The Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals has affirmed a lower court’s decision to dismiss a lawsuit brought by James Taylor against Freedom Mortgage Corporation and the law firm McCalla Raymer Leibert Pierce, LLC. Taylor alleged violations of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) in connection with nonjudicial foreclosure proceedings…
-
-
Court Sides with Helmerich & Payne in Venezuela Expropriation Case
A U.S. Court of Appeals has upheld a lower court’s decision, allowing a lawsuit by Helmerich & Payne International Drilling Co. (Helmerich) against Petróleos de Venezuela, S.A. (PDVSA) and the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela to proceed. The case revolves around the 2010 expropriation of assets belonging to Helmerich’s Venezuelan subsidiary.…
-
Court Reverses Decision, Finding Arkansas Motion for Belated Appeal Tolls Statute of Limitations
The Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals has reversed a district court’s decision, ruling that a motion for a belated appeal in Arkansas does, in fact, pause the clock on the federal statute of limitations for filing a habeas corpus petition. This case, *Harl A. Garrett v. Dexter Payne*, centers on…
-
Court Rules Fuel Storage Contract Remains Valid Despite Dissolution of Antitrust Decree
The Alaska Supreme Court has ruled that the dissolution of an antitrust consent decree does not automatically invalidate a related fuel storage contract. The case, *Crowley Marine Services, Inc. v. State of Alaska*, involved a dispute over a fuel storage agreement between Crowley Marine Services, Inc. and Delta Western, LLC.…
-
Kentucky Court of Appeals Rules in Favor of State in Hazard Restaurant Tax Case
The Kentucky Court of Appeals has reversed a lower court’s decision regarding the City of Hazard’s ability to impose a restaurant tax. The ruling, delivered on October 3, 2025, sides with the Commonwealth of Kentucky, represented by Attorney General Russell Coleman, and clarifies the application of Kentucky Revised Statute (KRS)…
-
Robbery Conviction Stands: Court Denies Appeal Based on Ineffective Counsel
A recent ruling by the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit has upheld the conviction of Catrell Ivory on robbery and gun charges. Ivory, who was sentenced to over 26 years in prison, argued that he received ineffective assistance of counsel during his trial. However, the court…
-
Texas Appeals Court Affirms Rodriguez Convictions, Grants Counsel’s Withdrawal
Introduction In a recent decision, the Seventh District Court of Appeals in Texas affirmed the convictions of Andrea Ann Rodriguez in two separate cases. The court also granted the motions of Rodriguez’s counsel to withdraw from the cases, as the attorneys found no grounds for a successful appeal. This article…
-
Homeowner Loses Appeal in Dispute with Community Association
The Intermediate Court of Appeals of Hawaii has affirmed a lower court’s decision in a case involving a homeowner, Stephen I. Adler, and the Discovery Harbour Community Association (DHCA). Adler, representing himself, had appealed the Circuit Court of the Third Circuit’s decision to grant summary judgment in favor of the…
-
Cocaine Conspiracy Conviction Upheld: Court Rejects Challenge to Maritime Drug Law
The Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals has affirmed the conviction of Hilario Valdez-Campos for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine. The case centered on whether the district court had jurisdiction, with Valdez-Campos arguing that Congress overstepped its bounds in defining a “vessel without nationality” under the Maritime Drug…
-
Court Upholds Sentence in Drug and Gun Case, Citing Plea Agreement and Factual Basis
The Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals has sided with the government in the case of Mario Lenard Elbert, who was appealing his sentence for drug and gun crimes. The court dismissed some of Elbert’s arguments based on a plea agreement he signed, and summarily affirmed the district court’s decision on…