Verdict . News

Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals

4th Circuit Vacates Al-Timimi Conviction on First Amendment Grounds

The Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals vacated Ali Al-Timimi's conviction, ruling that the government violated First Amendment protections by criminalizing speech that did not constitute incitement or criminal solicitation. The court held that inflammatory speech alone cannot justify criminal punishment without meeting narrow constitutional exceptions.

•Fourth Circuit unanimously vacated Al-Timimi's conviction based on First Amendment violations

•Court ruled inflammatory speech alone cannot justify criminal punishment without meeting narrow constitutional exceptions

Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals

4th Circuit Affirms Conviction for Interstate Threats in Hayward Case

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit affirmed Brandon Hayward's conviction for knowingly transmitting interstate threats to injure another person. The unpublished per curiam decision rejected Hayward's arguments about mental health testimony exclusion and jury instruction requests.

•Fourth Circuit affirmed Brandon Hayward's conviction for interstate threatening communications to credit union employees

•Court rejected Hayward's argument that he should have been allowed to testify about his mental illness affecting his ability to recall making threats

Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals

4th Circuit Affirms Machine Gun Conviction in Fisher Appeal

The Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed the conviction and 18-month sentence of Isaiah Jaqjan Fisher for illegal possession of a machine gun under federal firearms laws. The court rejected Fisher's Second Amendment challenge to the federal machine gun prohibition.

•Fourth Circuit affirmed Fisher's machine gun possession conviction and 18-month sentence

•Court rejected Second Amendment challenge to federal machine gun prohibition statute

•Fifth Circuit reversed summary judgment, finding genuine disputes of material fact in racial discrimination case

5th Circuit Revives Employee's Racial Discrimination Case vs Enterprise

The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals reversed a summary judgment ruling, finding that a jury could reasonably conclude Enterprise Products Company terminated Justin Phillips in retaliation for his racial bias complaint. The court stressed it was not deciding the merits but found sufficient evidence for trial.

•Phillips alleged supervisor conducted retaliatory 'fishing expedition' after racial bias complaint

•Fifth Circuit vacated sentence due to incorrect tier III classification under SORNA

5th Circuit Vacates Sentence Over Sex Offender Tier Misclassification

The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals vacated the sentence of Sergio Yovani Quintanilla-Matamoros, ruling that he was incorrectly classified as a tier III sex offender under SORNA when he should have been designated as tier I. The court remanded the case for resentencing following the classification error.

•Defendant should have been classified as tier I sex offender instead of tier III

•Fifth Circuit issued per curiam opinion in constitutional challenge to New Orleans short-term rental permits

5th Circuit Rules on New Orleans Short-Term Rental Permit Challenge

The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals issued a per curiam opinion in Marquardt v. City of New Orleans, addressing constitutional challenges to the city's short-term rental permitting system. Both parties cross-appealed aspects of the district court's ruling on Takings Clause violations and attorney fee awards.

•District court found city violated Takings Clause during limited period before 2023 permit expiration

Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals

6th Circuit Affirms Conviction in Child Trafficking Case

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit affirmed the conviction and sentence of Kelly Richards on charges of trafficking minors, sexually exploiting children, and possessing a firearm as a felon. The unanimous three-judge panel rejected Richards' appeal in a decision issued Jan. 9.

•Sixth Circuit affirmed Kelly Richards' conviction on trafficking minors, sexual exploitation, and felon firearm possession charges

•Case involves two 14-year-old girls from Hope Haven for Girls group home in Dayton, Ohio in early 2023

•Fifth Circuit affirmed dismissal of TMX Finance lawsuit challenging Pennsylvania banking investigation

5th Circuit Upholds Dismissal of TMX Finance Challenge to PA Investigation

The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed a federal district court's decision to dismiss TMX Finance Corporate Services' lawsuit challenging Pennsylvania banking regulators' investigation. The ruling allows the state's enforcement action seeking over $52 million in sanctions against TitleMax-affiliated entities to proceed.

•Pennsylvania seeks over $52 million in sanctions against TitleMax entities for alleged usury violations

Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals

7th Circuit Upholds Developer's Conviction for Bribing Chicago Alderman

The Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed the conviction and 32-month prison sentence of developer Charles Cui for bribing Chicago's longest-serving alderman Edward Burke to secure influence over a city permit matter. The January 9, 2026 ruling rejected all of Cui's appeal challenges.

•Seventh Circuit affirmed Charles Cui's 32-month sentence for bribing Chicago Alderman Edward Burke over a city permit

•Cui needed Burke's influence after Chicago denied a pole sign permit that threatened his $2 million development financing deal