Federal Courts

In re Jasmine Lashawn Crespo - Bankruptcy Court Opinion

The US Bankruptcy Court for the District of Colorado denied an application by the Chapter 7 Trustee to employ a law firm on a contingent fee basis. The court found the application did not meet the necessary standards for approval.

Colorado Bankruptcy Court Denies Trustee's Firm Contingent Fee Application

The United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Colorado denied an application to employ a law firm on a contingent fee basis for the Chapter 7 Trustee. The court found the application deficient and denied it without prejudice, indicating that a revised application might be considered.

Colorado Bankruptcy Court Denies Application to Employ Counsel

The U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Colorado denied an application by a Chapter 7 Trustee to employ the Larson Law Firm, LLC, on a contingent fee basis. The court cited its independent duty to review attorney employment and compensation terms.

Combs v. Broomfield - Habeas Corpus Death Penalty Petition Denial Affirmed

The Ninth Circuit affirmed the denial of Michael Stephen Combs' habeas corpus petition challenging his death sentence. The court found that the California Supreme Court reasonably applied federal law in denying claims of ineffective assistance of counsel during the penalty phase.

Netchoice LLC v. Bonta - California Age-Appropriate Design Code Act

The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed in part and vacated in part a preliminary injunction against California's Age-Appropriate Design Code Act (CAADCA). The court found NetChoice was unlikely to succeed on facial challenges to the CAADCA's coverage definition and age estimation requirement, vacating the injunction on those grounds. However, the injunction was affirmed regarding data use and dark patterns restrictions due to vagueness.

Lanaute v. United States - Sentencing Enhancement Appeal

The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed a district court's decision to apply a career-offender enhancement to Jonathan Lanaute's sentence for bank robbery. The court found that Lanaute's prior Louisiana convictions for armed robbery and attempted armed robbery qualified as "crimes of violence" under the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.

Sufiyan v. Bondi - Asylum, Withholding, CAT Appeal Decision

The Second Circuit Court of Appeals granted in part and remanded a petition for review in Sufiyan v. Bondi. The court found that the Board of Immigration Appeals erred by not determining if the petitioner would be eligible for asylum or withholding of removal but for the material support bar, which prevents him from applying for a waiver. The petition for review of the CAT claim was denied.

Jin v. City of New York - Qualified Immunity Appeal

The US Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit reversed a lower court's decision, granting qualified immunity to NYPD officers in a false arrest claim. The court found arguable probable cause for the arrest, overturning the denial of summary judgment and emphasizing a case-by-case assessment for domestic violence reports.

Sacaza v. City of New York - Qualified Immunity Appeal

The Second Circuit Court of Appeals reversed a lower court's denial of summary judgment for a New York City detective in a false arrest and malicious prosecution case. The court found that arguable probable cause existed, entitling the detective to qualified immunity.

GEICO v. Mayzenberg - Insurance Reimbursement Dispute

The Second Circuit Court of Appeals vacated a lower court ruling that allowed GEICO to deny no-fault insurance reimbursements to healthcare providers based on alleged kickbacks for patient referrals. The court remanded the case for further proceedings following a clarification from the New York Court of Appeals.