Legal Research

Donovan Tyler Adkins v. State of Florida - Appeal Affirmed

The Fifth District Court of Appeal of Florida affirmed the Circuit Court for Brevard County in a criminal appeal, Case No. 5D2024-2803, with Donovan Tyler Adkins as appellant and State of Florida as appellee. The per curiam opinion issued April 16, 2026, by Justices MAKAR, EDWARDS, and HARRIS, affirms the lower court judgment. No written opinion explaining the basis for affirmance was issued.

Mary Burliuk Holt v. Lighthouse Bay Condominium Association, Inc. - Affirmed

The District Court of Appeal of Florida, Fourth District, affirmed the Circuit Court ruling in this civil case between a condominium unit owner and the association. The per curiam decision (Klingensmith, Shaw, and Lott, JJ., concurring) provides no written opinion or legal analysis, simply affirming the lower court judgment as entered. No dissenting opinions were filed.

Vasquez v. State of Florida - Criminal Appeal Affirmed

The First District Court of Appeal of Florida affirmed the lower court's judgment in a criminal matter brought by appellant Michelle Vasquez, proceeding pro se. The per curiam affirmance was joined by all three panel judges. This is a single-appellant affirmance with no oral argument and no published opinion, carrying no precedential value beyond the parties. The state was represented by Attorney General James Uthmeier, and the case originated in the Circuit Court for Santa Rosa County before Judge Clifton A. Drake.

Kevin Flynn and Stacey Dever v. French Village Condominium Association, Inc.

The District Court of Appeal of Florida, Fourth District, affirmed the lower county court's ruling in favor of French Village Condominium Association, Inc. and its representatives Bryan Taylor and John Beech against appellants Kevin Flynn and Stacey Dever. The appeal was dismissed with the PER CURIAM disposition. KLINGENSMITH, SHAW and LOTT, JJ., concurred. The ruling becomes final upon disposition of any timely-filed motion for rehearing.

John M. Johnson, Jr. v. State of Florida - Affirmed

The Fifth District Court of Appeal of Florida affirmed the Circuit Court for Duval County in Case No. 5D2025-3314, L.T. Case No. 2016-CF-004797-A. Appellant John M. Johnson, Jr. appeared pro se; the State was represented by Attorney General James Uthmeier and Assistant Attorney General Heather Flanagan Ross. The per curiam disposition reads 'AFFIRMED' with concurrences from Justices Wallis, Eisnaugle, and Maciver.

Christopher Samuels v. State of Florida - Affirmed

The Fifth District Court of Appeal affirmed the Circuit Court for Brevard County in Case No. 5D2026-0068, upholding the prior judgment against Christopher Samuels, who appeared pro se. The State of Florida was represented by Attorney General James Uthmeier and Assistant Attorney General Roberts J. Bradford, Jr. The per curiam affirmance was issued on April 16, 2026, with Justices Makar, Lambert, and Kilbane concurring.

James Delosa v. State of Florida - Affirmed

The Fifth District Court of Appeal of Florida affirmed the conviction of James Delosa on April 16, 2026, in a per curiam opinion. Delosa, proceeding pro se, appealed from the Circuit Court for Brevard County (Case No. 05-2018-CF-033203-A) under a 3.800 criminal appeal. Justices Makar, Edwards, and Boatwright concurred in the affirmance with no separate opinions issued. No appearance was made by the State of Florida. This per curiam affirmance carries no precedential value beyond confirming the trial court's ruling stands.

Smith v. State of Florida - Affirmed

The District Court of Appeal of Florida, First District, affirmed the Circuit Court judgment for Escambia County in a criminal appeal brought by appellant Johnnie L. Smith against the State of Florida. The appellate court issued a Per Curiam affirmance on April 16, 2026, with all three participating judges concurring. No published opinion or substantive legal analysis is included — the disposition is a procedural affirmance with no precedential value noted.

Shumaker v. State of Florida - Affirmed

The First District Court of Appeal of Florida affirmed the Circuit Court for Escambia County's judgment in a criminal case, docket number 1D2025-1949. Appellant Jessie Lee Shumaker, proceeding pro se, challenged the lower court's ruling; the appellate court upheld it per curiam. Judges Roberts, Ray, and Treadwell concurred in the affirmance. The ruling is not final until disposition of any timely and authorized motion under Fla. R. App. P. 9.330 or 9.331.

DC Circuit Halts District Court Criminal Contempt Proceedings Against Executive Branch Officials

The D.C. Circuit granted a writ of mandamus on April 14, 2026 halting the district court's expanded criminal contempt investigation into Executive Branch officials for transferring plaintiffs to El Salvador under the Alien Enemies Act. The appellate court found the district court's order 'lacks the clarity to support criminal contempt based on the transfer of custody,' and that further judicial investigation was improper since the government had already identified Secretary Kristi Noem as the responsible official. The decision prevents the district court from proceeding with hearings to extract information about high-level Executive Branch deliberations on national security and diplomacy matters.

Illinois Removes DEI Criteria from Loan Repayment Program After DOJ Review

The Department of Justice announced the closure of a compliance review of the Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC) under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The review examined a provision requiring ISAC to set aside at least 30% of funding in the Community Behavioral Health Care Professional Loan Repayment Program for applicants of specific racial and ethnic origins. After the DOJ notified ISAC of the compliance review, Illinois voluntarily removed the DEI criteria from the Program and other programs administered by ISAC. The DOJ has now closed the review without imposing penalties.

Federal Jury Convicts Louisiana Deputy U.S. Marshal of Civil Rights and Obstruction of Justice

A federal jury in the Western District of Louisiana convicted Deputy United States Marshal Joshua Firmin on April 15, 2026, of civil rights violations and obstruction of justice for assaulting a restrained prisoner on February 9, 2024, and then filing a false incident report. The evidence established that Firmin struck the victim in the face with a ring of cell keys and forcefully shoved him into a cellblock wall while the victim was handcuffed, belted, and leg-ironed, causing a scalp injury requiring staples. Firmin was prosecuted by the Civil Rights Division's Criminal Section and the Eastern District of Louisiana.

DOJ Settles Antisemitism Case with Concord-Carlisle Massachusetts School District

The Justice Department and the Concord-Carlisle, Massachusetts School District entered into a voluntary settlement agreement resolving the Department's investigation under Title IV of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The investigation, opened in March 2025, examined complaints of antisemitic harassment of Jewish students by their peers at the district's high school and middle school between 2023 and 2025. The settlement requires the district to review and revise its harassment policies, respond promptly to incidents, protect complainants from retaliation, conduct comprehensive investigations, develop safety and support plans for victims, designate a compliance overseer, and provide additional staff and student training.

Seventy7 LLC v. Department of Revenue - Tax Appeal Affirmed

The District Court of Appeal of Florida, First District, affirmed the decision of the Division of Administrative Hearings in a tax appeal brought by Seventy7 LLC against the Florida Department of Revenue. The appellate court, in a per curiam opinion joined by Judges Roberts, Ray, and Treadwell, upheld the lower tribunal's ruling without elaboration. The appellant was represented by Jeanette Moffa of Moffa, Sutton, & Donnini, P.A., while the Department was represented by Timothy E. Dennis and Jacek P. Stramski of the Attorney General's office.

Booker v. State Florida, 1D2025-1894, Affirmed

Booker v. State Florida, 1D2025-1894, Affirmed

Roberson v. State of Florida, 1D2025-1869, Denied

The First District Court of Appeal of Florida denied a petition alleging ineffective assistance of appellate counsel filed by Walter Jim Roberson Jr. pro se against the State of Florida. The court issued a PER CURIAM denial without opinion, with Justices Ray, Winokur, and Treadwell concurring. The petition was filed under original jurisdiction and the denial is not final until disposition of any timely authorized motion under Fla. R. App. P. 9.330 or 9.331.

Pugh v. Pugh - Family Law Appeal Affirmed

The District Court of Appeal of Florida, Fourth District, affirmed the Circuit Court for Martin County in a family law dispute between Maschelle Adrianne Pugh and Eric Paul Pugh. The appellate panel consisting of Klingensmith, Shaw, and Lott JJ. upheld the lower court ruling, with Maschelle Adrianne Pugh appearing pro se and counsel for the appellee.

Johnson v. State of Florida - Affirmed

The First District Court of Appeal of Florida affirmed the Circuit Court judgment in case number 1D2025-1965. Vincent Johnson, proceeding pro se, appealed his Escambia County criminal conviction; the state's Attorney General's office opposed. No specific legal holding or reasoning was stated in the per curiam affirmance.

Roberson v. State of Florida - Appeal Affirmed

Walter Jim Roberson Jr, proceeding pro se, appealed his conviction from the Circuit Court for Bay County, Florida to the First District Court of Appeal. The appellate court affirmed the lower court's judgment on April 16, 2026. The State was represented by Attorney General James Uthmeier and Assistant Attorney General Anne C. Conley. All three judges on the panel concurred in the per curiam affirmance.

Tony Von Carruthers v. State of Tennessee - Post-Conviction Fingerprint Analysis Act Denial

The Tennessee Court of Criminal Appeals affirmed the Shelby County Criminal Court's summary dismissal of Tony Von Carruthers' petition under the Post-Conviction Fingerprint Analysis Act of 2021. Carruthers, currently on death row for three 1994 first-degree murder convictions, sought fingerprint comparison between prints from the victims' home and known latent prints of Ronnie Irving, a man implicated by co-defendant James Montgomery in 2010. The appellate court agreed with the post-conviction court that Carruthers was not entitled to mandatory or discretionary testing under the statute.

State v. Sterbenz - DUI Fifth Offense Conviction Affirmed

The Tennessee Court of Criminal Appeals affirmed the conviction of Rhonda Carole Sterbenz for DUI fifth offense, DUI per se fifth offense, violating the open container law, and failing to exercise due care, with the DUI convictions merging into a single conviction and an effective sentence of two years and one day imposed. The Defendant challenged the sufficiency of the evidence supporting her DUI convictions, arguing that the State failed to prove she was driving under the influence. The appellate court determined that the totality of the circumstances—including the Defendant's unsteady gait, red watery eyes, strong alcohol odor, slurred speech, and a blood alcohol concentration of .221% approximately one hour after arrest—provided sufficient evidence to support the convictions.

Glyn Dale v. Guy Bosch, Warden - Habeas Corpus Petition Denied

The Tennessee Court of Criminal Appeals affirmed the Trousdale County Circuit Court's summary denial of Glyn Dale's habeas corpus petition. Dale challenged his 2007 child rape convictions (ultimately resulting in an effective 25-year sentence) on procedural grounds, including alleged defects in the presentment and judgment form. The court held that these claims are technical or procedural in nature and could only render a judgment voidable, not void, and would require proof beyond the face of the record to establish invalidity. The court affirmed the denial pursuant to Rule 20, which applies when a judgment has no precedential value.

Graham v. Collins - Order Denying Petition for Writ of Mandamus

The Hawaii Supreme Court denied a petition for writ of mandamus challenging the disqualification of counsel in case 2DRC-24-0001244. The court held that counsel's former representation of respondent Ridesmart Maui LLC was substantially related to the underlying litigation, and that the interests of counsel's former and present clients were materially adverse to each other, satisfying HRPC Rule 1.9(a). The court further concluded that the district court's order disqualifying counsel did not amount to a flagrant and manifest abuse of discretion under the standard in Straub Clinic & Hosp. v. Kochi. The petition was denied in a unanimous order dated April 16, 2026.

IES Retail v. Lahaina Petroleum - Appeal Dismissed for Lack of Jurisdiction

The Intermediate Court of Appeals of the State of Hawai'i dismissed Defendant-Appellant Lahaina Petroleum, LLC's appeal from the Circuit Court of the Third Circuit's November 25, 2025 Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law and Order Granting Plaintiff IES Retail, LLC's Motion for Partial Summary Judgment on Liability (Case No. 3CCV-24-0000439). The appellate court found it lacked jurisdiction because the circuit court had not entered a final, appealable order or judgment, the order was not appealable under the collateral-order or Forgay doctrines, and the circuit court had not granted leave for an interlocutory appeal under HRS § 641-1(b). All pending motions and stipulations were also dismissed.

Nottingham v. State - Post-Conviction Relief Appeal Affirmed

The Intermediate Court of Appeals of the State of Hawai'i affirmed the Circuit Court of the First Circuit's January 31, 2024 Order Denying Petitions for Post-Conviction Relief Pursuant to HRPP Rule 40 without a hearing. Petitioner Gregory S. Nottingham raised claims of judicial misconduct at a February 1, 2018 pre-trial hearing, alleging the judge referred to him as mentally ill and referenced stolen property. The appellate court found the transcript did not support these claims and that Nottingham provided no evidence the transcript was doctored. The court also rejected Nottingham's statute of limitations argument as waived for failure to brief it.

Bicalho v. Administrative Director of the Courts - License Revocation Appeal

The Hawaii Intermediate Court of Appeals affirmed the District Court's December 29, 2023 decision upholding Bicalho's administrative license revocation for Operating a Vehicle Under the Influence of an Intoxicant. The court held that even assuming the Hearings Officer erred by denying Bicalho's subpoena request for the Thomas Video, that error was harmless because sufficient evidence from Officers Koike and Oallesma independently established reasonable suspicion, probable cause, and preponderance of evidence under HRS § 291E-38(e).

Arkansas Supreme Court Suspends 72 Attorneys for Nonpayment of 2026 Annual License Fee

The Arkansas Supreme Court, per curiam opinion dated April 16, 2026, issued a final order automatically suspending 72 attorneys listed across three categories for failure to pay the 2026 annual attorney-license fee by the April 15, 2026 deadline. Category 1 lists currently suspended attorneys; Category 2 lists those who were suspended but have since become current and reinstated; Category 3 lists attorneys whose licenses were deemed surrendered after three consecutive years of nonpayment per Rule VII(C)(17). Attorneys listed in Category 1 or 3 are prohibited from practicing law in Arkansas unless reinstated pursuant to Rule VII(C)(16)-(17) and (D) or exempted during a stay per Rule VII(C)(15).

Greenbach v. Babo Botanicals Inc. - Other Fraud

A civil fraud complaint has been filed in the Northern District of California by Grace Greenbach against Babo Botanicals Inc. The case, filed April 16, 2026, proceeds under diversity jurisdiction with a $405 filing fee paid. The plaintiff seeks remedies for alleged fraudulent conduct by the cosmetics company.

Court Affirms Fentanyl Possession Conviction

The Supreme Court of Virginia affirmed a conviction for possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute, third or subsequent offense, rejecting defendant's claim that the evidence was insufficient to prove he knew one of the substances he possessed was a mixture containing fentanyl. Officers recovered 3.34 grams of a brown solid material containing heroin and fentanyl along with cocaine, alprazolam, and $1,938 in cash during an investigation of suspected narcotics activity in Chesapeake. This ruling creates no new compliance obligations and applies only to the individual defendant.

Knight-Walker v. Commonwealth - Traffic Stop Drug Questions Upheld

The Virginia Supreme Court reversed the Court of Appeals and upheld a circuit court denial of a motion to suppress, holding that Officer Allen's questions about drugs and weapons during a traffic stop did not impermissibly extend the seizure. The officer asked the questions approximately twelve seconds after telling Knight-Walker she could not drive due to her suspended license, while waiting for her to arrange alternative transportation. Knight-Walker was later found with drug paraphernalia, entered a conditional guilty plea, and was sentenced to twelve months with twelve months suspended. The court distinguished this case from Rodriguez v. United States by noting the driver could not legally drive away even after the stop concluded.

Blow v. Commonwealth, Search Warrant Affirmed

Blow v. Commonwealth, Search Warrant Affirmed

Mafi v. State, Appeal from First Circuit, Affirmed

Mafi v. State, Appeal from First Circuit, Affirmed

Zieler v. State of Florida - Death Sentence Affirmed on DNA Evidence

The Florida Supreme Court affirmed Joseph Zieler's 1990 convictions for first-degree murders of R.C. and L.S. and his resulting death sentence. Zieler was identified through a 2016 CODIS DNA match after 26 years of unknown identity. The court rejected challenges to the DNA evidence, including statistics showing a one-in-83-quintillion match probability on the bedsheet sample, and affirmed the conviction despite delays in the proceedings. Zieler's direct appeal was heard under Florida's automatic review statute for capital cases.

Florida Bar Rules Amended to Update Substance Use and Mental Health Terminology

The Florida Supreme Court adopted amendments to Rules Regulating The Florida Bar across six rule sections, replacing clinical terminology including 'chemical dependency' with 'substance use disorder' and 'psychological problems' with 'mental health conditions.' The amendments affect bylaw 2-3.2 (Powers), bylaw 2-9.11 (Assistance to Members), rule 3-7.1 (Confidentiality), rule 3-7.10 (Reinstatement and Readmission Procedures), rule 6-10.3 (Minimum Continuing Legal Education Standards), and bylaw 21-3.1 (Continuing Legal Education). The Florida Bar Board of Governors approved the proposals and published formal notice, receiving no public comments. The changes become effective June 15, 2026, at 12:01 a.m. One justice filed a dissenting opinion arguing the changes are merely aesthetic terminology updates borrowed from the APA's DSM-5 rather than substantive policy revisions addressing operational problems.

Willacy v. State - Public Records Denial and Habeas Corpus Petition

The Florida Supreme Court treated Chadwick Willacy's appeal of the denial of his public records requests as a petition under Florida Rule of Appellate Procedure 9.142(c) and denied the petition. The court dismissed his appeal from the order denying his motion for extension of time to file a successive postconviction motion. The court further denied Willacy's petition for writ of habeas corpus and his request for oral argument. Governor DeSantis signed Willacy's death warrant on March 13, 2026, with an execution date of April 21, 2026.

Consortium Incentive Grant Program: Proposed Waiver and Extension of the Project Period with Funding

The Education Department has published a public inspection copy of a proposed rule that would provide a waiver and extend the project period for the Consortium Incentive Grant Program, a formula grant that supports consortium-based approaches to improving postsecondary education outcomes. The document is scheduled for official publication on 04/17/2026 and invites public comment on the proposed waiver and extension with continued funding. Current Consortium Incentive Grant Program recipients should monitor for the formal proposed rule to assess how the waiver and project period extension may affect their grant agreements.

Williams v. Transworld Systems Inc. - Consumer Credit Dispute

Kevin B. Williams filed a consumer credit case against Transworld Systems Inc. in the Northern District of California on November 5, 2025. On April 10, 2026, Judge Haywood S. Gilliam Jr. granted in part and denied in part motions to dismiss (docket entries 15 and 31), followed by the plaintiff's third amended complaint and a motion for certificate of appealability reconsideration filed on April 15, 2026. The case management statement is due April 28, 2026, with the initial case management conference set for May 5, 2026.

Israel Hernandez v. Grand And Linden Family Apartments LP - Voluntary Dismissal

Israel Hernandez voluntarily dismissed his civil rights accommodations lawsuit against Grand And Linden Family Apartments LP et al in the Northern District of California on April 16, 2026. The dismissal was filed as both a notice and a stipulation by plaintiff Hernandez, ending the case without any court ruling on the merits. The case had been filed on August 22, 2025, and was assigned to Judge Jon S. Tigar in Oakland.

James Attridge v. Google LLC - Antitrust

James Attridge filed an antitrust civil action against Google LLC in the Northern District of California on March 24, 2025 (Case No. 3:25-cv-02775-RFL, Judge Rita F. Lin). The case remains active with recent filings on April 15-16, 2026, including a stipulation regarding discovery of electronically stored information filed by Google LLC and a discovery dispute order signed by Judge Sallie Kim.

SEC v. Chen et al - Securities Fraud

The SEC filed a securities fraud enforcement action against Chen et al in the Northern District of California on October 18, 2018, under Case Number 3:18-cv-06371-LB before Judge Laurel Beeler. The most recent docket entry, dated April 16, 2026, is a Joint Case Management Statement filed by the Securities and Exchange Commission. The case remains active with no summary available for public review.

Ziyue Zhang v. Internal Revenue Service - Civil APA Challenge

Ziyue Zhang filed a civil Administrative Procedures Act challenge against the Internal Revenue Service in the Northern District of California (Case 5:26-cv-00525-VKD) on January 16, 2026. The IRS filed a Motion to Dismiss for Lack of Jurisdiction on April 10, 2026, with a hearing scheduled for May 26, 2026 at 10:00 AM before Magistrate Judge Virginia K. DeMarchi in San Jose. The IRS also filed consent/declination documents regarding proceeding before a magistrate judge.

Raghukumar v. United States Department of State - Immigration Complaint

Rashmi Raghukumar filed a civil complaint against the United States Department of State, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, U.S. Consulate General in Hyderabad India, and Laura Williams in the Northern District of California on April 16, 2026, case number 4:26-cv-03218. The complaint, filed as Other Immigration Actions, was accompanied by a $405 filing fee and receipt number ACANDC-21875011, with a proposed summons also filed by Christina Castro the same day.

Ferrell v. LinkedIn, Served 4/14, Answer Due 5/5

Ferrell v. LinkedIn, Served 4/14, Answer Due 5/5