Courts & Legal

Miller v. Schoenbeck - Civil Appeal

Wisconsin Court of Appeals released opinion in civil matter Miller v. Schoenbeck (case 2024AP002395) on April 15, 2026. The case was heard in District 2, Walworth County. The published opinion is available in PDF format.

Hyatt v. Callahan - UIM Coverage Settlement Dispute

The North Carolina Court of Appeals reversed the trial court's summary judgment in Hyatt v. Callahan, holding that plaintiff failed to provide defendant North Carolina Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance Company with the required 30-day period to act on a tentative settlement under N.C.G.S. § 20-279.21(b)(4) of the Financial Responsibility Act. The case involves an underinsured motorist claim where plaintiff sought $1,000,000 in UIM coverage after recovering $300,000 from the at-fault driver's insurer.

State v. McDowell - Ineffective Assistance Claim Dismissed

The North Carolina Court of Appeals dismissed defendant Joshua McDowell's ineffective assistance of counsel claim without prejudice. McDowell argued trial counsel was ineffective for failing to move to suppress evidence from a traffic stop that led to charges of methamphetamine possession, drug paraphernalia possession, and carrying a concealed weapon. The appellate court held that because the record was insufficient to evaluate the Strickland test on direct appeal, McDowell must first raise the claim through a motion for appropriate relief in the trial court.

Blackmon v. Blackmon - Alimony Claim Dismissal for Costs Nonpayment

The North Carolina Court of Appeals affirmed the trial court's dismissal of plaintiff Nancy Blackmon's alimony claim. The dismissal was based on Wife's failure to pay $3,830.22 in costs associated with her earlier voluntary dismissal of an alimony counterclaim, as ordered under N.C. Rule of Civil Procedure 41(d). Wife failed to pay within the 30-day timeframe ordered by the trial court.

Biddle v. Biddle - Equitable Distribution Order Affirmed in Part, Vacated in Part

The North Carolina Court of Appeals affirmed in part, vacated in part, and remanded an equitable distribution order from Caldwell County District Court. The appellate court upheld the trial court's valuation of marital assets including the $1.1M former marital home and approximately $877,000 Monroe Medical stock. The court vacated portions of the order related to classification issues and remanded for entry of a new order consistent with the parties' binding stipulations.

Andrea Plummer v. United States Luggage Company, LLC - Emergency Motion Denied

The Georgia Court of Appeals denied Andrea Plummer's Emergency Motion for Stay of Enforcement Pending Consideration of Application for Discretionary Appeal in her civil case against United States Luggage Company, LLC (docket A26E0181). The court issued this order on April 15, 2026.

Catherine Corkren v. City of Hoschton, Georgia - Discretionary Appeal Denied

The Court of Appeals of Georgia denied a discretionary appeal in Catherine Corkren v. City of Hoschton, Georgia et al. (Docket No. A26D0426). The applicant sought discretionary review of a lower court decision in case 19CV0611, but the court declined to hear the appeal. This procedural denial means the lower court's ruling remains in effect.

Kyle Ramsey v. Kristina Ramsey - Case Dismissed for Lack of Jurisdiction

The Georgia Court of Appeals dismissed appeal case A26A1481 because it lacked jurisdiction. The respondent Kyle Ramsey filed a direct notice of appeal from a twelve-month protective order granted to Kristina Ramsey under the Family Violence Act, but Georgia law requires that appeals in domestic relations cases—including those arising under the Family Violence Act—must be initiated by filing an application for discretionary appeal. Failure to follow this mandatory procedure deprived the appellate court of jurisdiction.

Christopher Fontes v. Quencia Bloom - Emergency Motion Denied

The Court of Appeals of Georgia denied Appellant's emergency motion filed pursuant to Court of Appeals Rule 40(b) in case number A26E0180. The one-paragraph order provides no substantive reasoning, affirming the procedural denial without indicating the underlying case's status. This is a routine procedural disposition with no compliance obligations for third parties.

McGarvey-Wilkins v. Nissan Marietta LLC - Appeal Dismissed

The Georgia Court of Appeals dismissed appeal A26A1392 in McGarvey-Wilkins v. Nissan Marietta, LLC. The appellant failed to file a timely initial brief complying with Court rules and did not demonstrate good cause for the failure. The dismissal cites Court of Appeals Rule 23(a), which permits dismissal for failure to file a timely initial brief.