Verdict . News

Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals

Fourth Circuit Vacates Drug Conviction in United States v. Taylor

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit vacated and remanded a drug possession conviction from the Eastern District of North Carolina in the case of United States v. John James Taylor. The unpublished per curiam opinion, filed January 7, 2026, overturns a lower court decision involving Taylor's guilty plea for possession with intent to distribute controlled substances.

•Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals vacated and remanded Taylor's drug and firearms conviction for the second time

•Taylor pleaded guilty to cocaine and heroin possession with intent to distribute, plus felon in possession of firearm

Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals

5th Circuit: Warrantless Vehicle Search Violated Fourth Amendment

The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that police violated the Fourth Amendment when they conducted a warrantless search of Tony Lee Johnson's vehicle after arresting him for supervised release violations. The court rejected the government's argument that the search was justified as a protective sweep.

•Fifth Circuit ruled warrantless search of Tony Lee Johnson's vehicle violated Fourth Amendment after supervised release arrest

•Court rejected government argument that romantic partner's presence justified protective sweep of vehicle

Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals

8th Circuit Reverses Federal Gun Sentence Over State Prison Credit

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit reversed a federal firearms conviction, ruling that the district court failed to properly credit time already served in state custody. Timothy Kavanagh successfully challenged his 151-month federal sentence for being a felon in possession of a firearm.

•Eighth Circuit reversed federal district court's 151-month sentence for felon in possession offirearm

•District court failed to credit time already served in state custody against federal sentence

Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals

11th Circuit Rules on YouTube DMCA Safe Harbor in Film Copyright Case

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit issued an opinion on January 7, 2026, in Athos Overseas Limited Corp. v. YouTube, Inc., addressing the application of Digital Millennium Copyright Act safe harbor provisions to modern digital platforms. The case involves a copyright dispute between Athos Overseas Limited, which owns rights to classic Mexican and Latin American films, and YouTube over allegedly infringing content.

•Eleventh Circuit issued opinion on January 7, 2026, in copyright case against YouTube involving classic film rights

•Case addresses application of DMCA Section 512(c) safe harbor provisions to modern digital platforms

Federal Circuit Court of Appeals

Federal Circuit Affirms DHS Removal of CBP Port Director

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit affirmed the Department of Homeland Security's removal of Ricardo Irizarry, a former Assistant Area Port Director for Customs and Border Protection in San Juan, Puerto Rico. The nonprecedential decision upheld the Merit Systems Protection Board's determination that Irizarry's termination was justified.

•Federal Circuit affirmed DHS removal of CBP Assistant Area Port Director Ricardo Irizarry

•Termination based on affair with subordinate, inappropriate text messages, and misuse of government property

Federal Circuit Court of Appeals

Federal Circuit Affirms Patent Invalidity in Gaming Tech Dispute

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit affirmed a district court ruling that invalidated patent claims held by Technology in Ariscale, LLC against gaming hardware company Razer USA Ltd. The January 6, 2026 decision upholds findings that claims from U.S. Patent No. 8,139,652 are invalid under Section 101.

•Federal Circuit affirmed district court's Section 101 invalidity ruling

•Patent dispute involved claims 1 and 14 of U.S. Patent No. 8,139,652

Third Circuit Court of Appeals

3rd Circuit Affirms Summary Judgment for Philadelphia Detective in Civil Rights Case

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit affirmed a district court's grant of summary judgment in favor of Philadelphia Police Detective Kathryn Gordon in a civil rights lawsuit filed by pro se plaintiff John Hart. The case stemmed from Hart's arrest in connection with alleged crimes against his ex-girlfriend.

•Third Circuit affirmed summary judgment for Philadelphia Police Detective Kathryn Gordon in civil rights lawsuit

•Pro se plaintiff John Hart sued over arrest related to alleged crimes against ex-girlfriend

Second Circuit Court of Appeals

2nd Circuit Affirms District Court in Groisman v. Jeffrey Zwick Case

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit affirmed a lower court judgment in a case involving Daniel Groisman and law firm Jeffrey Zwick & Associates. The appeals court issued a summary order on January 6, 2026, upholding the Eastern District of New York's decision from January 2025.

•Second Circuit affirmed Eastern District of New York decision in summary order with no precedential effect

•Case involved law firm Jeffrey Zwick & Associates and multiple other defendants in complex litigation

Second Circuit Court of Appeals

Second Circuit Affirms Criminal Conviction of Lamor Whitehead

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit affirmed the criminal conviction of Lamor Whitehead in a summary order issued January 6, 2026. The three-judge panel upheld a judgment entered by the Southern District of New York on June 17, 2024.

•Second Circuit affirmed Lamor Whitehead's criminal conviction in summary order

•Three-judge panel upheld June 2024 judgment from Southern District of New York