Puerto Rico Case Commentaries

National Bank Act Preempts State Minimum Interest Mandates on Mortgage-Escrow Accounts Under Barnett Bank’s “Nature and Degree” Test

Date: May 6, 2026

National Bank Act Preempts State Minimum Interest Mandates on Mortgage-Escrow Accounts Under Barnett Bank’s “Nature and Degree” Test Cases: Cantero v. Bank of America, N.A.; Hymes v. Bank of America,...

Water Activity Enterprises May Condemn Property When Exercising a Parent District’s Eminent-Domain Power “Relating to Water Activities”

Date: May 6, 2026

Water Activity Enterprises May Condemn Property When Exercising a Parent District’s Eminent-Domain Power “Relating to Water Activities” Introduction In N. Integrated Supply Project Water Activity...

Pleading Conspiracy Against Court-Appointed Child Advocates: Inaction Is Not Agreement, and Former Wards Lack Standing for Prospective GAL Reform

Date: May 6, 2026

Pleading Conspiracy Against Court-Appointed Child Advocates: Inaction Is Not Agreement, and Former Wards Lack Standing for Prospective GAL Reform Introduction In Robert Bettis v. Paul Novak, the...

Contractual “Permission-to-Search” Consent in Cloud Terms of Service Validates Provider Scanning and NCMEC Disclosure Without Extinguishing All Privacy

Date: May 6, 2026

Contractual “Permission-to-Search” Consent in Cloud Terms of Service Validates Provider Scanning and NCMEC Disclosure Without Extinguishing All Privacy 1. Introduction United States v. Adam Blocker...

Seventh Circuit Tightens Rehabilitation Act Litigation: 45-Day EEO Exhaustion, No “Continuing Violation” for Disconnected Episodes, and Estoppel from Workers’ Comp Disability Assertions

Date: May 6, 2026

Seventh Circuit Tightens Rehabilitation Act Litigation: 45-Day EEO Exhaustion, No “Continuing Violation” for Disconnected Episodes, and Estoppel from Workers’ Comp Disability Assertions 1....

Sentencing Courts Must Conduct an Independent § 46-14-311/312 MCA Mental-Condition Determination When the Issue Is Raised at Sentencing

Date: May 6, 2026

Sentencing Courts Must Conduct an Independent § 46-14-311/312 MCA Mental-Condition Determination When the Issue Is Raised at Sentencing Introduction In State v. Myers Starks, 2026 MT 93, the Montana...

Repetitive Habeas Challenges to a Settled Montana Sentence May Trigger a Supreme Court Leave-to-File Requirement

Date: May 6, 2026

Repetitive Habeas Challenges to a Settled Montana Sentence May Trigger a Supreme Court Leave-to-File Requirement 1. Introduction Case: J. Eves v. Borchert (Order), Supreme Court of Montana, filed May...

Due Process and Specific Findings Required Before Montana Courts Impose Vexatious-Litigant Prefiling Orders

Date: May 6, 2026

Due Process and Specific Findings Required Before Montana Courts Impose Vexatious-Litigant Prefiling Orders Introduction Heaven v. Weber (2026 MT 95) arose after Matthew Heaven sued Steven Paul Weber...

“Sexual Contact” Under Montana Law: “Knowingly” Is an Alternative to “Purposely,” and Omitting “Purposely” from the Instruction Was Not Plain Error (State v. Steffens)

Date: May 6, 2026

“Sexual Contact” Under Montana Law: “Knowingly” Is an Alternative to “Purposely,” and Omitting “Purposely” from the Instruction Was Not Plain Error (State v. Steffens) Court: Supreme Court of Montana...

Louisiana v. Callais (2026): §2 Compliance as a Compelling Interest, Recast Through an “Updated Gingles” Framework

Date: May 6, 2026

Louisiana v. Callais (2026): §2 Compliance as a Compelling Interest, Recast Through an “Updated Gingles” Framework 1. Introduction Louisiana v. Callais arose from Louisiana’s post-2020-census...

Workplace PPE-Overheating Complaints Are Not “Matters of Public Concern” Absent a Concrete Public-Safety Focus

Date: May 6, 2026

Workplace PPE-Overheating Complaints Are Not “Matters of Public Concern” Absent a Concrete Public-Safety Focus Introduction In Mark Stanalajczo v. Brandonn Perry (Sixth Cir. May 4, 2026), an adjunct...

Section 18.001’s “Unless” Clause as an All-or-Nothing Bar: Any Compliant Counteraffidavit Defeats Affidavit Admissibility

Date: May 6, 2026

Section 18.001’s “Unless” Clause as an All-or-Nothing Bar: Any Compliant Counteraffidavit Defeats Affidavit Admissibility Case: Tatia Ortiz v. Ramu Nelapatla Court: Supreme Court of Texas Date: May...

People v. Morris (Cal. 2026): § 189(e)(2) Requires the Nonkiller to Aid the Lethal Act, Not Merely the Underlying Felony

Date: May 6, 2026

People v. Morris (Cal. 2026): § 189(e)(2) Requires the Nonkiller to Aid the Lethal Act, Not Merely the Underlying Felony Supreme Court of California (May 4, 2026) — Justice Groban (maj.); Chief...

State v. Lawrence M.: Joinder Burden on the State and Permissible “Grooming” Hypotheticals Without Complainant-Specific Vouching

Date: May 6, 2026

State v. Lawrence M.: Joinder Burden on the State and Permissible “Grooming” Hypotheticals Without Complainant-Specific Vouching 1. Introduction In State of Connecticut v. Lawrence M. (SC 21032)...

State v. Baez: When Eyewitness “Flight” Evidence and Retreat Defeat Self-Defense, and When Intent-Charge Errors Are Not Plain Error

Date: May 6, 2026

State v. Baez: When Eyewitness “Flight” Evidence and Retreat Defeat Self-Defense, and When Intent-Charge Errors Are Not Plain Error Introduction In State v. Baez (Conn. Sup. Ct., officially released...

State v. Bard: Unpreserved Severance Claims Are Unreviewable; Articulation Cannot Create Preservation; No Duty to Sever Sua Sponte Under Practice Book § 41-18

Date: May 6, 2026

State v. Bard: Unpreserved Severance Claims Are Unreviewable; Articulation Cannot Create Preservation; No Duty to Sever Sua Sponte Under Practice Book § 41-18 1. Introduction In State v. Bard (Conn....

Estate of Kalinski v. Murphy Law Office, PLLC: Unjust Enrichment and ICPA Claims Cannot Repackage Legal Malpractice Absent Independent Consumer Deception

Date: May 6, 2026

Estate of Kalinski v. Murphy Law Office, PLLC: Unjust Enrichment and ICPA Claims Cannot Repackage Legal Malpractice Absent Independent Consumer Deception Court: Supreme Court of Idaho Date: May 5,...

Uncodified and Ambiguous Civil Service Exam Phone Rules Cannot Rationally Support Score Nullification; “Final” Agency Language May Excuse Further Exhaustion

Date: May 6, 2026

Uncodified and Ambiguous Civil Service Exam Phone Rules Cannot Rationally Support Score Nullification; “Final” Agency Language May Excuse Further Exhaustion I. Introduction Matter of Bifulco v City...

R.C. 3513.311(C) Allows Late Lieutenant-Governor Replacement Only Upon Death; Ohio Supreme Court Original Jurisdiction Bars Declaratory and Prohibitory-Injunction Claims

Date: May 5, 2026

R.C. 3513.311(C) Allows Late Lieutenant-Governor Replacement Only Upon Death; Ohio Supreme Court Original Jurisdiction Bars Declaratory and Prohibitory-Injunction Claims I. Introduction State ex rel....

Expedited Supreme Court Judgment Issuance Under Rule 45.3 in Ongoing Election Disputes (Callais v. Louisiana)

Date: May 5, 2026

Expedited Supreme Court Judgment Issuance Under Rule 45.3 in Ongoing Election Disputes (Callais v. Louisiana) Introduction Callais v. Louisiana arises from emergency, post-merits litigation effects...