Verdict . News

•Delaware Supreme Court unanimously affirmed Douglas DeAngelis's sexual assault conviction, rejecting his Allen charge coercion claim

State Court

3w ago•5 min read

Delaware Supreme Court

Delaware Supreme Court Affirms Sexual Assault Conviction in DeAngelis Case

The Delaware Supreme Court unanimously affirmed Douglas DeAngelis's sexual assault conviction, rejecting his claim that the trial judge's response to jury notes constituted an improper Allen charge that coerced the verdict. DeAngelis was convicted on charges including second-degree rape and assault following a six-day trial.

•DeAngelis was convicted on multiple charges including second-degree rape, fourth-degree rape, and second-degree assault

State Court

•Delaware Supreme Court affirmed Artezz Finney's conviction for possession of a firearm by a person prohibited

Delaware Supreme Court

Delaware Supreme Court Upholds Gun Conviction After Vehicle Search

The Delaware Supreme Court affirmed Artezz Finney's conviction for possession of a firearm by a person prohibited, rejecting his Fourth Amendment challenge to evidence obtained during a vehicle search. The court denied Finney's motion to suppress evidence after Wilmington police officers observed him holding a firearm in his car.

•Court rejected Finney's Fourth Amendment challenge to vehicle search evidence obtained by Wilmington police

First Circuit Court of Appeals

1st Circuit Grants En Banc Review in Cambridge Police Speech Case

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit granted en banc review in Hussey v. City of Cambridge, withdrawing a previous panel decision and ordering the full court to rehear a case involving First Amendment protections for public employee speech. The court directed parties to address questions about how derogatory speech factors into constitutional balancing tests.

•First Circuit granted rare en banc review, withdrawing previous panel decision from August 2025

•Case examines First Amendment protections for public employee speech that mocks or disparages public issues

Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals

6th Circuit Affirms VA Summary Judgment in Workplace Harassment Case

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit affirmed a lower court's summary judgment in favor of the Department of Veterans Affairs in a case brought by former criminal investigator Dena Leath, who alleged workplace harassment, discrimination, and constructive discharge.

•Sixth Circuit affirmed summary judgment for VA in workplace harassment case brought by former criminal investigator

•Three internal VA investigations found workplace tension but concluded it fell short of actionable harassment

Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals

6th Circuit Affirms Summary Judgment in Nurse's Age Bias Case

The Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed a district court's summary judgment ruling in favor of Firelands Regional Medical Center in an age discrimination lawsuit filed by nurse practitioner Laura Obergefell. Obergefell claimed she was terminated due to her age rather than legitimate pandemic-related layoffs.

•Sixth Circuit affirmed summary judgment for Firelands Regional Medical Center in age discrimination case

•Laura Obergefell, 58, claimed age bias in her 2020 termination during COVID-19 pandemic layoffs

Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals

6th Circuit Upholds Bitcoin Seizure in Federal Forfeiture Case

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit ruled on a federal forfeiture case involving 0.40401694 Bitcoin seized from a Binance cryptocurrency exchange account, with three Nigerian nationals challenging the government's seizure after missing filing deadlines.

•Three Nigerian nationals missed filing deadlines to claim over $100,000 in seized Bitcoin

•FBI seized 0.40401694 Bitcoin from Binance account during fraud investigation

Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals

7th Circuit Upholds Gun Serial Number Law Under Bruen Test

The Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed the constitutionality of federal law prohibiting possession of firearms with obliterated serial numbers, rejecting a Second Amendment challenge based on the Supreme Court's 2022 Bruen decision. The court ruled in United States v. Jose Reyna that the law does not violate constitutional protections.

•Seventh Circuit affirmed federal law prohibiting firearms with obliterated serial numbers

•Court rejected Second Amendment challenge based on Supreme Court's Bruen decision

Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals

7th Circuit Upholds Wire Fraud, Reverses Bank Fraud in Housing Scheme

The Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals upheld wire fraud convictions but reversed bank fraud convictions against two Housing Authority of South Bend officials who orchestrated a kickback scheme involving fictional maintenance contracts. Tonya Robinson and Albert Smith used their leadership positions to enrich themselves by hiring contractors for non-existent work and taking cuts of the payments.

•Seventh Circuit affirmed wire fraud convictions for kickback scheme involving fictional maintenance contracts at Housing Authority of South Bend

•Court reversed bank fraud convictions due to government's failure to prove false statements were made to a bank

Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals

8th Circuit Upholds Career Offender Status in Cannabis Conviction Case

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit affirmed a district court's decision to classify Jesus Alfonso Ruiz as a career offender, rejecting his argument that his 2015 Illinois cannabis conviction should not count as a predicate offense. Ruiz received a 210-month prison sentence after pleading guilty to conspiring to distribute controlled substances.

•Eighth Circuit affirmed career offender status despite defendant's hemp/cannabis legal distinction argument

•Court held state drug convictions can qualify as predicates even when substances differ from federal controlled substances