federal Case Commentaries

Clarifying the Burden of Proving Trademark-Use Authorization in Gray-Market Goods: A Commentary on AL Infinity LLC v. Spalter (2d Cir. 2025)

Date: Jul 22, 2025

Clarifying the Burden of Proving Trademark-Use Authorization in Gray-Market Goods: A Commentary on AL Infinity LLC v. Spalter (2d Cir. 2025) 1. Introduction The Second Circuit’s summary order in AL...

Clarifying the Futility Exception: Mukhtorova v. Bondi and the “Unwilling-or-Unable” Test in U.S. Asylum Law

Date: Jul 22, 2025

Clarifying the Futility Exception: Mukhtorova v. Bondi and the “Unwilling-or-Unable” Test in U.S. Asylum Law 1. Introduction Mukhtorova v. Bondi, No. 24-279 (2d Cir. July 15, 2025) is a summary order...

Abeyance, Not Dismissal: Sixth Circuit Clarifies That Tennessee Criminal-Malpractice Claims Must Be Stayed Until Post-Conviction Relief Is Finally Resolved

Date: Jul 19, 2025

Abeyance, Not Dismissal: Sixth Circuit Clarifies That Tennessee Criminal-Malpractice Claims Must Be Stayed Until Post-Conviction Relief Is Finally Resolved Introduction In Dimitar Petlechkov v....

Sixth Circuit Reaffirms: Unauthorized Overtime as Legitimate, Nondiscriminatory Basis for Termination; No ADEA Hostile Environment Without an Age Nexus

Date: Jul 18, 2025

Sixth Circuit Reaffirms: Unauthorized Overtime as Legitimate, Nondiscriminatory Basis for Termination; No ADEA Hostile Environment Without an Age Nexus Case: Cynthia Barnes v. Secretary of Veterans...

No Duty to Infer “Implied” PSGs; Failures on Persecution and Nexus Obviate “Unable/Unwilling” Findings; Defective NTAs Do Not Strip Jurisdiction — Sixth Circuit Commentary on Torres de Lopez v. Bondi

Date: Jul 18, 2025

No Duty to Infer “Implied” PSGs; Failures on Persecution and Nexus Obviate “Unable/Unwilling” Findings; Defective NTAs Do Not Strip Jurisdiction — Sixth Circuit in Torres de Lopez v. Bondi Court:...

Reasonable Page Limits and Rule 41 Dismissal for Rule 8 Noncompliance: The Tenth Circuit’s Affirmance in Sullivan v. Graham

Date: Jul 18, 2025

Reasonable Page Limits and Rule 41 Dismissal for Rule 8 Noncompliance: The Tenth Circuit’s Affirmance in Sullivan v. Graham Introduction In Sullivan v. Graham, consolidated appeals Nos. 23-3153 and...

No State-Law End-Run Around ERISA for Top-Hat Plans; “Equitable Surcharge” Is Not Available Under § 1132(a)(3)

Date: Jul 18, 2025

No State-Law End-Run Around ERISA for Top-Hat Plans; “Equitable Surcharge” Is Not Available Under § 1132(a)(3) Introduction In Jerry Aldridge v. Regions Bank, No. 24-5603 (6th Cir. July 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 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...

Misreading Rule 15 Is Not a “Mistake”: Sixth Circuit Clarifies Relation-Back, Notice-of-Appeal Specificity, and Affirms Kentucky’s One-Year Limitations for § 1983 Claims

Date: Jul 17, 2025

Misreading Rule 15 Is Not a “Mistake”: Sixth Circuit Clarifies Relation-Back, Notice-of-Appeal Specificity, and Affirms Kentucky’s One-Year Limitations for § 1983 Claims Introduction In Jennie V....

Resetting the 182‑Day Clock and Recognizing “Reader” Support: The Sixth Circuit’s Persuasive Guidance on Michigan’s PWDCRA in Poplar v. Genesee County Road Commission

Date: Jul 17, 2025

Resetting the 182‑Day Clock and Recognizing “Reader” Support: The Sixth Circuit’s Persuasive Guidance on Michigan’s PWDCRA in Poplar v. Genesee County Road Commission Introduction In Donna Poplar v....

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...

Double-Waiver Forecloses Interlocutory Arbitration Appeal in Bankruptcy: Sixth Circuit Affirms Where Appellants Neither Preserved the Arbitration Agreement Nor Challenged Bankruptcy-Conflict Grounds

Date: Jul 17, 2025

Double-Waiver Forecloses Interlocutory Arbitration Appeal in Bankruptcy: Sixth Circuit Affirms Where Appellants Neither Preserved the Arbitration Agreement Nor Challenged Bankruptcy-Conflict Grounds...

Eleventh Circuit Validates “Good-Cause” Tenure for Administrative Law Judges – Commentary on Walmart, Inc. v. King (2025)

Date: Jul 17, 2025

Eleventh Circuit Validates “Good-Cause” Tenure for Administrative Law Judges A Commentary on Walmart, Inc. v. Chief ALJ (OCAHO), 24-11733 (11th Cir. 2025) 1. Introduction In Walmart, Inc. v. King,...

Sixth Circuit Clarifies Narrow Judicial Review of I‑751 Good‑Faith Marriage Waivers: Credibility and Weight-of-Evidence Challenges Are Unreviewable

Date: Jul 17, 2025

Sixth Circuit Clarifies Narrow Judicial Review of I‑751 Good‑Faith Marriage Waivers: Credibility and Weight-of-Evidence Challenges Are Unreviewable Introduction In Nathaniel Kumedzro v. Pamela Bondi,...

Sixth Circuit Clarifies No Shortcuts Under Daubert or the TPLA: Expertise Must Match the Theory; Malfunction Theory and Consumer-Expectation Shortcuts Fail for Complex Medical Implants

Date: Jul 17, 2025

Sixth Circuit Clarifies No Shortcuts Under Daubert or the TPLA: Expertise Must Match the Theory; Malfunction Theory and Consumer-Expectation Shortcuts Fail for Complex Medical Implants Case: Joseph...

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...

United States v. Mikkelson: Eleventh Circuit Clarifies Harmless-Error Treatment of Criminal-History Miscalculations and Re-affirms Broad Judicial Discretion for Upward Variances in Violent RICO Sentencings

Date: Jul 16, 2025

United States v. Mikkelson: Eleventh Circuit Clarifies Harmless-Error Treatment of Criminal-History Miscalculations and Re-affirms Broad Judicial Discretion for Upward Variances in Violent RICO...

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