Federal Courts

Taurus Bernard Dickerson v. Deputy Warden Stanford - Civil Rights Complaint

The U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Georgia issued an order and recommendation regarding a civil rights complaint filed by inmate Taurus Bernard Dickerson. The court will allow claims of deliberate indifference to safety and retaliation to proceed, while recommending dismissal of other claims.

Kellogg v. Nichols - Amended Opinion on Judicial Immunity and Firearms Licensing

The Second Circuit Court of Appeals issued an amended opinion in Kellogg v. Nichols, affirming the dismissal of a lawsuit challenging New York's firearms licensing laws. The court held that state court judges are absolutely immune from individual-capacity lawsuits for their decisions on license applications and that federal courts lack jurisdiction for official-capacity claims under Article III's case-or-controversy requirement.

US v. Aryeetey - Felon in Possession of Firearm Conviction Affirmed

The Second Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed the conviction and sentence of Ivan Joel Aryeetey for being a felon in possession of a firearm. The court found no abuse of discretion in admitting DNA evidence and deemed the sentence substantively reasonable.

SBK ART LLC v. Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP - Discovery for Foreign Litigation

The Second Circuit affirmed a district court's order granting SBK ART LLC's petition for discovery under 28 U.S.C. §1782 in aid of foreign litigation. The court disagreed with Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP's argument that discovery should be denied if documents are not discoverable from the foreign client abroad.

B.B. v. Hochul - Minors' Rights to Family Integrity

The Second Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in B.B. v. Hochul that minors have standing to sue New York over its child certification scheme, which denies relatives foster care placements based on criminal history or abuse reports. The court reversed in part and affirmed in part, remanding for further proceedings.

US v. Cardenas - Cocaine Import Conspiracy Appeal

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit vacated a conviction for conspiracy to import cocaine. The court found that the district court erred in excluding evidence relevant to the defendant's state of mind, potentially impacting his defense. The case is remanded for further proceedings.

Care One LLC v NLRB - Court Opinion on Unfair Labor Practice Proceedings

The Second Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed a district court's denial of a preliminary injunction sought by Care One LLC and its affiliates. The healthcare companies challenged NLRB proceedings, arguing the ALJ was unlawfully appointed. The court found the plaintiffs could not demonstrate irreparable harm, thus denying the injunction.

McGucken v. Shutterstock, Inc. - Copyright Infringement Appeal

The Second Circuit Court of Appeals partially affirmed and partially vacated a district court's ruling in McGucken v. Shutterstock, Inc. The court affirmed the dismissal of copyright management information claims but vacated the dismissal of copyright infringement claims, remanding for further proceedings.

US v. Jimenez - 105 Months Prison for Felony Conviction

The US Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit affirmed a district court's judgment sentencing William Jimenez to 105 months imprisonment and three years of supervised release for possessing ammunition after a felony conviction. Jimenez's appeal challenging sentencing conditions and imprisonment term was denied.

Broadcast Music, Inc. v. North American Concert Promoters Association - Antitrust

The Second Circuit Court of Appeals vacated a district court's decision regarding music licensing fees set by Broadcast Music, Inc. (BMI) for concert promoters. The court found the imposed rates and expanded definition of gross revenues to be unreasonable, remanding the case for further proceedings.