federal Case Commentaries

Finder’s Fee Exception Clarified: Eleventh Circuit Confirms Mere Introductions Do Not Trigger Broker Registration Requirements

Date: Jul 30, 2025

Finder’s Fee Exception Clarified: Eleventh Circuit Confirms Mere Introductions Do Not Trigger Broker Registration Requirements Introduction Matthew Hayden v. Steven F. Urvan (11th Cir. July 28, 2025,...

Eleventh Circuit Clarifies the “Material-Misrepresentation” Standard for Voiding Home-Owner Policies – Commentary on Riddle v. Heritage

Date: Jul 30, 2025

Eleventh Circuit Clarifies the “Material-Misrepresentation” Standard for Voiding Home-Owner Policies Comprehensive Commentary on Travis Riddle v. Heritage Property & Casualty Insurance Co., Eleventh...

United States v. Crystal Orr: Written Plea Agreements as a Cure for Rule 11 Omissions under Plain-Error Review

Date: Jul 30, 2025

United States v. Crystal Orr: Written Plea Agreements as a Cure for Rule 11 Omissions under Plain-Error Review Introduction In United States v. Crystal Hali Orr, No. 24-13983 (11th Cir. July 28,...

“Emotional Reassurance as ‘Benefit’: The Eleventh Circuit’s Expansive Reading of the Federal Kidnapping Statute in United States v. Marques Deon Jones”

Date: Jul 30, 2025

“Emotional Reassurance as ‘Benefit’: The Eleventh Circuit’s Expansive Reading of the Federal Kidnapping Statute in United States v. Marques Deon Jones Introduction On 28 July 2025, the Eleventh...

United States v. Maldonado-Arce: Clarifying Plain-Error Vacatur When Sentencing Relies on Chronologically Impossible Facts

Date: Jul 30, 2025

United States v. Maldonado-Arce: Clarifying Plain-Error Vacatur When Sentencing Relies on Chronologically Impossible Facts Introduction United States v. Rodrigo Maldonado-Arce, No. 24-12306 (11th...

Eleventh Circuit Clarifies the Ineffectiveness of Incomplete Rule 41(a)(1)(A)(ii) Stipulations and Affirms District Courts’ Power to Convert Them into Rule 41(a)(2) Dismissals

Date: Jul 30, 2025

Eleventh Circuit Clarifies the Ineffectiveness of Incomplete Rule 41(a)(1)(A)(ii) Stipulations and Affirms District Courts’ Power to Convert Them into Rule 41(a)(2) Dismissals Introduction In Wendall...

Extending “Internet Solutions” to Copyright: Actual Florida Access Now Required for Long-Arm Jurisdiction – Commentary on World Media Alliance Label, Inc. v. Believe SAS

Date: Jul 30, 2025

Extending “Internet Solutions” to Copyright: Actual Florida Access Now Required for Long-Arm Jurisdiction – Commentary on World Media Alliance Label, Inc. v. Believe SAS 1. Introduction On 28 July...

Herring v. City of Ecorse (6th Cir. 2025): Clarifying Waiver-Versus-Forfeiture, Rule 3(c)(4) “Merger,” and Res Judicata in § 1983 Retaliation Litigation

Date: Jul 30, 2025

Herring v. City of Ecorse (6th Cir. 2025): Clarifying Waiver-Versus-Forfeiture, Rule 3(c)(4) “Merger,” and Res Judicata in § 1983 Retaliation Litigation Introduction Cornelius Herring and Geoffrey...

Grand Traverse Band v. Blue Cross (6th Cir 2025): Narrowing Medicare-Like-Rate Obligations to Hospitals and Clarifying the “Actual-Knowledge” Timeliness Trigger for Tribal ERISA Fiduciary Claims

Date: Jul 30, 2025

Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa & Chippewa Indians v. Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit • 28 July 2025 Introduction The Sixth Circuit’s published decision in...

“Timeliness Is of the Essence” – Sixth Circuit Re-Affirms Forfeiture of Defective NTA Claims and Tightens Particular-Social-Group Analysis in Cobo-Lopez v. Bondi

Date: Jul 30, 2025

“Timeliness Is of the Essence” – Sixth Circuit Re-Affirms Forfeiture of Defective NTA Claims and Tightens Particular-Social-Group Analysis in Cobo-Lopez v. Bondi Commentary on the United States Court...

United States v. Glenn: The Sixth Circuit Narrows the Admissibility of Law-Enforcement “Expert” Translation of Ordinary Text Messages

Date: Jul 30, 2025

United States v. Glenn: The Sixth Circuit Narrows the Admissibility of Law-Enforcement “Expert” Translation of Ordinary Text Messages Introduction United States v. Devante Glenn, No. 23-3926...

United States v. Harbuck: Eleventh Circuit Confirms South Carolina “Assault with Intent to Kill” Is an ACCA Violent Felony and Re-Affirms the Elements Clause’s Constitutional Certainty

Date: Jul 30, 2025

United States v. Harbuck: Eleventh Circuit Confirms South Carolina “Assault with Intent to Kill” Is an ACCA Violent Felony and Re-Affirms the Elements Clause’s Constitutional Certainty 1....

Expanding the Remedial Toolkit: Seventh Circuit Confirms Monetary Sanctions Are Permissible under Rule 37(e)(1) and Sets Clear-Error Review for Intent Findings in E-Discovery Spoliation

Date: Jul 30, 2025

Expanding the Remedial Toolkit: Seventh Circuit Confirms Monetary Sanctions Are Permissible under Rule 37(e)(1) and Sets Clear-Error Review for Intent Findings in E-Discovery Spoliation Introduction...

“Active-Resistance Reasonableness” – Seventh Circuit Re-affirms Split-Second Force and Prompt Post-Restraint Care in Snukis v. Taylor

Date: Jul 30, 2025

“Active-Resistance Reasonableness” – Seventh Circuit Re-affirms Split-Second Force and Prompt Post-Restraint Care in Snukis v. Taylor 1. Introduction On 28 July 2025 the United States Court of...

“No Reliance, No Reversal” – The Seventh Circuit’s Refined Standard for PSR Errors in United States v. Swartz

Date: Jul 30, 2025

“No Reliance, No Reversal” – The Seventh Circuit’s Refined Standard for PSR Errors in United States v. Swartz 1. Introduction In United States v. David Swartz, No. 24-2459 (7th Cir. 2025), the Court...

Active Ratification Required: Lavigne v. Great Salt Bay Community School Board Tightens Pleading Standards for Monell Liability

Date: Jul 30, 2025

Active Ratification Required: Lavigne v. Great Salt Bay Community School Board Tightens Pleading Standards for Monell Liability 1. Introduction Lavigne v. Great Salt Bay Community School Board, No....

Rivera Samayoa v. Bondi: The First Circuit’s Post-Wilkinson Blueprint for Reviewing “Exceptional and Extremely Unusual Hardship” Findings

Date: Jul 30, 2025

Rivera Samayoa v. Bondi: The First Circuit’s Post-Wilkinson Blueprint for Reviewing “Exceptional and Extremely Unusual Hardship” Findings 1. Introduction In Rivera Samayoa v. Bondi, No. 24-1432 (1st...

“Beyond Mere Opposition to Gangs” – The Second Circuit’s Re-affirmation of the Nexus and Credibility Thresholds for Gang-Related Asylum Claims after Matter of A-B-III

Date: Jul 30, 2025

“Beyond Mere Opposition to Gangs” – The Second Circuit’s Re-affirmation of the Nexus and Credibility Thresholds for Gang-Related Asylum Claims after Matter of A-B-III Introduction In Acero-Zaruma v....

Balderas Galvan v. Bondi: Second Circuit Reaffirms Asylum Applicant’s Burden to Prove Unreasonableness of Internal Relocation in Private-Actor Persecution Claims

Date: Jul 30, 2025

Balderas Galvan v. Bondi: Second Circuit Reaffirms Asylum Applicant’s Burden to Prove Unreasonableness of Internal Relocation When Persecution Is Attributed to Private Actors Court of Appeals for the...

Kabir v. Bondi: Re-affirming the “Pretextual Prosecution” Test for Anti-Corruption Asylum Claims

Date: Jul 30, 2025

Kabir v. Bondi: Re-affirming the “Pretextual Prosecution” Test for Anti-Corruption Asylum Claims Introduction In Kabir v. Bondi, No. 23-6179 (2d Cir. July 25, 2025), the United States Court of...

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