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Federal Circuit

Jan 23, 2026•2 min read

•Supreme Court has issued a preliminary ruling in City and County of San Francisco v. EPA, a major Clean Water Act case involving NPDES permit requirements

Supreme Court Issues Preliminary Ruling in San Francisco vs. EPA Clean Water Act Case

The Supreme Court has issued a preliminary ruling in City and County of San Francisco v. Environmental Protection Agency, a significant Clean Water Act case involving permit requirements under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System. The preliminary decision addresses federal oversight of water pollution permits and could impact municipal wastewater management nationwide, though the ruling remains subject to revision before final publication.

•Case addresses federal oversight of water pollution permits and the permit shield provision that protects compliant entities

•Supreme Court unanimously held that voluntary dismissals without prejudice constitute "final proceedings" under Rule 60(b)

Supreme Court Rules Dismissed Cases Can Be Reopened Under Rule 60(b)

The Supreme Court held that federal courts can reopen cases voluntarily dismissed without prejudice under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 60(b). The unanimous decision in Waetzig v. Halliburton Energy Services, Inc. clarifies procedural rules for employment discrimination cases involving arbitration.

•Decision resolves circuit split over whether dismissed cases can be reopened for post-arbitration relief

•Supreme Court unanimously limits trademark damage awards to profits earned by the actual defendant entity

Supreme Court Limits Trademark Damages to Actual Defendant Profits

The Supreme Court ruled February 26 that courts cannot aggregate profits from corporate affiliates when calculating trademark infringement damages under the Lanham Act. The unanimous decision in *Dewberry Group v. Dewberry Engineers* restricts damage awards to profits actually earned by the defendant entity.

•Courts cannot aggregate profits from corporate affiliates when calculating Lanham Act damages

•Supreme Court ruled plaintiffs with only preliminary injunctions are not "prevailing parties" eligible for attorney fees

Supreme Court: No Attorney Fees for Preliminary Injunctions in Moot Cases

The Supreme Court ruled that drivers who obtained a preliminary injunction against Virginia's license suspension statute cannot recover attorney fees under federal civil rights law after the case became moot when the legislature repealed the law.

•Virginia repealed contested driver's license suspension law after lawsuit began but before trial

Jan 23, 2026•2 min read

•Richard Glossip has been on death row for nearly 28 years based primarily on testimony from the actual killer, Justin Sneed

Supreme Court to Decide Glossip v. Oklahoma Death Penalty Case

The Supreme Court will decide Glossip v. Oklahoma, a capital punishment case involving Richard Glossip, who has been on death row for nearly 28 years. The case centers on whether Glossip should be executed based primarily on testimony from the actual killer, Justin Sneed, and involves complex post-conviction relief proceedings.

•The Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals overturned Glossip's conviction on first appeal due to ineffective assistance of counsel, but he was retried and again sentenced to death

•Supreme Court decided Wisconsin Bell v. Heath involving E-Rate program fraud allegations

Supreme Court Rules on E-Rate Fraud Case Against Wisconsin Bell

The Supreme Court decided Wisconsin Bell, Inc. v. United States ex rel. Heath, a case involving allegations that Wisconsin Bell defrauded the federal E-Rate program that subsidizes telecommunications services for schools and libraries. The decision addresses fraud claims related to the Universal Service Fund administration.

•Case centers on 'lowest corresponding price' rule requiring fair pricing for schools and libraries

•Supreme Court ruled state courts cannot dismiss Section 1983 civil rights claims over benefit delays based on administrative exhaustion requirements

Supreme Court: States Can't Block Civil Rights Claims Over Benefit Delays

The Supreme Court ruled February 21, 2025, that state courts cannot dismiss federal civil rights lawsuits challenging delays in unemployment benefit processing based on administrative exhaustion requirements. The decision in Williams v. Reed protects workers' access to federal courts when state administrative processes are allegedly being delayed.

•Decision resolves legal catch-22 where workers couldn't challenge delayed processing until completing the allegedly delayed process

•Supreme Court ruled on Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act's expropriation exception in Holocaust property case

Supreme Court Clarifies Foreign Immunity Rules in Holocaust Property Case

The Supreme Court issued a decision in Republic of Hungary v. Simon, addressing when Holocaust survivors can sue foreign governments in U.S. courts under the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act. The case involves Jewish survivors seeking damages for property seized during World War II.

•Jewish survivors sued Hungary for property seized during World War II using 'commingling theory'

•Brenda Andrew challenged her death sentence based on prejudicial evidence about her personal life introduced at trial

Supreme Court Rules on Prejudicial Evidence in Oklahoma Death Penalty Case

The Supreme Court decided Andrew v. White on Tuesday, addressing whether the introduction of irrelevant evidence about a defendant's personal life violated federal due process rights in a capital murder case. Brenda Andrew had challenged her death sentence, arguing that evidence about her sex life and extramarital affairs rendered her trial fundamentally unfair.

•The Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals denied relief, finding any trial errors were harmless