Verdict . News

State Court

•Iowa Supreme Court unanimously reversed $2.84 million jury verdict in workplace death case

Supreme Court of Iowa

Iowa Supreme Court Reverses $2.84M Workplace Death Verdict

The Iowa Supreme Court unanimously reversed a $2.84 million jury verdict awarded to the family of Michael Griffith, who died after falling through an open catwalk gate into machinery at Wendling Quarries. The court held that co-employee gross negligence claims failed as a matter of law due to insufficient evidence.

•Court found insufficient evidence of actual knowledge required for co-employee gross negligence

Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals

Eleventh Circuit Reviews Successive Federal Sentence Challenge

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit is considering Michael Bowe's application to file a second federal sentence challenge under 28 U.S.C. § 2255. The court must determine whether Bowe's claims meet strict statutory requirements for successive habeas petitions.

•Michael Bowe seeks Eleventh Circuit authorization for a second federal sentence challenge under 28 U.S.C. § 2255

•Court must certify the motion meets narrow requirements involving newly discovered evidence or new constitutional law

State Court

•Idaho Supreme Court delivered mixed ruling with partial affirmation and vacation of district court decision

Idaho Supreme Court

Idaho Supreme Court Issues Mixed Ruling in Cancer Camp Property Dispute

The Idaho Supreme Court delivered a split decision in a property valuation dispute between Camp Magical Moments, a nonprofit cancer camp for children, and former property owners Tom and Ann Walsh. The court affirmed parts of the district court's ruling while vacating others and remanded the case for additional proceedings.

•Camp Magical Moments won $154,753 judgment for property valuation dispute with Walsh family

Second Circuit Court of Appeals

Second Circuit Rules Appeal Waiver Too Vague in Arbitration Case

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit ruled that a contractual waiver of the 'right to appeal' in an arbitration agreement was too ambiguous to prevent appellate review. The decision came in a commercial loan dispute between Lanesborough 2000, LLC and Nextres, LLC.

•Second Circuit found arbitration appeal waiver language too vague to be enforceable

•Court required waiver provisions to be 'clear and unequivocal' to prevent appellate review

Third Circuit Court of Appeals

Third Circuit Affirms Dismissal of ADA Suit Against NJ Courts

The Third Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed the dismissal of a federal disability discrimination lawsuit filed by Hilda Kennedy against the New Jersey court system. Kennedy, who is legally blind and physically impaired, alleged violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act during state court proceedings in Atlantic County.

•Third Circuit affirmed dismissal with prejudice of ADA discrimination lawsuit against New Jersey court system

•Plaintiff Hilda Kennedy alleged disability discrimination during four state court proceedings in Atlantic County

First Circuit Court of Appeals

First Circuit Revives Design Defect Claims in Fatal Laser-Cutting Death

The First Circuit Court of Appeals partially reversed a lower court's dismissal of a wrongful death lawsuit against Cincinnati Incorporated, allowing design defect claims to proceed while affirming dismissal of other claims in a case involving a laser-cutting system operator who died when trapped by a descending steel beam.

•First Circuit partially reversed summary judgment, allowing design defect claims to proceed against Cincinnati Incorporated

•Luis Prieto died when trapped by descending steel beam in laser-cutting system manufactured by defendant

Second Circuit Court of Appeals

2nd Circuit Dismisses Anesthesiologists' Appeal Against UnitedHealthcare

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit issued a summary order on Feb. 6, 2026, in Long Island Anesthesiologists PLLC v. UnitedHealthcare Insurance Company of New York Inc., a dispute involving the Empire Plan Medical/Surgical Program administration.

•Second Circuit issued summary order with no precedential effect in healthcare reimbursement dispute

•Long Island Anesthesiologists PLLC challenged UnitedHealthcare's administration of Empire Plan Medical/Surgical Program

Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals

5th Circuit Affirms Jury Verdict Denying Overtime Pay to Farm Bureau Manager

The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed a jury verdict denying overtime compensation to Jerry Merritt, a former Texas Farm Bureau agency manager. The court ruled that the insurance company lacked knowledge of Merritt's claimed overtime work.

•Fifth Circuit affirmed jury verdict denying overtime pay to Texas Farm Bureau agency manager Jerry Merritt

•Court ruled Texas Farm Bureau lacked actual or constructive knowledge of Merritt's overtime work

Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals

Fifth Circuit Reviews Civil Rights Case Against Lexington Police

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit is reviewing a civil rights lawsuit filed by three black residents against police officers and the City of Lexington, Mississippi, a small segregated town in Holmes County.

•Three black residents sued Lexington, Mississippi police officers and city for civil rights violations

•Lexington is described as a 'tiny and deeply segregated town' with 1,500 black and 300 white residents