Puerto Rico Case Commentaries

Provisional Unlawful Presence Waivers Do Not Stay Removal; § 1252(g) Allows Pure “Authority” Challenges, but “Lure-to-Arrest” Claims Require Evidence

Date: Aug 21, 2026

Provisional Unlawful Presence Waivers Do Not Stay Removal; § 1252(g) Allows Pure “Authority” Challenges, but “Lure-to-Arrest” Claims Require Evidence 1. Introduction Alyse Sanchez v. Markwayne Mullin...

Residential Search Warrants Require a Current, Particularized Nexus—Area Drug Activity and Stale Home Facts Defeat Probable Cause and Can Defeat Leon Good Faith

Date: Aug 21, 2026

Residential Search Warrants Require a Current, Particularized Nexus—Area Drug Activity and Stale Home Facts Defeat Probable Cause and Can Defeat Leon Good Faith United States v. Earl Griffin, Jr....

Fourth Circuit (Unpublished): Sovereign-Citizen Rhetoric Alone Does Not Trigger a Sua Sponte Competency Evaluation, and Consent Waives Confrontation Objections to Rule 15 Video Depositions

Date: Aug 21, 2026

Fourth Circuit (Unpublished): Sovereign-Citizen Rhetoric Alone Does Not Trigger a Sua Sponte Competency Evaluation, and Consent Waives Confrontation Objections to Rule 15 Video Depositions Case:...

USSG § 2B1.1(b)(16)(B): “In Connection With” Requires Facilitation Findings, Not Mere Proximity

Date: Aug 21, 2026

USSG § 2B1.1(b)(16)(B): “In Connection With” Requires Facilitation Findings, Not Mere Proximity I. Introduction United States v. Zerion Franklin (4th Cir. Aug. 14, 2026) addresses a recurring...

Provisional Unlawful Presence Waivers Do Not Implicitly Stay Removal; § 1252(g) Does Not Bar Pure “Authority” Challenges

Date: Aug 21, 2026

Provisional Unlawful Presence Waivers Do Not Implicitly Stay Removal; § 1252(g) Does Not Bar Pure “Authority” Challenges I. Introduction These consolidated appeals arose from a District of Maryland...

Holberg v. Guerrero (5th Cir. 2026): AEDPA’s Relitigation Bar Controls Brady Impeachment Claims—Federal Habeas Relief Requires “No Fairminded Disagreement” on Materiality

Date: Aug 21, 2026

AEDPA’s Relitigation Bar Controls Brady Impeachment Claims—Federal Habeas Relief Requires “No Fairminded Disagreement” on Materiality Commentary on Holberg v. Guerrero (5th Cir. Aug. 14, 2026) (en...

Harmless-Error Affirmance of Partial JMOL When a Defense Verdict Resolves Identical Fault Theories

Date: Aug 21, 2026

Harmless-Error Affirmance of Partial JMOL When a Defense Verdict Resolves Identical Fault Theories 1. Introduction In Shaunda Sanders v. Elmington Property Management, LLC (11th Cir. Aug. 14, 2026)...

Eleventh Circuit Reaffirms Nonreviewability of Discretionary Denials of Downward Departures Absent a Misapprehension of Authority

Date: Aug 21, 2026

Eleventh Circuit Reaffirms Nonreviewability of Discretionary Denials of Downward Departures Absent a Misapprehension of Authority 1. Introduction In United States v. Ricardo Villanueva-Martinez (11th...

State v. Brown (Kan. 2026): Disapproving “Fundamental Failure” and Re-Centering Mistrial Review on Abuse of Discretion Under K.S.A. 22-3423(1)(c)

Date: Aug 21, 2026

State v. Brown (Kan. 2026): Disapproving “Fundamental Failure” and Re-Centering Mistrial Review on Abuse of Discretion Under K.S.A. 22-3423(1)(c) Case: State v. Brown, No. 128,178 (Kan. Aug. 14,...

AECOM Technical Services v. Flatiron | AECOM: Unaccepted Offers of Judgment Do Not Moot Claims and Unpleaded Theories/Fraud Cannot Be Added After the Final Pretrial Order Absent Manifest Injustice

Date: Aug 21, 2026

Unaccepted Offers of Judgment Do Not Moot Claims; Post-Pretrial Additions of Fraud and Unpled Contract Theories Require “Manifest Injustice” Case: AECOM Technical Services, Inc. v. Flatiron | AECOM,...

Andrew v. Tinsley (10th Cir. 2026): En Banc Denial Leaves in Place a Restrictive AEDPA Due-Process Framework for “Irrelevant and Prejudicial” Evidence

Date: Aug 21, 2026

En Banc Denial Leaves in Place a Restrictive AEDPA Due-Process Framework for “Irrelevant and Prejudicial” Evidence I. Introduction Andrew v. Tinsley (10th Cir. Aug. 14, 2026) is a published order...

COA Required for Merits-Targeting Rule 59(e) Orders in § 2254; Untimely Rule 59(e) Is Procedurally Fatal (and May Become an Unauthorized Successive Petition if Recast as Rule 60(b))

Date: Aug 21, 2026

COA Required for Merits-Targeting Rule 59(e) Orders in § 2254; Untimely Rule 59(e) Is Procedurally Fatal (and May Become an Unauthorized Successive Petition if Recast as Rule 60(b)) 1. Introduction...

Credibility Is Not Enough: Corroboration May Be Required, and Post-BIA Evidence Is Excluded from Judicial Review of Removal Orders

Date: Aug 21, 2026

Credibility Is Not Enough: Corroboration May Be Required, and Post-BIA Evidence Is Excluded from Judicial Review of Removal Orders 1. Introduction Ntwari v. Bondi (10th Cir. Aug. 14, 2026) concerns a...

Temporal Proximity Alone Does Not Make a Separate State Offense “Relevant Conduct” Triggering Mandatory Concurrency Under U.S.S.G. § 5G1.3(c) on Plain-Error Review

Date: Aug 21, 2026

Temporal Proximity Alone Does Not Make a Separate State Offense “Relevant Conduct” Triggering Mandatory Concurrency Under U.S.S.G. § 5G1.3(c) on Plain-Error Review 1) Introduction In United States v....

Westfall Act Saving Provision Inapplicable to § 233(c) Deemed-Clinic Malpractice Removals (Reaffirming Evans)

Date: Aug 21, 2026

Westfall Act Saving Provision Inapplicable to § 233(c) Deemed-Clinic Malpractice Removals (Reaffirming Evans) I. Introduction In Irma Herrera v. United States of America (7th Cir. Aug. 14, 2026),...

Qualified Immunity for Arguable Probable Cause and Non–Clearly Established Juvenile Interrogation Tactics; Fair-Trial Fabrication Liability Requires Trial Use of Evidence

Date: Aug 21, 2026

Qualified Immunity for Arguable Probable Cause and Non–Clearly Established Juvenile Interrogation Tactics; Fair-Trial Fabrication Liability Requires Trial Use of Evidence Case: Johnnie Savory v....

Judicial Estoppel Requires Clear Inconsistency and Prior Judicial Acceptance; Rule 23(b)(2) Proper for Reinstatement Injunction with Incidental Reimbursement in Retiree-Health CBA Cases

Date: Aug 21, 2026

Judicial Estoppel Requires Clear Inconsistency and Prior Judicial Acceptance; Rule 23(b)(2) Proper for Reinstatement Injunction with Incidental Reimbursement in Retiree-Health CBA Cases Lynnette...

Sixth Circuit Limits Standing for Forward-Looking Relief Based on Alleged “Imprimatur” Reputational Harm from Government Citation of Third-Party “Hate Map”

Date: Aug 21, 2026

Sixth Circuit Limits Standing for Forward-Looking Relief Based on Alleged “Imprimatur” Reputational Harm from Government Citation of Third-Party “Hate Map” 1. Introduction American Freedom Law...

Indefinite Development Holds as “De Facto Finality” for Ripeness in Takings and Due-Process Land-Use Claims

Date: Aug 21, 2026

Indefinite Development Holds as “De Facto Finality” for Ripeness in Takings and Due-Process Land-Use Claims I. Introduction In SW Nashville EB Owner, LLC v. Metro. Gov't of Nashville & Davidson Cnty....

Title III “Demand” Formalities and “Come Into Possession” Limits (for Now): Sixth Circuit Denies En Banc Rehearing in United States v. Benson

Date: Aug 21, 2026

Title III “Demand” Formalities and “Come Into Possession” Limits (for Now): Sixth Circuit Denies En Banc Rehearing in United States v. Benson I. Introduction Case: United States v. Jocelyn Benson, in...