11th Circuit Case Commentaries

Implicit Proof of the MDLEA “Request” Requirement for Stateless-Vessel Jurisdiction in the EEZ

Date: Oct 24, 2025

Implicit Proof of the MDLEA “Request” Requirement for Stateless-Vessel Jurisdiction in the EEZ Commentary on United States v. Francisco Rijo-Rijo, et al. (consolidated), Nos. 23-12779, 23-12828,...

Post-Offense Mail-Inspection Videos Are Admissible Under Rule 404(b); Broad Relevant-Conduct Loss Attribution (Including Acquitted Conduct under pre-2024 Guidelines) Upheld — United States v. Glover (11th Cir. 2025)

Date: Oct 24, 2025

Post-Offense Mail-Inspection Videos Are Admissible Under Rule 404(b); Broad Relevant-Conduct Loss Attribution (Including Acquitted Conduct under pre-2024 Guidelines) Upheld — United States v. Glover...

Implied “Request” Satisfies MDLEA Statelessness and EEZ-as-High-Seas Reaffirmed: United States v. Placido Rivera‑Rodriguez (11th Cir. 2025)

Date: Oct 24, 2025

Implied “Request” Satisfies MDLEA Statelessness and EEZ-as-High-Seas Reaffirmed: United States v. Placido Rivera‑Rodriguez (11th Cir. 2025) Court: U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit (per...

Ambiguous Surveillance Video and Storewide Spill Evidence at Summary Judgment: Eleventh Circuit Reverses in Van Dorsten v. Wal‑Mart and Clarifies Florida’s § 768.0755 Constructive-Knowledge Pathways

Date: Oct 22, 2025

Ambiguous Surveillance Video and Storewide Spill Evidence at Summary Judgment: Eleventh Circuit Reverses in Van Dorsten v. Wal‑Mart and Clarifies Florida’s § 768.0755 Constructive-Knowledge Pathways...

Generic Objections Don’t Preserve §3553(c)(2) Challenges; Omission of a Written Statement of Reasons Is Plain but Harmless When Oral Reasons Are Clear — United States v. Alexander (11th Cir. 2025)

Date: Oct 22, 2025

Generic Objections Don’t Preserve §3553(c)(2) Challenges; Omission of a Written Statement of Reasons Is Plain but Harmless When Oral Reasons Are Clear — United States v. Alexander (11th Cir. 2025)...

Attempted Solicitation Suffices and NPS Jurisdiction Reaches Private Parcels Within Park Boundaries

Date: Oct 22, 2025

Attempted Solicitation Suffices and NPS Jurisdiction Reaches Private Parcels Within Park Boundaries Case: United States v. Rady Williams, Nos. 24-14167 & 24-14168 (11th Cir. Oct. 21, 2025) (per...

No Sale Required, No Private Enclave: Eleventh Circuit Clarifies NPS Solicitation and Interference Rules within Park Boundaries

Date: Oct 22, 2025

No Sale Required, No Private Enclave: Eleventh Circuit Clarifies NPS Solicitation and Interference Rules within Park Boundaries Case: United States v. Rady Williams, Nos. 24-14167 & 24-14168 (11th...

Eleventh Circuit Endorses Corps’ Use of Letters of Permission as NEPA Categorical Exclusions—even in a National Seashore—and Declines Size-Based Limits via Ejusdem Generis

Date: Oct 22, 2025

Eleventh Circuit Endorses Corps’ Use of Letters of Permission as NEPA Categorical Exclusions—even in a National Seashore—and Declines Size-Based Limits via Ejusdem Generis Introduction In Center for...

Eleventh Circuit Clarifies: Misusing the Class‑of‑One Comparator Standard Can Render a Civil Rights Claim “Frivolous,” Justifying § 1988 Defense‑Side Fees

Date: Oct 22, 2025

Eleventh Circuit Clarifies: Misusing the Class‑of‑One Comparator Standard Can Render a Civil Rights Claim “Frivolous,” Justifying § 1988 Defense‑Side Fees Introduction In Hybrid Pharma LLC v. Matthew...

Substantial Truth, Opinion on Intent, and the “Of-and-Concerning” Gatekeeper: Eleventh Circuit Affirms Dismissal in Pick v. Raffensperger and Defers to Local Divisional Venue Rules

Date: Oct 22, 2025

Substantial Truth, Opinion on Intent, and the “Of-and-Concerning” Gatekeeper: Eleventh Circuit Affirms Dismissal in Pick v. Raffensperger and Defers to Local Divisional Venue Rules Introduction In...

Rule 68 Offers Can Contractually Cut Off § 1988 “Fees-on-Fees,” and Across-the-Board Lodestar Reductions Must Be Principled: Commentary on Otto v. City of Boca Raton (11th Cir. 2025)

Date: Oct 22, 2025

Rule 68 Offers Can Contractually Cut Off § 1988 “Fees-on-Fees,” and Across-the-Board Lodestar Reductions Must Be Principled: Commentary on Otto v. City of Boca Raton (11th Cir. 2025) Introduction...

Purity Irrelevant to § 841(b)(1)(B) Mandatory Minimums; “Standard” Supervised-Release Conditions May Be Imposed by Reference — United States v. King (11th Cir. 2025)

Date: Oct 22, 2025

PURITY IRRELEVANT TO § 841(b)(1)(B) MANDATORY MINIMUMS; “STANDARD” SUPERVISED-RELEASE CONDITIONS MAY BE IMPOSED BY REFERENCE United States v. Adam Joseph King, No. 24-12265 (11th Cir. Oct. 20, 2025)...

Jointly Undertaken Courier Schemes: Full Drug-Quantity Attribution and No Minor-Role Reduction Where Mutual Awareness and Shared Logistics Are Shown — United States v. Feliciano (11th Cir. 2025)

Date: Oct 22, 2025

Jointly Undertaken Courier Schemes: Full Drug-Quantity Attribution and No Minor-Role Reduction Where Mutual Awareness and Shared Logistics Are Shown — United States v. Feliciano (11th Cir. 2025)...

Officer-Action-Only Clock: Eleventh Circuit Clarifies That Subject-Caused Hesitation and Concurrent K‑9 Calls Do Not Prolong a Traffic Stop; Reaffirms § 922(g)(1) After Bruen and Rahimi

Date: Oct 22, 2025

Officer-Action-Only Clock: Eleventh Circuit Clarifies That Subject-Caused Hesitation and Concurrent K‑9 Calls Do Not Prolong a Traffic Stop; Reaffirms § 922(g)(1) After Bruen and Rahimi Introduction...

Harmless Diagnostic Mislabeling and Time‑Window Limits on New Evidence in SSA Appeals: Kavanaugh v. Commissioner (11th Cir. 2025)

Date: Oct 19, 2025

Harmless Diagnostic Mislabeling and Time‑Window Limits on New Evidence in SSA Appeals: Kavanaugh v. Commissioner (11th Cir. 2025) Court: U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit (Non‑Argument...

WPEA Supersedes ATSA: TSA Screeners May Sue Under the Rehabilitation Act in Federal Court (Abrogating Castro)

Date: Oct 19, 2025

WPEA Supersedes ATSA: TSA Screeners May Sue Under the Rehabilitation Act in Federal Court (Abrogating Castro) Introduction This published decision from the United States Court of Appeals for the...

No Notice, No Liability: Eleventh Circuit Clarifies Supervisory/Municipal Standards and TVPRA “Knowingly Benefit” Requirement in Bridges v. Poe

Date: Oct 19, 2025

No Notice, No Liability: Eleventh Circuit Clarifies Supervisory/Municipal Standards and TVPRA “Knowingly Benefit” Requirement in Bridges v. Poe Introduction In a published decision addressing...

Antique and De Minimis Ivory Exceptions Do Not Negate Federal Duty to Declare: Eleventh Circuit Clarifies Smuggling Mens Rea and Permits Use of Asking Prices to Value Wildlife Art Under § 2Q2.1

Date: Oct 19, 2025

Antique and De Minimis Ivory Exceptions Do Not Negate Federal Duty to Declare: Eleventh Circuit Clarifies Smuggling Mens Rea and Permits Use of Asking Prices to Value Wildlife Art Under § 2Q2.1...

Reliable Hearsay and Foreign Seizure Evidence Are Sufficient To Support a 450-Kilogram Drug-Quantity Finding at Sentencing

Date: Oct 18, 2025

Reliable Hearsay and Foreign Seizure Evidence Are Sufficient To Support a 450-Kilogram Drug-Quantity Finding at Sentencing Introduction In United States v. Francisco Javier Montano-Ortiz, the...

Clarifying MDLEA Statelessness: “Captain” Inquiry Plus Opportunity to Claim Nationality Suffices; EEZ Counts as “High Seas” Under the Felonies Clause

Date: Oct 18, 2025

Clarifying MDLEA Statelessness: “Captain” Inquiry Plus Opportunity to Claim Nationality Suffices; EEZ Counts as “High Seas” Under the Felonies Clause Introduction This consolidated, unpublished...