Verdict . News

Third Circuit Court of Appeals

3rd Circuit Affirms Summary Judgment for Duquesne in Age Bias Case

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit affirmed a district court's grant of summary judgment in favor of Duquesne University in an age discrimination and retaliation lawsuit filed by former employee William Richter. The court ruled that Richter failed to establish a prima facie case for either claim under federal and Pennsylvania law.

•Third Circuit affirmed summary judgment for Duquesne University in age discrimination case filed by former gift officer William Richter

•Court ruled Richter failed to establish prima facie cases for age discrimination and retaliation claims under federal and Pennsylvania law

Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals

4th Circuit Affirms Mail Fraud Conviction, Rejects Sentencing Challenge

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit affirmed the 48-month prison sentence for Ali Mif Bey, who pleaded guilty to federal mail fraud charges. The court rejected Bey's challenge to using intended loss rather than actual loss in calculating his sentencing guidelines.

•Fourth Circuit affirmed 48-month sentence for defendant using multiple aliases in mail fraud scheme

•Court rejected challenge to using intended loss rather than actual loss in sentencing guidelines calculation

Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals

9th Circuit Denies Immigration Appeal in Rodriguez-Santamaria v. Bondi

The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals denied a petition for review from a Salvadoran family seeking asylum, withholding of removal, and Convention Against Torture protection. The memorandum decision featured a partial concurrence and dissent from Judge Paez.

•Ninth Circuit denied petition for review from Salvadoran family seeking asylum and other immigration relief

•Panel included partial concurrence and dissent from Judge Paez indicating split among judges

Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals

9th Circuit Upholds Dismissal of Ripple Securities Class Action

The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed summary judgment for Ripple Labs in a federal securities class action, ruling that the three-year statute of repose bars claims by XRP token purchasers. The appellate court upheld the district court's dismissal of Bradley Sostack's lawsuit alleging unregistered securities violations.

•Ninth Circuit affirmed summary judgment for Ripple Labs in securities class action lawsuit

•Court applied three-year statute of repose from Securities Act of 1933 to dismiss federal claims

Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals

9th Circuit Denies Mexican Father's Appeal to Avoid Removal Despite U.S. Kids

The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals denied a petition from Blas Guzman-Rodriguez, a Mexican national seeking to cancel his removal from the United States. The court upheld the Board of Immigration Appeals' finding that his removal would not cause exceptional hardship to his two U.S. citizen children.

•Ninth Circuit denied Mexican national's petition to avoid removal despite having two U.S. citizen children

•Court applied highly deferential substantial evidence standard in reviewing hardship determination

Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals

5th Circuit Affirms Dismissal of Civil Rights Suit in Hit-and-Run Case

The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals has affirmed in part and reversed in part a district court's dismissal of a civil rights lawsuit filed by pro se litigant Joseph Eurings against Officer Jacob Tucker and pharmacist Lishunda Franklin. The case stemmed from an alleged hit-and-run accident that left Eurings with serious injuries.

•Fifth Circuit partially affirmed and partially reversed dismissal of Section 1983 civil rights lawsuit

•Pro se plaintiff Joseph Eurings sued Officer Jacob Tucker and pharmacist Lishunda Franklin over 2021 hit-and-run incident

Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals

5th Circuit Reviews Gun Law Challenge in Post-Bruen Framework

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit is considering a constitutional challenge to federal gun possession laws brought by Cedric Cornell Jackson, who argues that 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1) violates Second Amendment rights under the Supreme Court's Bruen decision.

•Jackson challenges his conviction under 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1) as facially unconstitutional under the Second Amendment

•The case tests how federal gun possession laws hold up under the Supreme Court's Bruen decision framework

Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals

8th Circuit Affirms Mandatory Minimum for Fentanyl Conspiracy

The Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed a 120-month mandatory minimum sentence for Da'shawn Domena, who pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute fentanyl but chose not to cooperate with prosecutors despite being eligible for safety valve provisions that could have reduced his sentence.

•Eighth Circuit affirmed 120-month mandatory minimum sentence for fentanyl conspiracy

•Defendant chose not to cooperate despite being eligible for safety valve sentence reduction

Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals

8th Circuit Affirms Below-Guidelines Sentence in Child Pornography Case

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit affirmed a below-Guidelines sentence imposed on Jessica Peters after she pleaded guilty to child pornography offenses. The court rejected her attorney's Anders brief challenging the sentence's substantive reasonableness.

•Eighth Circuit affirmed below-Guidelines sentence for Jessica Peters on child pornography charges

•Defense counsel's Anders brief challenging sentence substantive reasonableness was rejected