Verdict . News

•Montana Supreme Court affirmed guardianship of three children to state department after infant suffered suspicious arm fracture

Dec 29, 2025•4 min read

Montana Supreme Court

Montana Supreme Court Affirms Child Guardianship in Abuse Case

The Montana Supreme Court affirmed a district court's decision granting the Department of Public Health and Human Services guardianship of three children after finding evidence of child abuse. The December 29 ruling rejected the mother's appeal challenging the state's custody determination.

•Mother's appeal challenged court findings on reasonable reunification efforts and parental fitness standards

•Vermont Supreme Court reversed family court ruling that declined to consider breach claims related to premarital agreement

Dec 26, 2025•4 min read

Supreme Court of Vermont

Vermont Supreme Court Reverses Family Court on Prenup Enforcement

The Vermont Supreme Court reversed a lower court ruling in Christopher Gade v. Erin Gade, holding that family courts have jurisdiction to consider breach claims related to premarital agreements during divorce proceedings. The case involved disputes over asset division and home damage compensation under the couple's prenuptial agreement.

•Court held that family divisions have jurisdiction over all aspects of prenuptial agreements during divorce proceedings

•Oregon Supreme Court found Hernandez's imprisonment at Coffee Creek Correctional Facility to be illegal and ordered immediate release

Oregon Supreme Court

Oregon Supreme Court Orders Immediate Release from 'Illegal Imprisonment'

The Oregon Supreme Court issued an extraordinary order on December 24, 2025, directing the immediate release of Natalia Joanne Hernandez from Coffee Creek Correctional Facility, declaring her imprisonment illegal. The unanimous en banc decision came through an original habeas corpus proceeding, with the court expediting the appellate judgment process to secure her immediate freedom.

•The decision came through a rare original habeas corpus proceeding heard en banc by the full court

Supreme Court of Minnesota

Minnesota Supreme Court Upholds Unemployment Fraud Penalties

The Minnesota Supreme Court ruled that penalties imposed under state law for fraudulently obtaining unemployment benefits do not violate the Excessive Fines Clauses of either the U.S. or Minnesota Constitutions. The decision in *Christopher Thigpen v. Best Home Care LLC* affirms lower court rulings and provides clarity on the constitutionality of Minnesota's unemployment fraud enforcement mechanisms.

•Minnesota Supreme Court affirmed constitutionality of unemployment fraud penalties under Minn. Stat. § 268.18, subd. 2

•Court rejected Excessive Fines Clause challenges under both federal and state constitutions

•Oregon Supreme Court ordered immediate discharge from 'illegal imprisonment' in rare habeas corpus victory

Oregon Supreme Court

Oregon Supreme Court Orders Immediate Release in Habeas Corpus Case

The Oregon Supreme Court issued an extraordinary order on December 24, 2025, directing the immediate release of Thomas Golden Allen from Coffee Creek Correctional Facility, declaring his imprisonment illegal. The en banc decision represents a rare habeas corpus victory involving credit for time served calculations.

•Case involved Thomas Golden Allen, resentenced in 2019 for sex crimes including first-degree rape

Supreme Court of Minnesota

Minnesota Supreme Court Bars Good-Faith Exception in Pre-Torgerson Marijuana Searches

The Minnesota Supreme Court ruled that the good-faith exception to the exclusionary rule does not apply to warrantless vehicle searches conducted solely based on marijuana odor before the landmark *Torgerson* decision. The December 24, 2025 ruling in *State v. Douglas* strengthens Fourth Amendment protections and limits law enforcement's search authority.

•Good-faith exception does not apply to pre-Torgerson marijuana odor searches

•Court reversed conviction and remanded case for further proceedings

•Oregon Supreme Court found Jose Rafael Arellano-Sanchez's imprisonment illegal after DOC re-arrested him following conflicting sentence calculations

Oregon Supreme Court

Oregon Supreme Court Orders Release of Wrongfully Re-Imprisoned Inmate

The Oregon Supreme Court ordered the immediate release of Jose Rafael Arellano-Sanchez from Coffee Creek Correctional Facility on December 24, 2025, finding his imprisonment illegal after the state re-arrested him following a calculation error regarding his sentence completion date.

•The court exercised rare original jurisdiction to hear the habeas corpus petition directly, indicating extraordinary circumstances

•Montana Supreme Court affirmed Asia Carl Soapes's conviction for sexual assault and sexual intercourse without consent

Dec 23, 2025•4 min read

Montana Supreme Court

Montana Supreme Court Affirms Sexual Assault Conviction in State v. Soapes

The Montana Supreme Court affirmed the sexual assault conviction of Asia Carl Soapes on December 23, 2025, following his appeal of a 2023 jury trial verdict. The high court rejected claims of ineffective assistance of counsel and procedural errors in the case.

•Court rejected claims of ineffective assistance of counsel and procedural errors under plain error doctrine

•Iowa Supreme Court partially affirmed Lynn Lindaman's second-degree sexual abuse conviction involving his granddaughter

Dec 23, 2025•4 min read

Supreme Court of Iowa

Iowa Supreme Court Splits on Sexual Abuse Case, Evidence Suppression

The Iowa Supreme Court issued a mixed ruling in State of Iowa v. Lynn Melvin Lindaman, partially affirming a second-degree sexual abuse conviction while addressing disputes over suppressed confession evidence. The case involved allegations that Lindaman sexually abused his granddaughter.

•State cross-appealed district court's suppression of Lindaman's confession evidence