2nd Circuit Court of Appeals

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.

Reidy Contracting Group vs. Mt. Hawley Insurance - Insurance Coverage Dispute

The Second Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed a district court's ruling that Reidy Contracting Group was an additional insured under Mt. Hawley Insurance Company's policy. The court held that the Employers Liability Exclusion was ambiguous and must be construed against Mt. Hawley.

Mar-Can Transport v. Local 854 Pension Fund - ERISA Withdrawal Liability

The Second Circuit affirmed a lower court's decision in Mar-Can Transport v. Local 854 Pension Fund, reducing Mar-Can's ERISA withdrawal liability by $1.8 million. The ruling clarifies the interpretation of "unfunded vested benefits" when an employer transitions between multiemployer pension plans due to union representation changes.

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.

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.

Safdieh v. Commissioner - Tax Penalties Assessment

The Second Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the Commissioner of Internal Revenue may assess penalties for failing to report foreign business control under I.R.C. § 6038(b) through administrative assessment, vacating a Tax Court order. This decision impacts how the IRS collects these specific penalties.

Connecticut Fair Housing Center v. CoreLogic - Fair Housing Act and FCRA

The Second Circuit Court of Appeals vacated in part, affirmed in part, and reversed in part a lower court decision concerning claims against CoreLogic Rental Property Solutions. The court found the Connecticut Fair Housing Center lacked standing and that while CoreLogic was not covered by the Fair Housing Act as initially argued, the plaintiff failed to establish a prima facie case of disparate impact discrimination. The court also affirmed CoreLogic's violation of the Fair Credit Reporting Act.

Peña Garcia v. Department of Labor - Workers' Compensation

The Second Circuit Court of Appeals denied a petition for review in Peña Garcia v. Department of Labor. The court affirmed the denial of reimbursement for medical cannabis-infused edibles under the Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation Act, citing the Controlled Substances Act.

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. 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.