7th Circuit Case Commentaries

Affirmation of Investigatory Stop Standards in United States v. Lawshea

Date: Aug 25, 2006

Affirmation of Investigatory Stop Standards in United States v. Lawshea Introduction United States of America v. Charles Lawshea, 461 F.3d 857 (7th Cir. 2006), is a pivotal case addressing the...

Effective Assistance of Counsel in Sentencing: Insights from Bethel v. United States

Date: Aug 18, 2006

Effective Assistance of Counsel in Sentencing: Insights from Bethel v. United States Introduction The case of Julian C. Bethel v. United States, 458 F.3d 711 (7th Cir. 2006), addresses critical...

Revisiting Exhaustion Requirements under the Prison Litigation Reform Act: The Kaba v. Stepp Decision

Date: Aug 17, 2006

Revisiting Exhaustion Requirements under the Prison Litigation Reform Act: The Kaba v. Stepp Decision Introduction Karamo B. Kaba v. E.A. Stepp et al., 458 F.3d 678 (7th Cir. 2006), serves as a...

Affirmation of the Probate Exception in Federal Jurisdiction: Jones v. Brennan

Date: Aug 15, 2006

Affirmation of the Probate Exception in Federal Jurisdiction: Jones v. Brennan Introduction Lois Jones v. Thomas Brennan, et al. is a pivotal case adjudicated by the United States Court of Appeals...

Affirmation of Summary Judgment in Discrimination Case: Keri v. Purdue University Board of Trustees

Date: Aug 15, 2006

Affirmation of Summary Judgment in Discrimination Case: Keri v. Purdue University Board of Trustees Introduction The case of Gabe Keri v. Board of Trustees of Purdue University et al. (458 F.3d 620)...

Enhanced Requirements for ALJ's Assessment of Medical Listings in Social Security Disability Appeals: Insights from Ribaudo v. Barnhart

Date: Aug 12, 2006

Enhanced Requirements for ALJ's Assessment of Medical Listings in Social Security Disability Appeals: Insights from Ribaudo v. Barnhart Introduction Ribaudo v. Barnhart is a significant case decided...

Ex Post Facto Implications of Advisory Sentencing Guidelines: A Comprehensive Analysis of United States v. Demaree

Date: Aug 12, 2006

Ex Post Facto Implications of Advisory Sentencing Guidelines: A Comprehensive Analysis of United States v. Demaree Introduction In the landmark case United States of America v. Rebecca S. Demaree,...

Affirmation of Valid Waiver of Counsel and Ineffective Standby Counsel Claims in Simpson v. Battaglia

Date: Aug 12, 2006

Affirmation of Valid Waiver of Counsel and Ineffective Standby Counsel Claims in Simpson v. Battaglia Introduction Robert Simpson v. Deirdre Battaglia is a pivotal case adjudicated by the United...

Affirmation of Summary Judgment in First Amendment Retaliation Claims: Massey and Mills v. Johnson et al.

Date: Aug 11, 2006

Affirmation of Summary Judgment in First Amendment Retaliation Claims: Massey and Mills v. Johnson et al. Introduction In the landmark case of Massey and Mills v. Johnson et al., the United States...

Reining in RICO: Understanding the Pattern Requirement in Gamboa v. Velez et al.

Date: Aug 11, 2006

Reining in RICO: Understanding the Pattern Requirement in Gamboa v. Velez et al. Introduction Case: Ronny Gamboa, Plaintiff-Appellee, v. Carlos Velez, Chicago Police Officer #20162, R. Rodriguez,...

Affirmation of Statute of Limitations in Sexual Assault Claims: Hollander v. Brown Enterprises

Date: Aug 10, 2006

Affirmation of Statute of Limitations in Sexual Assault Claims: Hollander v. Brown Enterprises Introduction Jacque Hollander, the plaintiff-appellant, initiated a personal injury lawsuit against...

Burden of Proof in CAFA Jurisdictional Exceptions: Hart v. FedEx Ground

Date: Aug 10, 2006

Burden of Proof in CAFA Jurisdictional Exceptions: Hart v. FedEx Ground Introduction Jeffrey Hart initiated a class action lawsuit against FedEx Ground Package System, Inc. in Pennsylvania state...

Limits on Retaliation Claims under Title VII: The Tomanovich v. City of Indianapolis Case

Date: Aug 9, 2006

Limits on Retaliation Claims under Title VII: The Tomanovich v. City of Indianapolis Case Introduction Tomanovich v. City of Indianapolis, 457 F.3d 656 (7th Cir. 2006), is a pivotal case examining...

Censorship of Prisoner Outgoing Mail and First Amendment Rights: Koutnik v. Brown

Date: Aug 9, 2006

Censorship of Prisoner Outgoing Mail and First Amendment Rights: Koutnik v. Brown Introduction Joseph D. Koutnik v. Lebbeus Brown, Gerald A. Berge, Warden, and Matthew J. Frank, Secretary is a...

Selective Payment of Aldermanic Legal Fees Upheld: A New Precedent in Equal Protection and First Amendment Law

Date: Aug 8, 2006

Selective Payment of Aldermanic Legal Fees Upheld: A New Precedent in Equal Protection and First Amendment Law Introduction In the landmark case of Ed H. Smith, Allan Streeter, Dorothy Tillman, et...

Enhanced Consideration of PTSD in Social Security Disability Claims: Allord v. Barnhart

Date: Aug 5, 2006

Enhanced Consideration of PTSD in Social Security Disability Claims: Allord v. Barnhart Introduction The case of Gary Allord v. Jo Anne B. Barnhart, Commissioner of Social Security (455 F.3d 818)...

Remand Granted in Bova v. U.S. Bank: Clarifying Standards for Fraudulent Joinder in Diversity Jurisdiction Cases

Date: Aug 5, 2006

Remand Granted in Bova v. U.S. Bank: Clarifying Standards for Fraudulent Joinder in Diversity Jurisdiction Cases Introduction In the case of Sandra R. Bova and Mary J. Fields v. U.S. Bank, N.A., as...

Res Judicata and Claim Preclusion in Environmental Litigation: A Comprehensive Analysis of Highway J Citizens Group v. U.S. Department of Transportation

Date: Aug 3, 2006

Res Judicata and Claim Preclusion in Environmental Litigation: A Comprehensive Analysis of Highway J Citizens Group v. U.S. Department of Transportation Introduction The case of Highway J Citizens...

Affirmation of Colorado River Abstention in Concurrent Federal and State Litigation – Tyrer v. City of South Beloit

Date: Aug 3, 2006

Affirmation of Colorado River Abstention in Concurrent Federal and State Litigation – Tyrer v. City of South Beloit Introduction Tyrer v. City of South Beloit is a pivotal case adjudicated by the...

Hostile Work Environment and Constructive Discharge: Insights from Patton v. Keystone RV Company

Date: Aug 2, 2006

Hostile Work Environment and Constructive Discharge: Insights from Patton v. Keystone RV Company Introduction Brenda Patton v. Keystone RV Company, 455 F.3d 812 (7th Cir. 2006), is a pivotal case in...