1st Circuit Case Commentaries

Uncharged “Structuring” Withdrawals Are Intrinsic Evidence of Payroll-Tax and Insurance-Premium Fraud Schemes (and Implicit-Bias Instructions Are Not Required Where Voir Dire and Neutrality Instructions Suffice)

Date: Apr 24, 2026

Uncharged “Structuring” Withdrawals Are Intrinsic Evidence of Payroll-Tax and Insurance-Premium Fraud Schemes (and Implicit-Bias Instructions Are Not Required Where Voir Dire and Neutrality...

FEMA Disaster-Grant Oversight Does Not Create an FLSA Employment Relationship with Nonprofit Case-Management Staff

Date: Apr 24, 2026

FEMA Disaster-Grant Oversight Does Not Create an FLSA Employment Relationship with Nonprofit Case-Management Staff 1. Introduction Vernaliz Meredith Perez v. FEMA (1st Cir. Apr. 22, 2026) arises from...

Rule 703 Cannot Backdoor Testimonial Victim Statements: Expert “Basis” Testimony Triggers Crawford and Requires Harmless-Beyond-a-Reasonable-Doubt Review

Date: Apr 21, 2026

Rule 703 Cannot Backdoor Testimonial Victim Statements: Expert “Basis” Testimony Triggers Crawford and Requires Harmless-Beyond-a-Reasonable-Doubt Review I. Introduction In United States v. Cartagena...

Domicile Confers General Jurisdiction Over Individuals, While Undeveloped Personal-Jurisdiction Theories Are Waived on Appeal

Date: Apr 20, 2026

Domicile Confers General Jurisdiction Over Individuals, While Undeveloped Personal-Jurisdiction Theories Are Waived on Appeal I. Introduction In T. H. Glennon Co., Inc. v. Monday (1st Cir. Apr. 17,...

Limits on BIA Appellate Review: No New “Intent” Findings to Reverse Adjustment of Status Without IJ Factfinding

Date: Apr 20, 2026

Limits on BIA Appellate Review: No New “Intent” Findings to Reverse Adjustment of Status Without IJ Factfinding I. Introduction In Taveras Martinez v. Blanche (1st Cir. Apr. 17, 2026), the First...

United States v. Nieves-Díaz: Ammunition-Quantity Upward Variances Require a Case-Specific Rationale—Especially When No Firearm Is Present

Date: Apr 17, 2026

Ammunition-Quantity Upward Variances Require a Case-Specific Rationale—Especially When No Firearm Is Present Case: United States v. Nieves-Díaz (1st Cir. Apr. 14, 2026) | Panel: Barron (C.J.),...

Garcia-Navarro v. Universal Insurance Company — Preserved-Retroactivity Requirement and the “Intricate Part” Expansion of Professional-Services Exclusions

Date: Apr 16, 2026

Garcia-Navarro v. Universal Insurance Company — Preserved-Retroactivity Requirement and the “Intricate Part” Expansion of Professional-Services Exclusions Court: United States Court of Appeals for...

Waiting-Period “Conditions on Commercial Sale” Fall Outside Bruen Step One Absent Abusive Use: Beckwith v. Frey (1st Cir. 2026)

Date: Apr 5, 2026

Waiting-Period “Conditions on Commercial Sale” Fall Outside Bruen Step One Absent Abusive Use: Beckwith v. Frey (1st Cir. 2026) Court: United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit Date: April...

United States v. Calderin-Pascual — Remand Required When a § 853(n) Petition Is Dismissed Without Addressing Leave to Amend, Especially for Pro Se Claimants

Date: Apr 4, 2026

Remand Required When a § 853(n) Petition Is Dismissed Without Addressing Leave to Amend, Especially for Pro Se Claimants I. Introduction United States v. Calderin-Pascual (1st Cir. Apr. 3, 2026)...

Post-Petition Employment Retaliation Claims Are PROMESA “Administrative Expenses” and Are Discharged if Not Timely Filed

Date: Apr 4, 2026

Post-Petition Employment Retaliation Claims Are PROMESA “Administrative Expenses” and Are Discharged if Not Timely Filed 1. Introduction Villalobos-Santana v. PR Police Department (1st Cir. Apr. 2,...

PROMESA Title III Discharge Bars Collection of § 1988 Fee Awards When Claimants Had Actual Knowledge and Missed the Administrative-Expense Bar Date

Date: Apr 4, 2026

PROMESA Title III Discharge Bars Collection of § 1988 Fee Awards When Claimants Had Actual Knowledge and Missed the Administrative-Expense Bar Date I. Introduction In Ocasio v. Comision Estatal de...

Stipulation Is Not a Shield: Limited CSAM Publication and Agent Descriptions May Be Admitted Under Rule 403 to Prove Knowing Possession

Date: Apr 4, 2026

Stipulation Is Not a Shield: Limited CSAM Publication and Agent Descriptions May Be Admitted Under Rule 403 to Prove Knowing Possession 1. Introduction In United States v. Ross (1st Cir. Apr. 2,...

Wescott v. Stanfill — Pleading Compulsion in As‑Applied IOLTA Compelled‑Speech Challenges Requires Plausible Net‑Interest Ineligibility

Date: Apr 4, 2026

Pleading Compulsion in As‑Applied IOLTA Compelled‑Speech Challenges Requires Plausible Net‑Interest Ineligibility I. Introduction Wescott v. Stanfill (1st Cir. Apr. 2, 2026) addresses an as-applied...

Precedent: A Motion to Dissolve Cannot Backdoor an Untimely Appeal; Dissolution Requires a Significant Intervening Change in Law or Fact (CoC/THUD)

Date: Apr 4, 2026

Precedent: A Motion to Dissolve Cannot Backdoor an Untimely Appeal; Dissolution Requires a Significant Intervening Change in Law or Fact (CoC/THUD) I. Introduction In National Alliance to End...

Appropriations Changes Do Not Reopen Unappealed Preliminary Injunctions: Dissolution Requires a Significant Intervening Change in Law or Fact

Date: Apr 4, 2026

Appropriations Changes Do Not Reopen Unappealed Preliminary Injunctions: Dissolution Requires a Significant Intervening Change in Law or Fact 1. Introduction State of Washington v. U.S. Department of...

United States v. Ponzo: Bribe-Tainted Contract Revenues Are “Proceeds” Forfeitable Under § 981’s But-For Nexus; Rule 32.2 Timing Missteps Can Be Harmless

Date: Apr 4, 2026

United States v. Ponzo: Bribe-Tainted Contract Revenues Are “Proceeds” Forfeitable Under § 981’s But-For Nexus; Rule 32.2 Timing Missteps Can Be Harmless 1. Introduction In United States v. Ponzo...

United States v. Ponzo: Bribe-Tainted Contract Profits Are Forfeitable “Proceeds” (Even if Self-Generated) and § 1001 Convictions Trigger Obstruction Enhancements

Date: Apr 4, 2026

United States v. Ponzo: Bribe-Tainted Contract Profits Are Forfeitable “Proceeds” (Even if Self-Generated) and § 1001 Convictions Trigger Obstruction Enhancements 1. Introduction In United States v....

Bribery-Tainted Contract Profits Are Forfeitable “Proceeds” Under § 981(a)(2)(B) Using a But-For Nexus Even If the Defendant “Generated” the Customers

Date: Apr 4, 2026

Bribery-Tainted Contract Profits Are Forfeitable “Proceeds” Under § 981(a)(2)(B) Using a But-For Nexus Even If the Defendant “Generated” the Customers Case: United States v. Ponzo Court: Court of...

United States v. Roache — Indicia-of-Reliability Standard for Double-Hearsay Co-Conspirator Statements Supporting U.S.S.G. § 2K2.1(b)(1) Firearm-Count Enhancements

Date: Apr 3, 2026

Indicia-of-Reliability Standard for Double-Hearsay Co-Conspirator Statements Supporting U.S.S.G. § 2K2.1(b)(1) Firearm-Count Enhancements Case: United States v. Roache (1st Cir. Mar. 30, 2026) Court:...

Pleading Disability Discrimination Under ACA § 1557 for Obesity-Related Coverage Exclusions Requires “Fit” and “Meaningful Access” Facts (Holland v. Elevance Health, Inc.)

Date: Mar 29, 2026

Pleading Disability Discrimination Under ACA § 1557 for Obesity-Related Coverage Exclusions Requires “Fit” and “Meaningful Access” Facts Case: Holland v. Elevance Health, Inc. Court: U.S. Court of...