Verdict . News

•Nebraska Supreme Court holds that piercing the corporate veil is an equitable remedy, not a standalone legal action

Nebraska Supreme Court

Nebraska Supreme Court Clarifies Corporate Veil Piercing Standards

The Nebraska Supreme Court issued a ruling Thursday in Perkins v. RMR Building Group, clarifying that piercing the corporate veil is an equitable remedy rather than a standalone legal action. The decision establishes important precedent for when courts can hold individual owners personally liable for corporate debts.

•Court establishes de novo appellate review standard for equity cases involving corporate liability disputes

•Oregon Supreme Court ordered immediate release from 'illegal imprisonment'

Oregon Supreme Court

Oregon Supreme Court Orders Immediate Release of Inmate in Habeas Case

The Oregon Supreme Court issued an emergency order Thursday directing the immediate release of Dominic Agapito Earl Fletes from Coffee Creek Correctional Facility, ruling his continued imprisonment was illegal. The court bypassed normal appellate procedures to expedite Fletes' discharge after determining errors in his sentencing credit calculations.

•Case involved complex consecutive sentences totaling 56 months with credit calculation errors

Court of Appeals of Maryland

Jan 23, 2026•2 min read

Maryland Supreme Court Grants Cert, Vacates Circuit Court Money Judgment in HOA Case

The Supreme Court of Maryland granted certiorari in Ghazzaoui v. Russett Community Association, Inc., and vacated the circuit court's money judgment, finding the court erred when it entered a new judgment after dismissing the homeowner's appeal. The case was remanded with the original district court judgment remaining in effect.

•Supreme Court of Maryland granted certiorari and vacated circuit court's money judgment

•Court found circuit court erred in entering new judgment after dismissing appeal

•Tennessee Supreme Court ruled state courts lack jurisdiction to confirm arbitration awards when parties agreed arbitration would occur in another state

Tennessee Supreme Court

Tennessee Supreme Court Limits State Jurisdiction in Arbitration Cases

The Tennessee Supreme Court ruled that state courts lack subject matter jurisdiction to confirm arbitration awards when parties agreed arbitration would occur in another state. The decision came in Berkeley Research Group, LLC v. Southern Advanced Materials, LLC, dismissing Berkeley's attempt to confirm a Pennsylvania arbitration award in Tennessee.

•Berkeley Research Group's petition to confirm Pennsylvania arbitration award was dismissed by Tennessee's highest court

•Illinois Supreme Court established new two-step legal test for self-defense claims against police officers

Illinois Supreme Court

Illinois Supreme Court Sets New Standard for Self-Defense Against Police

The Illinois Supreme Court ruled in *People v. Vesey* that defendants claiming self-defense against police officers must meet a two-step legal test. The case involved Courtney B. Vesey, who was denied self-defense jury instructions after being charged with aggravated battery of police officers.

•Trial courts must first determine if sufficient evidence exists of excessive force by officers under Criminal Code section 7-5

•Illinois Supreme Court reversed appellate court ruling that missing preliminary hearing constituted reviewable plain error

Illinois Supreme Court

Illinois Supreme Court Reverses Appellate Court on Plain Error Standard

The Illinois Supreme Court reversed an appellate court ruling in *People v. Chambliss*, holding that a trial court's failure to conduct a constitutionally required preliminary hearing cannot be reviewed as second-prong plain error when the defendant never objected. The case addresses fundamental questions about constitutional criminal procedure requirements and appellate review standards.

•Defendant Anzano P. Chambliss was convicted of aggravated battery but never objected to lack of constitutional preliminary hearing

•Texas Supreme Court denied review in case involving Rule 91a motion standards and pleading exhibit consideration

Texas Supreme Court

Texas Supreme Court Denies Review in Rule 91a Motion Case

The Texas Supreme Court denied review in Gardens of Connemara Ltd. v. Longhorn Creek Ltd., leaving unresolved the important question of when trial courts must consider pleading exhibits when ruling on Rule 91a motions to dismiss. Justice Young's concurrence highlighted the significance of this procedural issue while explaining why the case was not suitable for Supreme Court review.

•Justice Young's concurrence emphasized the importance of clarifying when courts must consider attached exhibits

Federal Circuit

Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals

10th Circuit Addresses Post-Conviction Motion in Wesley Drug Case

The Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals issued a published order Thursday in *In re: Wesley*, addressing Monterial Wesley's post-conviction challenge to his 30-year federal drug trafficking sentence. Wesley had filed a Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 60(b)(6) motion after exhausting previous appeals and habeas corpus petitions.

•Wesley was sentenced to 30 years for six drug trafficking convictions after pleading guilty to four counts and being convicted at trial on two others

•His direct appeal and motions under federal habeas corpus and sentence reduction statutes were unsuccessful

Federal Circuit

Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals

8th Circuit Affirms Enhanced Sentence for Child Porn Defendant

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit affirmed an enhanced prison sentence for Bryan Michael Vannausdle, who pled guilty to receiving child pornography after exchanging explicit materials with a 13-14-year-old girl. The appeals court upheld the district court's application of federal sentencing enhancement guidelines.

•Eighth Circuit affirmed 240-month prison sentence for defendant who pled guilty to receiving child pornography

•Vannausdle exchanged explicit materials with 13-14-year-old girl and made sexual solicitations