Verdict . News

•North Carolina Supreme Court addressed whether property owners can waive Map Act damage claims by not raising them in condemnation proceedings

NC Supreme Court Rules on Eminent Domain Rights in Sanders v. NCDOT

The North Carolina Supreme Court issued a decision in Sanders v. North Carolina Department of Transportation addressing whether property owners can abandon their right to seek damages for Map Act restrictions by not raising the issue in condemnation proceedings.

•Case builds on 2016 Kirby precedent that corridor mapping restrictions constitute government takings

Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court

Massachusetts High Court Denies Pretrial Detention Appeal in Gun Case

The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court denied Kyle Culotta's petition challenging his pretrial detention on multiple unlicensed firearm charges. Culotta argued that unlicensed gun possession should not qualify as grounds for dangerousness detention under state law.

•Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court denied Kyle Culotta's petition challenging pretrial detention on unlicensed firearm charges

•Culotta argued that unlicensed gun possession should not qualify as grounds for dangerousness detention under state law

Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court

Mass. High Court Affirms Ruling Against Property Owner in Development Dispute

The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court affirmed a lower court's denial of relief to Penny A. Jean in a property development dispute. Jean had sought to overturn various rulings in a breach of contract case involving a failed joint venture agreement with business partners.

•Supreme Judicial Court affirmed denial of relief to property owner Penny A. Jean in development dispute

•Original case involved joint venture agreement for property subdivision that Jean allegedly breached

•Iowa Supreme Court addressed whether dismissal is appropriate sanction under Rule 1.413

Supreme Court of Iowa

Iowa Supreme Court Rules on Attorney Sanctions in Divorce Case

The Iowa Supreme Court issued a decision in *In re the Marriage of Matthew Kraus and Molly Kraus*, addressing whether dismissal of a petition to modify a divorce decree constitutes an appropriate sanction under Iowa Rule of Civil Procedure 1.413 for allegedly frivolous filings.

•Court of Appeals decision partially affirmed, with case remanded for further proceedings

•North Carolina Supreme Court reversed Court of Appeals decision applying collateral estoppel to bar juvenile petition

NC Supreme Court Reverses Collateral Estoppel Ruling in Child Welfare Case

The North Carolina Supreme Court reversed a Court of Appeals decision that applied collateral estoppel to bar a juvenile petition involving a child named A.D.H. The high court remanded the case to the trial court for further proceedings in the ongoing dispute between Carteret County Department of Social Services and the child's parents.

•Case involves custody dispute between parents and Carteret County Department of Social Services over child A.D.H.

•North Carolina Supreme Court affirmed Business Court's summary judgment ruling in favor of defendants in real estate LLC ownership dispute

NC Supreme Court Affirms Summary Judgment in Real Estate LLC Dispute

The North Carolina Supreme Court affirmed a lower court's summary judgment ruling in a complex business dispute involving multiple real estate investment companies over membership and management of Yards at NoDa, LLC. The case, which began in 2016, involved claims of breach of fiduciary duty and constructive fraud between Gvest Real Estate and several defendant companies.

•Case involved competing claims over membership and management of Yards at NoDa, LLC between multiple real estate investment companies

•Supreme Court reversed Court of Appeals decision that had favored the City of Durham

NC Supreme Court Reverses Durham Zoning Case Over Deficient Notice

The North Carolina Supreme Court ruled in favor of Durham Green Flea Market, reversing a Court of Appeals decision and ordering the City of Durham to dismiss a notice of violation. The state's highest court found that the city's notice failed to adequately describe alleged zoning violations as required by Durham's own Unified Development Ordinance.

•Notice of violation was deemed deficient for failing to describe specific zoning violations

•North Carolina Supreme Court reversed class certification in developer fee challenge case

NC Supreme Court Reverses Class Certification in Developer Fee Challenge

The North Carolina Supreme Court ruled that individualized issues predominate over common legal questions in a class action challenging the Town of Apex's recreation fees charged to developers. The court reversed a trial court's certification of a class seeking declarations that the municipal fees are illegal.

•Court found individualized property valuation and cost issues would predominate over common legal questions

•North Carolina Supreme Court clarified joint employment doctrine for workers' compensation cases

NC Supreme Court Clarifies Joint Employment in Workers' Comp Case

The North Carolina Supreme Court issued a December 2025 ruling in *Lassiter v. Robeson County Sheriff's Department* that clarifies the state's joint employment doctrine in workers' compensation cases. The court held that employee Steven Matthew Lassiter does not satisfy the control requirement for joint employment with private contractor Truesdell Corporation.

•Court held that control requirement was not met for joint employment with private contractor