Courts & Litigation

Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court Opinion on J.M. Tripodi Appeal

The Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court affirmed a trial court's orders regarding the sale of the Kline Place Apartments for $2,600,000.00 and awarded $68,344.87 in attorneys' fees. The court reviewed appeals concerning property maintenance, plumbing, and electrical codes, and due process rights.

Penn Renewables, LLC v. PA PUC - Administrative Law

The Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania affirmed a Public Utility Commission order approving a modified default service plan for UGI Utilities, Inc. The court reviewed the commission's adoption of a recommended decision that authorized a settlement for UGI's default service plan, impacting electricity supply procurement and rate design.

R.M. Heiligman v. PA Dept. of Ag. - RTKL Opinion

The Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania affirmed a Final Determination by the Office of Open Records denying a Right-to-Know Law request. The request sought necropsy records for animals from the Brandywine Zoo, which the Department of Agriculture had partially denied.

Allegheny County v. W. Towne - Election Ballot Access

The Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania ruled that voted absentee and mail-in ballots are public records accessible under the Right-to-Know Law. This decision reverses a lower court's order that had limited access to ballots from the 2022 primary election.

Iowa Supreme Court Opinion on Fictive Kin Placement

The Iowa Supreme Court vacated a lower court decision regarding the placement of a minor child with fictive kin. The court ruled that the fictive-kin relationship must predate the child's removal from parental custody, reversing a prior judgment that allowed placement with respite caregivers who did not meet this criterion.

Iowa Supreme Court Rules on Minor Child Placement with Respite Providers

The Iowa Supreme Court affirmed a lower court's decision to place a minor child with respite care providers identified as fictive kin, rather than with relatives. The court also upheld the respite providers' intervention in the proceedings. This ruling clarifies placement decisions in child-in-need-of-assistance cases.

State of Iowa v. Christopher Joseph Hidlebaugh - Sentence Vacated

The Iowa Supreme Court vacated the sentence of Christopher Joseph Hidlebaugh, remanding the case for resentencing. The court found that the defendant's imprisonment, resulting from his inability to meet a financial obligation in a plea agreement despite good faith efforts, rendered his sentence unconstitutional.

State of Iowa v. Christopher Joseph Hidlebaugh - Sex Offender Registry Violation

The Iowa Supreme Court denied further review in the case of State of Iowa v. Christopher Joseph Hidlebaugh, concerning a sex offender registry violation. The appeal was dismissed by the Court of Appeals for lack of jurisdiction.

Cross Country Mortgage LLC v. Michele Lesha Xu - Dismissed Appeal

The Texas Court of Appeals, 9th District, has dismissed the accelerated appeal in Cross Country Mortgage, LLC v. Michele Lesha Xu. The dismissal was granted based on an unopposed motion filed by the appellant, Cross Country Mortgage, LLC, before a decision was rendered.

Texas Court of Appeals Denies Mandamus in CHRISTUS Health Case

The Texas Court of Appeals denied a writ of mandamus sought by CHRISTUS Health Southeast Texas. The court upheld a lower court's order striking CHRISTUS Health's petition in intervention in a case involving non-compete clauses for CRNAs.