The U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia has dismissed a whistleblower claim filed by Thomas Thornton against the National Academy of Sciences (NAS). The court found that Thornton failed to sufficiently demonstrate that his internal complaints about alleged race discrimination at NAS were related to potential violations of…
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Administrative Law - Constitutional Law - Criminal Law - International Law - Military Law - Tort Law
Court Rules on Saudi Arabia’s Liability in Pensacola Naval Air Station Shooting
The Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals has partially reversed a lower court’s decision regarding a lawsuit against the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The case stems from a tragic shooting on December 6, 2019, at Pensacola Naval Air Station (NAS Pensacola), Florida, where a Royal Saudi Air Force (RSAF) officer, Second…
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Police Officers Lose Appeal: Civil Rights Lawsuit Against Excessive Force Can Proceed
The First Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled in favor of Guistina Aprileo, allowing her civil rights lawsuit against several police officers and the City of Springfield to move forward. The case centers on an alleged incident of excessive force during an arrest in 2018. The central question before the…
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Court Upholds Sentence Based on Prior Drug Convictions
The Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals has upheld the 108-month sentence of Jacklin Cheramy, who was convicted of possessing a firearm as a convicted felon and aggravated identity theft. Cheramy argued that the district court incorrectly calculated his sentence by considering his prior Florida drug convictions as “controlled substance offenses.”…
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Court Upholds Conviction and Sentence of Frederick Forbes in Cocaine Distribution Case
The Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals has affirmed the conviction and sentence of Frederick Anthony Forbes, who was found guilty of possessing and conspiring to distribute cocaine. Forbes challenged his convictions on two grounds and his sentence on four grounds, but the court rejected all of his arguments. The Case…
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Ohio Court Partially Upholds Conviction in Springfield Shooting Case
A recent ruling by the Second Appellate District Court of Ohio has affirmed parts of a lower court’s decision in the case of *State of Ohio v. Tieraice A. Thompson-Rivers*, while also reversing a portion of the original judgment. The case stemmed from a shooting incident in Springfield, Ohio, on…
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Court Upholds Conviction of Father in Child Rape Case
The Second Appellate District Court of Ohio has affirmed the conviction of Seth David Barber on two counts of rape of a child under the age of ten. Barber had appealed the trial court’s decision, arguing that his due process rights were violated, that there was insufficient evidence to support…
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Court Reverses Youthful Offender Adjudication in Stolen Property Case Due to Hearsay
The Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals has reversed the youthful offender adjudication of J.D.N.B., who was found guilty of receiving stolen property in the second degree. The reversal stems from the trial court’s decision to admit into evidence police reports from the Houston Police Department (HPD), which the appellate court…
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Iowa Supreme Court Sides with Victims in Davenport Hotel Collapse Lawsuit
The Iowa Supreme Court has dismissed an appeal filed by the City of Davenport and two of its employees, effectively siding with the victims of the tragic Davenport Hotel building collapse that occurred in May 2023. The court ruled that the qualified immunity provisions of the Iowa Municipal Tort Claims…
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Court Rules Florida Cocaine Convictions Don’t Trigger Enhanced Federal Sentencing
A recent ruling by the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals has overturned the 180-month sentence of Jerome Miller, Jr., who was convicted of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. The court found that the lower court incorrectly applied an enhanced sentence under the Armed Career Criminal…