The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit has affirmed the denial of federal habeas corpus relief to Brenda Andrew, convicted and sentenced to death for the first-degree murder of her husband, Rob Andrew. The court’s decision centered on Ms. Andrew’s sole remaining claim: that the introduction of evidence…
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Court Upholds Sentence in Fatal Shooting: Reckless Assault Qualifies as “Crime of Violence”
The Tennessee Court of Criminal Appeals has affirmed the convictions and sentencing of Keion Lamonte Jemison, who was convicted in connection with the 2022 shooting death of Danny Dixson, Jr. The central issue on appeal was whether Jemison’s prior conviction for “reckless aggravated assault” qualified as a “crime of violence,”…
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Ninth Circuit Rules: Class Members Must Show Standing Evidence at Summary Judgment in Damages Cases
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit issued a significant ruling clarifying the standing requirements for class action lawsuits seeking monetary damages, particularly in the wake of the Supreme Court’s decision in *TransUnion LLC v. Ramirez*. The appellate panel reversed a lower court’s decision, determining that while unnamed…
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Court Orders Resentencing After Judge’s Prior Role Creates Appearance of Bias
The Pennsylvania Superior Court has vacated the sentences of Bryan Robert Freeman and David Jonathan Freeman, ordering that they be resentenced by a different judge. The appeals court found that the trial judge, the Honorable Douglas G. Reichley, should have recused himself from the resentencing proceedings because of his prior…
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GAO Wins Big: Court Rules Legislative Watchdog Is Immune from FOIA Requests
A federal court in Washington D.C. has sided with the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO), ruling that the agency is not subject to the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). America First Legal Foundation (America First) sued the GAO, an investigative arm of Congress, seeking public disclosure of its records under…
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Eighth Circuit Boots USCIS on Jurisdiction, Blocks Review of Asylum Seeker’s Status Denial
The Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals has handed a significant win to the federal government in an immigration case, ruling that a district court overstepped its authority by reviewing the denial of an asylum seeker’s application to become a lawful permanent resident. The appellate court found that Congress intentionally barred…
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Court Rules Trump Can’t Force Citizenship Proof for Mail-In Registrations
A federal judge has ruled that the Trump administration’s effort to require documentary proof of U.S. citizenship for mail-in voter registration applications cannot be enforced, finding key portions of the president’s election-related executive order unconstitutional and beyond presidential authority. U.S. District Judge John H. Chun of the Western District of…
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Appellate Court Upholds Sentence, Finds No Judicial Bias in Empathy for Child Victim
The Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals has affirmed the prison sentence imposed on Trina Mae Johnson, who was convicted of severe child abuse offenses. Johnson had argued that the district court judge’s expressions of deep sympathy and empathy toward the young victim during the sentencing hearing violated her due process…
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Worker Loses Bid for New Doctor and Benefits After Settled Claim
A Tennessee workers’ compensation claimant seeking to change his treating physician and receive additional benefits has been denied his requests by the Knoxville division of the Court of Workers’ Compensation Claims. The ruling sides with the employer, Justworks Employment Group, and its insurer, American Zurich Insurance Company, effectively shutting down…
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Georgia Supreme Court Upholds Life Without Parole Sentence for Murder Convict
The Supreme Court of Georgia has affirmed the conviction and life sentence without parole for Christopher Sellers, who was found guilty of malice murder and other charges stemming from the 2019 shooting death of Thedarious Mitchell. The high court rejected Sellers’ challenges regarding the sufficiency of the evidence, the trial…