The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit has temporarily halted proceedings in a high-stakes federal lawsuit stemming from a lethal police shooting in Las Vegas, asking the Nevada Supreme Court to clarify two fundamental questions about state tort law. The decision to certify these questions means the outcome…
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Key Evidence in Drug-Impaired Burglary Upheld by Ohio Appeals Court
A Warren County man’s conviction for aggravated burglary has been upheld by the Twelfth Appellate District of Ohio, despite his argument that he was too impaired by drugs to knowingly enter the victims’ home. The appellate court found that the evidence presented was sufficient to support the conviction, and that…
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Jailhouse Brawl Lands Inmate Appeal, But Court Affirms Aggravated Assault Conviction
The Arizona Court of Appeals has upheld the aggravated assault conviction of Timothy Edward Egan, rejecting his claims that he was prejudiced by a confusing charge, an improper jury instruction regarding self-defense against an officer, and a series of errors made by the prosecutor during closing arguments. Egan, an inmate…
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Eighth Circuit Reverses Standing Dismissal in School Equity Training Dispute
In a significant ruling that overturns a lower court’s decision, the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals, sitting *en banc*, has found that two employees of the Springfield R-12 School District have standing to sue over mandatory “Fall District-Wide Equity Training” they claim violated their First Amendment rights. The appellate court…
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Fentanyl Case Upheld, But Sentencing Warning Missed in Ohio Appeal
The Guernsey County Court of Appeals has affirmed the convictions of Robert Miller on multiple drug charges but has sent the case back to the trial court for a specific sentencing correction related to Ohio’s “Reagan Tokes Law.” Miller had pleaded no contest to possession and trafficking charges following the…
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DUI Conviction Upheld: Court Finds Evidence Sufficient Despite Defense Arguments on Video and Sentencing
The Tennessee Court of Criminal Appeals has affirmed the conviction of Stanley William Havens for driving under the influence (DUI), finding the evidence presented at trial was sufficient to support the jury’s verdict. The appellate court also upheld the enhanced sentence handed down for what was determined to be the…
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Government Loses Bid to Keep Seized Data After Fourth Amendment Violation
A federal judge in the District of Columbia has largely rejected the government’s attempts to modify an earlier order compelling it to return materials seized from attorney and law professor Daniel Richman, following a finding that the government violated Richman’s Fourth Amendment rights against unreasonable searches and seizures. The court…
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Eighth Circuit Upholds Emergency Closure of Calumet Inn Over Safety Concerns
The Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals has affirmed a lower court’s decision granting summary judgment to the City of Pipestone, Minnesota, and its building administrator, Douglas Fortune, in a lawsuit brought by the owners of the Calumet Inn. The Inn Owners had sued, alleging that Fortune’s temporary closure of the…
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Trump Grant-Cut Agenda Partially Blocked as Ninth Circuit Upholds DEI Funding Injunction
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit has partially rejected the federal government’s effort to halt a district court order requiring the reinstatement of terminated research grants, ruling that plaintiffs are likely to succeed on claims that the Trump administration unlawfully cut funding based on viewpoint. The decision…
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Officer’s Prior Drunken Observation Justifies Later Traffic Stop, Court Rules
The Michigan Court of Appeals has reversed a lower court’s decision to dismiss an Operating While Intoxicated (OWI) charge, ruling that a police officer had reasonable suspicion to stop a vehicle based on observing the driver’s intoxication less than an hour before the stop. The ruling centers on the concept…