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Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals

6th Circuit Reviews Civil Rights Claims in Airport Detention Case

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit affirmed a district court's dismissal of Brian W. Benderoff's civil rights claims against nine law enforcement officers. The case involved allegations of unlawful detention and malicious prosecution stemming from a 2016 incident at Detroit Airport.

•Sixth Circuit affirmed dismissal of civil rights claims against nine law enforcement officers from multiple agencies

•Case centered on whether officers acted under federal or state authority during 2016 Detroit Airport detention

Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals

6th Circuit Affirms Felon Firearm Sentence in Published Opinion

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit affirmed the conviction and sentence of Robert Messersmith for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The published decision rejected Messersmith's claims of plea agreement breach and unreasonable sentencing.

•Sixth Circuit affirmed conviction for felon firearm possession

•Court rejected claims of plea agreement breach by government

Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals

4th Circuit Affirms Ruling Against Butterball Worker in Wage Case

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit affirmed a lower court's ruling in favor of Butterball, LLC in a wage dispute brought by employee Osvaldo Figueroa. The appeals court upheld the district court's determination that Figueroa was a piece-rate rather than hourly employee.

•Fourth Circuit unanimously affirmed district court ruling favoring Butterball in wage dispute

•Court upheld determination that plaintiff was piece-rate rather than hourly employee

•Fifth Circuit denied Richard Hershey's panel rehearing request in civil rights case against Bossier City officials

5th Circuit Denies Rehearing in Louisiana Civil Rights Case

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit denied a panel rehearing request in *Hershey v. City of Bossier City*, effectively ending Richard Hershey's federal civil rights appeal against the Louisiana municipality and several individual defendants. Circuit Judge James Ho dissented from the denial, arguing the case deserved reconsideration on qualified immunity grounds.

•Judge James Ho dissented, criticizing court's handling of qualified immunity issues

•Terry Hensley pleaded guilty to federal felon-in-possession charges then challenged the law's constitutionality

5th Circuit Upholds Federal Felon Gun Ban Against Constitutional Challenge

The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals rejected Terry Dee Hensley's constitutional challenge to federal law prohibiting convicted felons from possessing firearms. Hensley had pleaded guilty under 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1) but later sought to dismiss his case on Second Amendment and Commerce Clause grounds.

•Fifth Circuit chose not to enforce his pleaagreement's appeal waiver due to insufficient constitutional arguments

Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals

4th Circuit Affirms Prison Warden in First Step Act Time Credits Case

The Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed a district court ruling against federal inmate William A. White, who challenged the Bureau of Prisons' failure to provide First Step Act programming during a three-day transfer period. The 2-1 decision featured a dissenting opinion, highlighting disagreement over federal prisoners' rights to earn time credits.

•Fourth Circuit affirmed district court ruling against inmate William White in 2-1 decision

•Case involved First Step Act time credits during three-day transfer period between federal facilities

•Fifth Circuit affirmed summary judgment for Vizient in antitrust case brought by medical supply distributor

5th Circuit Affirms Summary Judgment in Healthcare Antitrust Case

The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed a district court's summary judgment ruling in favor of Vizient in an antitrust case brought by medical supply distributor Endure Industries. The court held that Endure failed to establish proper market definition, a fundamental requirement in antitrust litigation.

•Court emphasized that antitrust plaintiffs must establish proper market definition except in per se violation cases

•Muhammad Imran, a Pakistani citizen, filed habeas corpus petition challenging DHS detention under 28 U.S.C. § 2241

5th Circuit Reviews Pakistani Detainee's Challenge to DHS Custody

Muhammad Imran, a Pakistani citizen detained by the Department of Homeland Security, has appealed his habeas corpus petition to the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals. The case challenges his continued detention under federal immigration law and names DHS Secretary Kristi Noem among the respondents.

•Case names DHS Secretary Kristi Noem and other federal officials as respondents in Fifth Circuit appeal

Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals

6th Circuit Affirms 11-Year Sentence for Kentucky Fentanyl Dealer

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit affirmed a 132-month prison sentence for Davaughn Ellis West, who pleaded guilty to distributing 40 grams or more of fentanyl. West challenged his sentence as unreasonable on appeal, but the three-judge panel rejected his arguments in a ruling filed Jan. 13, 2026.

•West received 132 months in prison plus 4 years supervised release for distributing 40+ grams of fentanyl

•The Sixth Circuit unanimously rejected West's appeal claiming his sentence was unreasonable