7th Circuit Case Commentaries

“Label Does Not Confer Jurisdiction” – Seventh Circuit Clarifies Functional Test for Appealable Colorado River-Style Stays

Date: Jul 22, 2025

“Label Does Not Confer Jurisdiction” – Seventh Circuit Clarifies Functional Test for Appealable Colorado River-Style Stays Introduction Case: East Gate-Logistics Park Chicago, LLC v. CenterPoint...

Harmless-Error Reinforcement and Below-Guideline Deference: A Commentary on United States v. Don James, Jr.

Date: Jul 22, 2025

Harmless-Error Reinforcement and Below-Guideline Deference: A Commentary on United States v. Don James, Jr. 1. Introduction In United States v. Don James, Jr., No. 23-2195 (7th Cir. July 21, 2025)...

United States v. Brewer: Seventh Circuit Solidifies Post-Page Conspiracy Standard and Reaffirms Use of Acquitted Conduct at Sentencing

Date: Jul 22, 2025

United States v. Brewer: Seventh Circuit Solidifies Post-Page Conspiracy Standard and Reaffirms Use of Acquitted Conduct at Sentencing Introduction The Seventh Circuit’s July 2025 decision in United...

Strict Compliance with Lozada: Disciplinary Complaint Alone Is Not “Notice” – Comment on Tarlochan Singh v. Bondi (7th Cir. 2025)

Date: Jul 22, 2025

Strict Compliance with Lozada: Disciplinary Complaint Alone Is Not “Notice” – Comment on Tarlochan Singh v. Bondi (7th Cir. 2025) 1. Introduction In Tarlochan Singh v. Pamela J. Bondi, the United...

Singh v. Bondi: The Seventh Circuit Re-affirms Strict, Tripartite Lozada Compliance for Ineffective-Assistance Motions in Immigration Proceedings

Date: Jul 22, 2025

Singh v. Bondi: The Seventh Circuit Re-affirms Strict, Tripartite Lozada Compliance for Ineffective-Assistance Motions in Immigration Proceedings 1. Introduction Tarlochan Singh—a Sikh political...

Beyond Derivatives: Seventh Circuit Holds Recoupment in Predatory Pricing Must Arise from Monopoly Prices, Not Financial Hedging

Date: Jul 22, 2025

Beyond Derivatives: Seventh Circuit Holds Recoupment in Predatory Pricing Must Arise from Monopoly Prices, Not Financial Hedging Introduction United Wisconsin Grain Producers LLC, together with six...

Family–Targeted Violence Equals Direct Persecution: Seventh Circuit Clarifies Nexus and Past-Persecution Standards in Mejia-Hernandez v. Bondi

Date: Jul 22, 2025

Family-Targeted Violence Equals Direct Persecution: Seventh Circuit Clarifies Nexus and Past-Persecution Standards in Mejia-Hernandez v. Bondi 1. Introduction This commentary examines the United...

“Exhaust First or Lose the Class”: Seventh Circuit Clarifies that PLRA Exhaustion Bars Use of the Inherently-Transitory Exception – Comment on Westmoreland v. Hughes

Date: Jul 22, 2025

“Exhaust First or Lose the Class” Seventh Circuit Clarifies that PLRA Exhaustion Bars Use of the Inherently-Transitory Exception Introduction In Eugene Westmoreland v. Latoya Hughes, No. 24-2153 (7th...

“More Than Mere Deference”: Seventh Circuit Re-Affirms the Two-Pronged FOIA Clear-Error Review and Approves Non-Security Glomar Responses

Date: Jul 22, 2025

“More Than Mere Deference”: Seventh Circuit Re-Affirms the Two-Pronged FOIA Clear-Error Review and Approves Non-Security Glomar Responses 1. Introduction Joel A. Brodsky—an Illinois attorney turned...

The Mahoney Principle: When Representative Signatures and Personal-Liability Clauses Collide under ERISA

Date: Jul 22, 2025

The Mahoney Principle: Representative Signatures vs. Personal-Liability Clauses in ERISA Contribution Actions Introduction R.R. Maintenance & Industrial Health & Welfare Fund v. Clinton Mahoney, Nos....

Mahoney Personal-Liability Ambiguity Doctrine: When Representative Signatures Clash with Personal-Liability Clauses

Date: Jul 22, 2025

Mahoney Personal-Liability Ambiguity Doctrine: When Representative Signatures Clash with Personal-Liability Clauses 1. Introduction In R.R. Maintenance & Industrial Health & Welfare Fund v. Clinton...

Narrowing Protective Sweeps and Re-ordering Exclusionary-Rule Analysis: A Commentary on United States v. Walker, 7th Cir. (2025)

Date: Jul 22, 2025

Narrowing Protective Sweeps and Re-ordering Exclusionary-Rule Analysis: Commentary on United States v. Richard Walker (7th Cir. 2025) 1. Introduction United States v. Walker is the Seventh Circuit’s...

Whitaker v. Dempsey: Seventh Circuit Clarifies the “Utter‑Implausibility” Exception at Summary Judgment, Affirms Limited Pepper‑Spray Use to Address Active Bloodborne-Risk, and Reaffirms the De Minimis Injury Bar in § 1983 Deliberate‑Indifference Claims

Date: Jul 17, 2025

Whitaker v. Dempsey: Seventh Circuit Clarifies the “Utter‑Implausibility” Exception at Summary Judgment, Affirms Limited Pepper‑Spray Use to Address Active Bloodborne-Risk, and Reaffirms the De...

Clarifying the Franks Threshold and “Mere Tipster” Privilege: Seventh Circuit Affirms Probable Cause Built on a Corroborated, In‑Person CI Appearance

Date: Jul 17, 2025

Clarifying the Franks Threshold and “Mere Tipster” Privilege: Seventh Circuit Affirms Probable Cause Built on a Corroborated, In‑Person CI Appearance Introduction In United States v. Deandre Maxwell...

No Shortcuts After Alston: Seventh Circuit Requires Independent Market Proof and Competitive Harm for NCAA Eligibility Challenges

Date: Jul 17, 2025

No Shortcuts After Alston: Seventh Circuit Requires Independent Market Proof and Competitive Harm for NCAA Eligibility Challenges Introduction In Nyzier Fourqurean v. National Collegiate Athletic...

Reaffirming Carlson’s Core: Seventh Circuit Keeps Federal Prison Medical‑Care Claims Within Bivens and Clarifies FTCA Equitable Tolling (including the Prison‑Mailbox Rule) at the Pleadings Stage

Date: Jul 17, 2025

Reaffirming Carlson’s Core: Seventh Circuit Keeps Federal Prison Medical‑Care Claims Within Bivens and Clarifies FTCA Equitable Tolling (including the Prison‑Mailbox Rule) at the Pleadings Stage...

Reasonable, Not Merely Possible: Seventh Circuit Clarifies the Franks “Substantial Preliminary Showing” and Affirms Informant‑Based Probable Cause

Date: Jul 17, 2025

Reasonable, Not Merely Possible: Seventh Circuit Clarifies the Franks “Substantial Preliminary Showing” and Affirms Informant‑Based Probable Cause Introduction In this consolidated appeal from the...

Allegiance, Not Dangerousness: Seventh Circuit Upholds § 922(g)(5)(A) Under Bruen and Forecloses As‑Applied Challenges by Unlawfully Present Aliens

Date: Jul 17, 2025

Allegiance, Not Dangerousness: Seventh Circuit Upholds § 922(g)(5)(A) Under Bruen and Forecloses As‑Applied Challenges by Unlawfully Present Aliens Introduction In United States v. Heriberto...

“Some Evidence” of Loss, Not Contemporaneous Dollar Proof, Satisfies Due Process for Prison Restitution Sanctions

Date: Jul 16, 2025

“Some Evidence” of Loss, Not Contemporaneous Dollar Proof, Satisfies Due Process for Prison Restitution Sanctions Introduction In Malcolm Wilson v. Angelita Castaneda, No. 22-3068 (7th Cir. July 15,...

Speculation Is Not Prejudice: Seventh Circuit Clarifies Prejudice Review and Practical Limits on Recruiting Counsel in Prisoner Medical-Care Trials

Date: Jul 16, 2025

Speculation Is Not Prejudice: Seventh Circuit Clarifies Prejudice Review and Practical Limits on Recruiting Counsel in Prisoner Medical-Care Trials Case: Armin Wand, III v. Beckey Kramer Court:...