The Supreme Court of Louisiana has sided with a former railroad employee, Sean Van Buren, in a case involving workplace injuries. The court reversed a lower court’s decision that had dismissed Van Buren’s claim against his employer, Kansas City Southern Railway Company (KCS). The core issue revolved around whether federal…
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Offshore Wind Farm Faces Legal Hurdle: Court Denies Halt to Construction
The construction of an offshore wind farm off the coasts of New York and New Jersey has cleared a legal hurdle. A federal judge has denied a motion to halt further work on the project, despite arguments that government approvals violated the Marine Mammal Protection Act. The case, *Save Long…
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Court Denies Stay of Removal for Peruvian Family, Citing Abuse of Process
The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals has denied a request for a stay of removal filed by a Peruvian family, Maricruz Marisol Rojas-Espinoza, her domestic partner Robert Salvador-Gomez, and their two children. The court found that the family, who entered the United States without inspection in early 2023, failed to…
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Delaware Supreme Court Affirms Murder Conviction, Rejects Sentencing Challenges
The Delaware Supreme Court has upheld the Superior Court’s decision to deny Ralph Reed’s motion to correct his sentence for a 1999 murder conviction. Reed, who was 18 at the time of the crime, had argued that his sentence was illegal and unconstitutional. The Supreme Court disagreed, finding his arguments…
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West Virginia Court Upholds Workers’ Comp Award for Injured Employee
The Intermediate Court of Appeals of West Virginia has sided with Becky Bell, an employee of Pilgrim’s Pride Corporation, in a workers’ compensation case. The court affirmed a decision by the Workers’ Compensation Board of Review, granting Ms. Bell an additional 20% permanent partial disability (PPD) award, for a total…
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Texas Court Grapples with Overbroad Law and Its Impact on a Conviction
The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals is wrestling with the fallout from a previous ruling that declared a state law unconstitutional due to overbreadth. The case, *Ex parte Eric Todd Williams*, centers on whether a conviction under that now-defunct law should stand. The court, in a concurring and dissenting opinion…
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Gangster Disciples Members Sentenced to Life in Prison After RICO Conspiracy Conviction
A recent ruling from the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit upheld the convictions and sentences of two members of the Gangster Disciples gang, Lesley Chappell Green and Philmon Deshawn Chambers. Both men were found guilty of participating in a Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO)…
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Workers’ Comp Dispute: Court Sides With Injured Worker, Boosting Disability Award
Here’s the breakdown of a recent decision from the Intermediate Court of Appeals of West Virginia, where the court affirmed a decision by the Workers’ Compensation Board of Review. The case centers around Becky Bell, an employee of Pilgrim’s Pride Corporation of West Virginia, and a dispute over her permanent…
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Court Rules Kentucky Manslaughter Conviction Doesn’t Qualify as “Crime of Violence,” Vacates Sentence
The Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled in the case of *United States v. Tooley* that a prior Kentucky conviction for second-degree manslaughter does not qualify as a “crime of violence” under the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines. This decision has led the court to vacate Davon S. Tooley’s sentence for…
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Court Upholds Verdict in Medical Malpractice Case Despite Witness Oath Error
A recent ruling by the Ohio First District Court of Appeals has affirmed a lower court’s decision in a medical malpractice case, even though a key defense witness wasn’t initially sworn in before testifying. The case, *Gilbert v. Welter*, highlights the importance of timely objections during trials and clarifies the…