US Courts

Supreme Judicial Court Rules on Attorney's Fees in Anti-SLAPP Statute Cases

The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court ruled that the Appeals Court erred in reducing an attorney's fee award under the anti-SLAPP statute. The court clarified that fee awards for anti-SLAPP work should not be reduced based on the monetary value of underlying claims for which fees were not sought.

Opinion and Order on Motions to Amend Complaint and Judgment

The Delaware Superior Court issued an Opinion and Order addressing motions to amend a third-party complaint and for judgment on the pleadings. The court granted in part and denied in part these motions, impacting the ongoing litigation concerning a fatal assault at a senior living facility.

Order GRANTED: Defendant's Motion to Dismiss Lorielle Sloan's complaint

The Delaware Superior Court granted Delaware State University's motion to dismiss Lorielle Sloan's complaint. The court found that Sloan's amended complaint failed to sufficiently allege facts to establish claims for retaliation or harassment under applicable statutes, including the Delaware Whistleblowers' Protection Act.

White Coat Captioning LLC et al v. Twitter Inc. - Contract Dispute

A new civil case, White Coat Captioning LLC et al v. Twitter Inc., was filed on April 4, 2023, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California. The case involves a contract dispute and has a last filing date of January 28, 2026.

Marterious O'Neal v. State of Tennessee - Post-Conviction Relief for Felony Murder

The Tennessee Court of Criminal Appeals reviewed a post-conviction relief filing by Marterious O'Neal, who was convicted of felony murder and other charges. The court affirmed the post-conviction court's judgment, finding that while appellate counsel failed to properly withdraw, O'Neal did not establish prejudice for his claims of ineffective assistance of counsel regarding a Rule 608 motion and the inclusion of a motion to suppress transcript on direct appeal.

James Lee Dennis v. State of Tennessee - Vehicular Homicide Sentencing Affirmation

The Tennessee Court of Criminal Appeals affirmed the trial court's judgment sentencing James Lee Dennis to ten years for vehicular homicide by intoxication. The court also upheld the order for $113,700 in child maintenance restitution.

Supreme Court Reverses Rico v. United States on Supervised Release Tolling

The Supreme Court reversed the Ninth Circuit's decision in Rico v. United States, holding that the Sentencing Reform Act does not authorize an automatic extension of a defendant's supervised release term when the defendant absconds. This ruling clarifies that abscondment does not toll the supervised release clock, impacting how violations are treated and potentially affecting sentences for defendants who abscond.

Delaware Court of Chancery Opinions and Orders

The Delaware Court of Chancery has published a list of recent opinions and orders. These documents cover various civil cases, including complex commercial litigation, and are issued by Vice Chancellors and Magistrates. The list includes case captions, dates, file numbers, and brief descriptions of the judicial decisions.

Hawaii Intermediate Court of Appeals Tax Appeal Case

The Hawaii Intermediate Court of Appeals has filed a tax appeal case, CAAP-25-0000524. The case consolidates multiple appeals from the Tax Appeal Court, involving numerous appellants and their respective trusts and entities, concerning tax matters.

West Physicians Associates v. Quiane - Order Granting Motion to Dismiss Appeal

The Hawaii Intermediate Court of Appeals granted a motion to dismiss an interlocutory appeal filed by Agrifina Quiane against West Physicians Associates. The court found that the district court's order was not an appealable collateral order and did not meet the requirements for an interlocutory appeal, thus dismissing the appeal.