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Supreme Court of Virginia

6d ago•5 min read

Virginia Supreme Court Upholds Afghan War Orphan Adoption

The Supreme Court of Virginia reversed a lower court ruling and upheld the 2020 adoption of a severely wounded Afghan orphan by a U.S. military family. The court applied Virginia's six-month finality statute to dismiss a petition challenging the adoption filed two years after it was completed.

•Supreme Court of Virginia reversed lower court ruling and upheld 2020 adoption of Afghan war orphan by U.S. military family

•Court applied Virginia's six-month finality statute to dismiss petition filed two years after adoption was completed

•Washington Supreme Court clarified service requirements for LUPA petitions against municipalities

Washington Supreme Court

Washington Supreme Court Rules on LUPA Service Requirements

The Washington State Supreme Court issued a ruling February 12, 2026, in Chandrruangphen v. City of Sammamish addressing statutory requirements for serving municipalities with Land Use Petition Act petitions. The decision clarifies procedural requirements affecting property owners, developers, and municipalities statewide.

•Court addressed whether nonstatutorily designated city employees can accept service under RCW 4.28.080(2)

•Indiana Supreme Court reversed Lamenski Ewing's probation revocation in a 3-2 decision due to inadequate notice

Indiana Supreme Court

Indiana Supreme Court Reverses Probation Revocation Over Notice Issues

The Indiana Supreme Court ruled 3-2 that Lamenski Ewing's probation revocation must be reversed because he did not receive proper notice that prosecutors sought to revoke his probation in addition to his work release violation.

•The court held that Ewing was not properly notified that prosecutors sought to revoke his probation in addition to his work release

•Oregon Supreme Court ordered immediate release of Craig Robinson Jr. from prison, ruling his imprisonment illegal

Oregon Supreme Court

Oregon Supreme Court Orders Immediate Release in Habeas Corpus Case

The Oregon Supreme Court ordered the immediate release of Craig Anthony Robinson, Jr. from Santiam Correctional Institution on February 12, 2026, ruling his imprisonment illegal in a habeas corpus petition that highlights ongoing issues with sentence credit calculations in Oregon's correctional system.

•Case represents another in a series of habeas corpus petitions stemming from problems with presentence credit calculations

•Nevada Supreme Court answered certified question from federal court about forced masturbation and sexual assault statute

Nevada Supreme Court

Nevada Supreme Court Rules on Sexual Assault Definition in Cosby Case

The Nevada Supreme Court issued an opinion in *William Cosby Jr. v. Angela Leslie*, answering a certified question from federal court about whether forced masturbation without genital or anal intrusion constitutes sexual assault under Nevada law.

•Case involves interpretation of NRS 200.366 regarding what conduct constitutes sexual assault under Nevada law

•Nevada Supreme Court affirmed dismissal of Gold Standard Ventures' challenge to State Engineer's water rights decision

Nevada Supreme Court

Nevada Supreme Court Affirms State Engineer Water Rights Decision

The Nevada Supreme Court affirmed a lower court's dismissal of Gold Standard Ventures' challenge to a Nevada State Engineer's water rights determination. The mining company, seeking water rights in the Dixie Creek-Tenmile Creek basin for mining operations, failed to overturn the regulatory decision on appeal.

•Mining company sought water rights in Dixie Creek-Tenmile Creek basin for planned mining operation

•Arkansas Supreme Court affirmed ER physician Tyler Tait's second-degree murder conviction

Arkansas Supreme Court

Arkansas Supreme Court Upholds ER Doctor's Murder Conviction

The Arkansas Supreme Court affirmed the second-degree murder conviction of Tyler Edward Tait, an emergency room physician, rejecting his appeals regarding insufficient evidence, jury instruction errors, and alleged juror misconduct. The court's Feb. 12 decision upholds a Chicot County jury's verdict in the 2021 death of Tait's girlfriend.

•Tait was convicted in the Oct. 11, 2021 death of his girlfriend Moria Kinsey on U.S. Highway 65

•Arkansas Supreme Court affirmed that Casey Reed is ineligible for House District 92 Republican primary ballot

Arkansas Supreme Court

Arkansas Supreme Court Issues Split Ruling in House District 92 Primary Ballot Dispute

The Arkansas Supreme Court affirmed a lower court's ruling that declared Republican candidate Casey Reed ineligible for the House District 92 race, while reversing the denial of attorney's fees to challenger Ken Yang. The mixed decision affects the upcoming Republican primary and involves multiple county election boards and state officials.

•Court reversed lower court's denial of attorney's fees to challenger Ken Yang, remanding for reconsideration

•Arkansas Supreme Court affirmed denial of postconviction relief petition filed by Chris Allen Oliger

Arkansas Supreme Court

Arkansas Supreme Court Affirms Denial of Postconviction Relief in Murder Case

The Arkansas Supreme Court affirmed a lower court's denial of postconviction relief for Chris Allen Oliger, who represented himself in appealing his murder conviction. Oliger's petition alleged ineffective assistance of counsel and prosecutorial misconduct involving suppressed laptop evidence.

•Oliger alleged ineffective counsel for failing to investigate laptop contents and DNA evidence on murder weapon