Verdict . News

•19-year-old Ethan Marks suffered ruptured eyeball, fractured eye socket, and traumatic brain injury from police chemical projectile fired at close range

8th Circuit Revisits Police Excessive Force Case After Supreme Court Remand

The Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals is reconsidering a case involving Minneapolis Police Officer Benjamin Bauer, who shot 19-year-old Ethan Marks with a chemical-filled projectile from close range, causing severe injuries including a ruptured eyeball and traumatic brain injury. The Supreme Court vacated the previous ruling and remanded for reconsideration in light of Barnes v. Felix.

•Supreme Court vacated Eighth Circuit's previous ruling and remanded for reconsideration in light of Barnes v. Felix precedent

•Eighth Circuit reversed district court's denial of qualified immunity for Missouri State Trooper Dylon Wyatt

8th Circuit Reverses Qualified Immunity Denial for Missouri Trooper

The Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals reversed a district court's denial of qualified immunity to Missouri State Trooper Dylon Wyatt in an excessive force case involving police canine deployment. The federal appeals court remanded with instructions to dismiss claims against the trooper.

•Case involved excessive force allegations related to police canine deployment during November 2020 arrest

•Eighth Circuit reversed district court's denial of motion to suppress evidence from traffic stop

8th Circuit Reverses Drug Conviction Over Extended Traffic Stop

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit reversed Alex Johnson's drug conspiracy conviction, ruling that police unreasonably prolonged a traffic stop in violation of the Fourth Amendment. The court held that evidence obtained during the extended stop should have been suppressed.

•Court found police unreasonably prolonged stop beyond time needed for traffic violations

•Wooten pleaded guilty to felon in possession while on supervised release for prior similar convictions

8th Circuit Affirms Consecutive Terms for Repeat Firearm Offender

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit affirmed a district court's decision to revoke supervised release and impose consecutive sentences against Anthony Wooten, who pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm while on supervised release for similar prior convictions.

•District court imposed 24-month concurrent revocation sentences to run consecutively to new conviction

Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals

Doctor Appeals Bar Exam Challenge to Tenth Circuit Court

Dr. Perry Spann has filed an appeal in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit against the National Conference of Bar Examiners and multiple individual officers. The case challenges the organization that administers bar examinations across multiple states.

•Dr. Perry Spann filed an appeal in the Tenth Circuit against the National Conference of Bar Examiners and over a dozen individual defendants

•The case targets NCBE leadership including President/CEO Judith Gundersen and multiple board members and officers

•Florida Supreme Court adopted amendments to four attorney disciplinary rules on December 18, 2025

Florida Supreme Court

Florida Supreme Court Adopts New Attorney Discipline Rule Changes

The Florida Supreme Court adopted amendments to Chapter 3 of the Rules Regulating The Florida Bar on December 18, 2025, implementing changes to attorney disciplinary procedures and bar governance. The court modified four specific rules affecting emergency suspensions, disbarment procedures, and grievance committee operations.

•Changes include adding 'interim' terminology to emergency suspension procedures and reorganizing general disciplinary rules

Supreme Court of Virginia

Virginia Supreme Court Rules on Deputy's Records Request Under Government Data Act

The Virginia Supreme Court partially reversed lower court decisions in *Keil v. O'Sullivan*, ruling that a Chesapeake Sheriff's deputy may have rights to personal information under the Government Data Collection and Dissemination Practices Act, while confirming he has no remedy under the Virginia Freedom of Information Act.

•Virginia Supreme Court partially reversed lower courts, denying VFOIA claims but allowing Government Data Act claims to proceed

•Case remanded for in-camera review to determine what constitutes 'personal information' subject to deputy's rights

Supreme Court of Virginia

6d ago•5 min read

Virginia Supreme Court Upholds Afghan War Orphan Adoption

The Supreme Court of Virginia reversed a lower court ruling and upheld the 2020 adoption of a severely wounded Afghan orphan by a U.S. military family. The court applied Virginia's six-month finality statute to dismiss a petition challenging the adoption filed two years after it was completed.

•Supreme Court of Virginia reversed lower court ruling and upheld 2020 adoption of Afghan war orphan by U.S. military family

•Court applied Virginia's six-month finality statute to dismiss petition filed two years after adoption was completed

•Washington Supreme Court clarified service requirements for LUPA petitions against municipalities

Washington Supreme Court

Washington Supreme Court Rules on LUPA Service Requirements

The Washington State Supreme Court issued a ruling February 12, 2026, in Chandrruangphen v. City of Sammamish addressing statutory requirements for serving municipalities with Land Use Petition Act petitions. The decision clarifies procedural requirements affecting property owners, developers, and municipalities statewide.

•Court addressed whether nonstatutorily designated city employees can accept service under RCW 4.28.080(2)