings.

•Court overturned orders denying leave to amend pleadings and awarding attorney fees to respondents

Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals

11th Circuit Affirms Wire Fraud Sentence in COVID-19 Relief Program Case

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit affirmed the wire fraud sentence of Omar Loaces Gonzalez, who defrauded COVID-19-era relief programs. The court rejected Gonzalez's arguments that the district court misapplied federal sentencing guidelines and imposed an unreasonable sentence.

•Eleventh Circuit affirmed wire fraud sentence for defendant who defrauded COVID-19 relief programs including PPP and EIDL

•Court rejected challenges to both sentencing guidelines application and substantive reasonableness of the sentence

Federal Circuit Court of Appeals

Federal Circuit Affirms DHS Removal of CBP Port Director

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit affirmed the Department of Homeland Security's removal of Ricardo Irizarry, a former Assistant Area Port Director for Customs and Border Protection in San Juan, Puerto Rico. The nonprecedential decision upheld the Merit Systems Protection Board's determination that Irizarry's termination was justified.

•Federal Circuit affirmed DHS removal of CBP Assistant Area Port Director Ricardo Irizarry

•Termination based on affair with subordinate, inappropriate text messages, and misuse of government property

State Court

•Idaho Supreme Court reversed Industrial Commission's denial of workers' compensation benefits to drywall worker Christopher Miklos

Idaho Supreme Court

Idaho Supreme Court Reverses Workers' Comp Denial in Drywall Case

The Idaho Supreme Court reversed the Idaho Industrial Commission's denial of workers' compensation benefits to Christopher Miklos, a drywall delivery worker who injured his ankle in 2019. The court ruled the commission applied an incorrect legal standard in denying Miklos' claim for additional medical treatment.

•Court ruled the commission applied incorrect legal standard in evaluating Miklos' claim for ongoing treatment of ankle injury

State Court

•Montana Supreme Court granted writ of supervisory control over district court's denial of judicial substitution motion

Montana Supreme Court

Montana Supreme Court Grants Supervisory Writ Over Judge Substitution Denial

The Montana Supreme Court issued a writ of supervisory control on January 6, 2026, in a criminal case involving a 16-year-old defendant who challenged a district court's denial of her motion to substitute judges. The high court stayed the underlying proceedings while considering the petition.

•16-year-old defendant S.L. faces serious criminal charges including aggravated burglary and assault on peace officer