Verdict . News

Second Circuit Court of Appeals

2nd Circuit Rules on Kazakhstan Coercion Case, Finds Sovereign Immunity

The Second Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that Kazakhstan's National Security Committee cannot be sued in U.S. courts due to foreign sovereign immunity, while finding the district court erred on jurisdiction regarding domestic RICO injuries. Kazakhstani businessman Amirkhanov Yerkyn had alleged coercion while detained in Kazakhstan.

•Second Circuit found district court erred on RICO domestic injury analysis but upheld dismissal on sovereign immunity grounds

•Kazakhstan's National Security Committee protected from U.S. lawsuits as foreign sovereign instrumentality

Second Circuit Court of Appeals

Jan 16, 2026•2 min read

Second Circuit Grants Immigration Appeal in Andrade v. Bondi, Vacates Removal Order

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit issued a summary order on January 16, 2026, granting Jorge Alberto Andrade's petition for review in his immigration case against Attorney General Pamela Bondi. The federal appeals court vacated the removal order and remanded the case, finding that the immigration court failed to properly consider evidence related to Andrade's Convention Against Torture claim.

•Second Circuit Court of Appeals granted Jorge Alberto Andrade's immigration petition on January 16, 2026, vacating his removal order

•Case involved Andrade's Convention Against Torture claim challenging potential torture if removed to his home country

Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals

7th Circuit Reverses Injunction Against Little Caesars in 'Pizza Puff' Case

The Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals reversed a district court's preliminary injunction against Little Caesars, ruling that Illinois Tamale Company failed to show sufficient likelihood of success in its trademark infringement claim over the term 'Pizza Puff.' The court affirmed denials of injunctions for 'Crazy Puff' and 'Puff.'

•Seventh Circuit reversed preliminary injunction against Little Caesars for 'Pizza Puff' term

•Illinois Tamale Company failed to show sufficient likelihood of success on trademark infringement claims

Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals

4th Circuit Affirms Dismissal of Families' Claims Against Guilford DSS

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit affirmed a district court's dismissal of federal claims brought by two families against Guilford County, North Carolina and its Department of Social Services. The unpublished decision rejected challenges by the Rhoads and Ethridge families against multiple DSS officials.

•Fourth Circuit affirmed dismissal of federal civil rights claims against Guilford County DSS

•Two families (Rhoads and Ethridge) challenged actions by multiple DSS officials and employees

Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals

4th Circuit Remands SC Voter Registration Case to District Court

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit remanded a case involving the Public Interest Legal Foundation and South Carolina's Election Commission regarding voter registration practices. The January 16, 2026 decision sends the matter back to the district court for further review.

•Fourth Circuit remanded Public Interest Legal Foundation case against South Carolina Election Commission back to district court

•Case involves National Voter Registration Act compliance and voter roll maintenance practices

•Ninth Circuit denied qualified immunity to five Nevada Department of Corrections officers in prisoner civil rights case

9th Circuit Denies Qualified Immunity to Nevada Prison Officers

The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a district court's denial of qualified immunity to five Nevada Department of Corrections employees in a civil rights lawsuit filed by prisoner Daine Crawley. The unpublished memorandum decision partially affirmed and partially reversed the lower court's summary judgment ruling.

•Court partially affirmed and partially reversed district court's summary judgment ruling in Crawley v. Williams

•Ninth Circuit affirmed summary judgment against David Henry in Section 1983 civil rights lawsuit

9th Circuit Affirms Summary Judgment Against Tacoma Police Civil Rights Case

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit has affirmed a district court's summary judgment ruling against David Henry in his civil rights lawsuit against Tacoma police officers. Henry's Section 1983 lawsuit alleged constitutional violations stemming from his 2021 arrest following a traffic collision.

•Case involved allegations of constitutional violations by Tacoma police officers following 2021 traffic collision

•Ninth Circuit affirmed district court's denial of preliminary injunction against Clark County's short-term rental ordinance

9th Circuit Upholds Clark County Short-Term Rental Ban

The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed a district court's denial of a preliminary injunction sought by Diamond Sands Apartments, LLC against Clark County, Nevada's ordinance prohibiting unlicensed short-term rentals. The apartment complex operator's Eighth Amendment challenge failed.

•Diamond Sands Apartments operates a 360-unit complex in Las Vegas and challenged $4,000 fines under the Eighth Amendment

Jan 16, 2026•5 min read

•Ninth Circuit affirmed dismissal of RNC lawsuit against Google over email spam filtering practices during 2022

9th Circuit Rejects RNC Lawsuit Against Google Over Email Filtering

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit affirmed a lower court's dismissal of the Republican National Committee's lawsuit against Google, rejecting claims that the tech giant improperly filtered RNC emails to Gmail users' spam folders during 2022.

•Court found RNC failed to establish required 'special relationship' with Google under California common-carrier law