Verdict . News

•Washington Supreme Court reviewed case of first impression on tribal sovereign immunity in property disputes

Oct 9, 2025•4 min read

Washington Supreme Court

Washington Supreme Court Addresses Tribal Immunity in Property Dispute

The Washington Supreme Court issued an en banc ruling in Flying T Ranch, Inc. v. Stillaguamish Tribe of Indians, examining whether tribal sovereign immunity applies when a federally recognized tribe purchases nonreservation land claimed by a corporation through adverse possession.

•Flying T Ranch claimed adverse possession of land later purchased by federally recognized Stillaguamish Tribe

Connecticut Supreme Court

Connecticut Supreme Court Splits on DNA Collection in State v. Sharpe

The Connecticut Supreme Court issued a divided opinion in State v. Sharpe, with Justices D'Auria and Ecker filing a partial concurrence and dissent challenging the constitutionality of warrantless DNA collection from discarded items.

•Connecticut Supreme Court splits on constitutionality of warrantless DNA collection from discarded items

•Justices D'Auria and Ecker dissent from majority's approval of DNA evidence gathering methods

•Arizona Supreme Court reversed John Logan Brown's aggravated assault conviction and remanded the case for further proceedings

Arizona Supreme Court

Arizona Supreme Court Reverses Conviction in Self-Defense Case

The Arizona Supreme Court reversed a criminal conviction for John Logan Brown, who was charged with three counts of aggravated assault and claimed self-defense. The court addressed whether a bedroom constitutes a 'residential structure' under state law and the application of justification statutes for defending one's home.

•The court addressed whether a bedroom in a condominium constitutes a 'residential structure' under Arizona self-defense law

•Florida Supreme Court affirmed denial of Smithers' successive postconviction motion to vacate death sentences

Florida Supreme Court

Florida Supreme Court Denies Death Row Appeal for Samuel Smithers

The Florida Supreme Court affirmed the denial of Samuel L. Smithers' successive motion to vacate his two death sentences. Smithers, who has an active death warrant, was convicted for murders at a Plant City property where he worked as a groundskeeper in 1996.

•Smithers has an active death warrant and was convicted for 1996 murders at Plant City property

Supreme Court of Rhode Island

RI Attorney Flynn Faces Emergency Suspension Amid Federal Investigation

Rhode Island attorney Joseph Molina Flynn faces potential immediate suspension after the state's Chief Disciplinary Counsel filed an emergency petition alleging he misappropriated client funds and neglected cases. Flynn is also under federal investigation by multiple agencies including the FBI and IRS.

•Emergency petition filed Oct. 6, 2025, seeking immediate suspension of Joseph Molina Flynn

•Allegations involve 12 former clients claiming unpaid services, misappropriated funds, and neglected cases

•Indiana Supreme Court unanimously ruled property tax caps limited to one-acre homesteads regardless of actual curtilage size

Indiana Supreme Court

Indiana Supreme Court Limits Property Tax Cap to One-Acre Homesteads

The Indiana Supreme Court unanimously ruled that property owners cannot claim constitutional tax cap protections beyond one acre, even when their curtilage extends farther. The decision in Tulsi Sawlani, M.D. v. Lake County Assessor clarifies homestead exemption limits under state law.

•Dr. Tulsi Sawlani and wife failed to prove their 3.981-acre property's excess land qualified as protected curtilage

Connecticut Supreme Court

Connecticut Supreme Court Upholds Conviction in 1984 Cold Case

The Connecticut Supreme Court has affirmed the kidnapping convictions of Michael Sharpe in a decades-old cold case involving four separate incidents from 1984. The case was solved using DNA evidence collected from the defendant's discarded trash in 2020.

•Connecticut Supreme Court affirmed Michael Sharpe's kidnapping convictions in four 1984 cold cases

•Case was solved in 2020 using DNA evidence from a belt found in defendant's discarded trash

•Florida Supreme Court affirmed circuit court's denial of postconviction relief under Rule 3.851

Oct 3, 2025•4 min read

Florida Supreme Court

Florida Supreme Court Denies Death Row Appeal in Family Murder Case

The Florida Supreme Court affirmed a circuit court's denial of postconviction relief for Mesac Damas, who killed his wife and five children in 2009. The court also denied his habeas corpus petition in the consolidated cases.

•Court denied habeas corpus petition in consolidated death penalty cases

Supreme Judicial Court of Maine

Sep 30, 2025•4 min read

Maine Supreme Court Dismisses Foster Parents' Child Custody Appeal

The Maine Supreme Judicial Court dismissed an appeal by former resource parents who sought to intervene in a child protection case after the Department of Health and Human Services removed two children from their care after 19 months. The court ruled the district court's orders denying intervention were not appealable.

•Former resource parents sought to intervene in child protection case after Department removed children from their care after 19 months

•Maine Supreme Judicial Court dismissed the appeal, ruling district court orders denying intervention were not appealable