7th Circuit Case Commentaries

Colorado River Stay Treated as an Appealable Final Order; Protective Discovery Orders Generally Not Appealable

Date: May 29, 2026

Colorado River Stay Treated as an Appealable Final Order; Protective Discovery Orders Generally Not Appealable Case: Raymond Butler II v. Eli Jackfinn Eddi, et al. Court: United States Court of...

Pretext, Not Poor Management: Evidence Must Support an Inference of a “Phony Reason” in Title VII Pay and Promotion Claims

Date: May 29, 2026

Pretext, Not Poor Management: Evidence Must Support an Inference of a “Phony Reason” in Title VII Pay and Promotion Claims Introduction Kellie Wilson v. AIM Specialty Health (7th Cir. May 27, 2026)...

“Accident”-Framed Reports and Coworker Harassment: Notice and Negligence Limits on Employer Liability Under Title VII and the IHRA

Date: May 29, 2026

“Accident”-Framed Reports and Coworker Harassment: Notice and Negligence Limits on Employer Liability Under Title VII and the IHRA 1. Introduction In Alma Sanchez v. El Milagro, Inc. (7th Cir. May...

Boilerplate Symptom Language Is Harmless When the ALJ Applies the Correct Standard and the Record Substantially Supports a Sedentary RFC

Date: May 29, 2026

Boilerplate Symptom Language Is Harmless When the ALJ Applies the Correct Standard and the Record Substantially Supports a Sedentary RFC Case: Edward Wolvin v. Frank Bisignano, Commissioner of Social...

Deference to Prison Medical Judgment and the “No Personal Involvement, No § 1983 Liability” Rule in Treatment-and-Retaliation Claims

Date: May 27, 2026

Deference to Prison Medical Judgment and the “No Personal Involvement, No § 1983 Liability” Rule in Treatment-and-Retaliation Claims I. Introduction Case: Andrew Obregon v. Jamie Barker and Radu...

United States v. Clifton Coleman — Owner-Landlord Control and Knowing Drug Use Support §2D1.1(b)(12); Brady Materiality Lacking Where 302 Summaries Convey the Substance

Date: May 27, 2026

Owner-Landlord Control and Knowing Drug Use Can Satisfy the “Maintained” and “Purpose” Elements of U.S.S.G. § 2D1.1(b)(12); Brady Materiality Is Not Shown Where FBI 302 Summaries Provide the Key...

Discretionary Liquor-Licensing Inaction Creates No Due-Process Property Interest; Class-of-One Claims End Upon Any Conceivable Rational Basis

Date: May 24, 2026

Discretionary Liquor-Licensing Inaction Creates No Due-Process Property Interest; Class-of-One Claims End Upon Any Conceivable Rational Basis I. Introduction In Anna's Café Place LLC v. Village of...

Merits-First Disposition in Title VII: Courts May Bypass the 15‑Employee Coverage Question When the Record Shows No Race-Based Causation

Date: May 24, 2026

Merits-First Disposition in Title VII: Courts May Bypass the 15‑Employee Coverage Question When the Record Shows No Race-Based Causation I. Introduction Darell Burton v. Will County Sheriff's Merit...

Anonymous 911 “Shots Fired” Reports Can Supply an Objectively Reasonable Basis for Warrantless Emergency-Aid Entry

Date: May 22, 2026

Anonymous 911 “Shots Fired” Reports Can Supply an Objectively Reasonable Basis for Warrantless Emergency-Aid Entry Case: John W. Bloch, III v. United States (7th Cir. May 21, 2026) (nonprecedential...

Seventh Circuit: Generalized Country-Deterioration Evidence Is Not “Material” to Reopen; Pereira Does Not Equitably Toll Untimely Reopening; Sua Sponte Reopening Denials Remain Unreviewable Absent Legal Error

Date: May 22, 2026

Seventh Circuit: Generalized Country-Deterioration Evidence Is Not “Material” to Reopen; Pereira Does Not Equitably Toll Untimely Reopening; Sua Sponte Reopening Denials Remain Unreviewable Absent...

Anders Review in Supervised-Release Revocations: Reentry-Center Conditions Are Lawful; Concurrent Multi-Count Sentencing Error May Be Harmless

Date: May 22, 2026

Anders Review in Supervised-Release Revocations: Reentry-Center Conditions Are Lawful; Concurrent Multi-Count Sentencing Error May Be Harmless 1. Introduction In United States v. Roscoe Chambers (7th...

Medical-Judgment Deference in Prison Pain Management: Discontinuing Gabapentinoids Without Immediate Replacement Is Not Deliberate Indifference Absent a Substantial Departure from Professional Standards

Date: May 22, 2026

Medical-Judgment Deference in Prison Pain Management: Discontinuing Gabapentinoids Without Immediate Replacement Is Not Deliberate Indifference Absent a Substantial Departure from Professional...

Prison Pain-Medication Limits and the Eighth Amendment: No Deliberate Indifference Absent Proof of Purposeful Disregard and Unreasonable Response

Date: May 22, 2026

Prison Pain-Medication Limits and the Eighth Amendment: No Deliberate Indifference Absent Proof of Purposeful Disregard and Unreasonable Response Case: Jeffrey D. Leiser v. Daniel LaVoie, et al....

United States v. McKay: Preserved Objection Allows New Appellate Arguments; Vague “Third-Party Risk” Condition Vacated

Date: May 21, 2026

United States v. McKay: Preserved Objection Allows New Appellate Arguments; Vague “Third-Party Risk” Condition Vacated 1. Introduction In United States v. Dennis McKay (7th Cir. May 20, 2026), the...

PLRA Exhaustion Requires Waiting Out the ARB’s Six-Month Review Period and Grievances Must Give Fair Notice of the Specific Denial

Date: May 21, 2026

PLRA Exhaustion Requires Waiting Out the ARB’s Six-Month Review Period and Grievances Must Give Fair Notice of the Specific Denial 1. Introduction In Jesse R. Perez v. Mohammed Siddiqui (7th Cir. May...

D’Ambrosio v. Meta: IRPA “Commercial Purpose” Requires Identity to Help Sell; First Seventh Circuit Framework for Illinois Doxing Act; Appellate Sanctions for Fabricated Citations

Date: May 20, 2026

D’Ambrosio v. Meta: IRPA “Commercial Purpose” Requires Identity to Help Sell; First Seventh Circuit Framework for Illinois Doxing Act; Appellate Sanctions for Fabricated Citations Introduction In...

Meaningful Engagement Required to Exhaust an IJ’s Adverse Credibility Finding Before the BIA

Date: May 19, 2026

Meaningful Engagement Required to Exhaust an IJ’s Adverse Credibility Finding Before the BIA Introduction In Erdenesaikhan Batchuluun v. Todd W. Blanche (7th Cir. May 18, 2026) (nonprecedential), the...

Deferential Review of INA “Exceptional and Extremely Unusual Hardship” Findings After Wilkinson: No Relief Absent Compelling Evidence

Date: May 19, 2026

Deferential Review of INA “Exceptional and Extremely Unusual Hardship” Findings After Wilkinson: No Relief Absent Compelling Evidence 1. Introduction In Pablo Zarate-Gonzalez v. Todd W. Blanche (7th...

Discretionary Towing Rotation Lists Do Not Create Due-Process “Property” Without a Binding Source of Entitlement

Date: May 19, 2026

Discretionary Towing Rotation Lists Do Not Create Due-Process “Property” Without a Binding Source of Entitlement Case: Tire Town Auto LLC v. Wood County (7th Cir., May 12, 2026) Court: United States...

Outsourcing Is No Shield: Contractor Medical Policies Are Attributable to the County Under Monell, but Plaintiffs Must Prove Objective Unreasonableness with Admissible Evidence

Date: May 11, 2026

Outsourcing Is No Shield: Contractor Medical Policies Are Attributable to the County Under Monell, but Plaintiffs Must Prove Objective Unreasonableness with Admissible Evidence Introduction Calvin...