Verdict . News

Third Circuit Court of Appeals

2w ago•5 min read

3rd Circuit Upholds Jury Verdict Against Police Officer in Retaliation Case

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit affirmed a jury verdict favoring the City of Williamsport and two mayors in a First Amendment retaliation lawsuit filed by police Lieutenant Steven Helm. The non-precedential decision rejected Helm's appeal seeking a new trial.

•Third Circuit affirmed jury verdict rejecting police lieutenant's First Amendment retaliation claims

•Steven Helm alleged city officials retaliated against him for union activities when making promotion decisions

Third Circuit Court of Appeals

3rd Circuit Rules SBA Violated APA in PPP Loan Forgiveness Case

The Third Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the Small Business Administration violated the Administrative Procedure Act by declining to fully forgive a Paycheck Protection Program loan to Essintial Enterprise Solutions LLC. The precedential decision centers on whether payments to independent contractors qualify as "payroll costs" under the PPP statutory framework.

•Third Circuit found SBA violated Administrative Procedure Act in PPP loan forgiveness denial

•Court ruled payments to independent contractors qualify as 'payroll costs' under PPP statute

Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals

5th Circuit Denies El Salvador Native's Appeal to Reopen 2004 Removal Case

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit denied Oscar Antonio Bermudes-Osorto's petition to review a Board of Immigration Appeals decision affirming an Immigration Judge's denial of his motion to reopen proceedings. Bermudes-Osorto was ordered removed in absentia after failing to appear at his September 2004 hearing.

•Fifth Circuit denied El Salvador native's petition to review BIA decision affirming denial of motion to reopen 2004 removal case

•Bermudes-Osorto was originally ordered removed in absentia after missing September 2004 immigration hearing

Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals

5th Circuit Denies Texas Prisoner's DNA Evidence Access Appeal

The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a lower court's dismissal of Texas prisoner Gordon Ray Lewis's civil rights lawsuit against Hood County District Attorney Ryan Sinclair. Lewis alleged that denial of access to evidence for DNA testing violated his due process rights.

•Texas prisoner Gordon Ray Lewis lost appeal of civil rights lawsuit against Hood County District Attorney Ryan Sinclair

•Lewis alleged denial of DNA evidence access violated his due process rights under 42 U.S.C. § 1983

Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals

2w ago•2 min read

Fifth Circuit Vacates DOT Fee Transparency Rule After Airlines Challenge Procedural Violations

The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals vacated the Department of Transportation's rule requiring enhanced transparency of airline ancillary service fees on February 3, 2026, after the DOT conceded it failed to follow proper Administrative Procedure Act rulemaking procedures. A coalition of major U.S. airlines, including American, Delta, United, and Spirit, had challenged the rule's implementation.

•Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals vacated DOT's ancillary fee transparency rule on February 3, 2026

•DOT conceded it failed to follow proper Administrative Procedure Act notice-and-comment requirements

Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals

7th Circuit Rules on Asset Priority Between Competing Judgment Creditors

The Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed a district court ruling that prioritized one creditor's federal judgment over another's retroactively corrected state court judgment in a dispute over healthcare company assets. The case involved competing claims between Vivek Bedi and MedLegal Solutions over Premium Healthcare Solutions' assets.

•Seventh Circuit affirmed federal court priority over retroactively corrected state judgment

•Original state judgment named wrong defendant, creating asset priority conflict when corrected

Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals

8th Circuit Affirms Gun Conviction After Traffic Stop Search

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit affirmed Remy Wright's federal conviction for being a felon in possession of a firearm, rejecting his challenge to a vehicle search conducted during a traffic stop by Arkansas State Trooper Anthony Worn.

•Eighth Circuit affirmed Remy Wright's conviction for felon in possession of firearm under 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1)

•Wright waived his suppression argument by stating 'no objection' to firearm evidence at trial

Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals

9th Circuit Affirms Auto Repossession in Consumer Debt Collection Case

The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed summary judgment for Ford Motor Credit Company and a debt collection agency in a vehicle repossession dispute. Consumer Vanessa Chavez had challenged the repossession under federal fair debt collection laws and Arizona state statute.

•Ninth Circuit affirmed summary judgment for Ford Motor Credit and debt collection agency WIRB

•Consumer alleged vehicle repossession violated Fair Debt Collection Practices Act and Arizona self-help statute

Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals

9th Circuit Denies Rehearing in Guam Reproductive Rights Case

The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals denied petitions for rehearing in a decades-long reproductive rights lawsuit involving Guam medical groups and government officials. The court dismissed the appeal as moot following related proceedings involving Governor Lourdes Leon Guerrero.

•Ninth Circuit denied rehearing petitions in 36-year-old reproductive rights case involving Guam medical groups

•Court dismissed appeal as moot following related proceedings involving Governor Leon Guerrero