US Courts

Jin v. City of New York - Qualified Immunity Appeal

The Second Circuit Court of Appeals reversed a district court's denial of qualified immunity to NYPD officers in a false arrest claim brought by Guo Hua Jin. The appellate court found that arguable probable cause existed for Jin's arrest, overturning the lower court's decision and dismissing the claim against the officers.

Sacaza v. City of New York - Qualified Immunity Ruling

The Second Circuit Court of Appeals reversed a lower court's decision, ruling that a New York City detective is entitled to qualified immunity in a false arrest and malicious prosecution case. The court found that arguable probable cause existed for the arrest and charges against Dennis Sacaza, despite conflicting video evidence.

GEICO v. Mayzenberg - Insurance No-Fault Benefits

The Second Circuit Court of Appeals vacated a district court judgment in favor of GEICO in GEICO v. Mayzenberg. The court ruled that GEICO could not deny no-fault insurance benefits based on alleged patient referral kickbacks, citing a clarification from the New York Court of Appeals regarding the Eligibility Regulation.

Bugliotti v. Republic of Argentina - Sovereign Bond Dispute

The Second Circuit Court of Appeals partially affirmed and partially vacated a district court's dismissal of a lawsuit by bondholders against the Republic of Argentina. The court found that some of the bondholders' claims for defaulted sovereign bond payments are timely under New York law, and that they now have the authority under Argentine law to sue.

Miller v. Lamanna - Court Opinion on Equal Protection Claim

The Second Circuit Court of Appeals vacated a district court's dismissal of a former corrections officer's race discrimination and retaliation claims. The appellate court found the district court erred by converting a summary judgment motion into a Rule 12(b)(6) dismissal motion, considering only the complaint's allegations.

Peña Garcia v. Department of Labor - Permanent Disability Claim Review

The Second Circuit Court of Appeals denied a petition for review concerning the reimbursement of medical cannabis edibles for a permanently disabled worker under the Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation Act. The court affirmed the Department of Labor's decision that marijuana's federal Schedule I classification prevents its accepted medical use, thus precluding coverage.

Kellogg v. Nichols - Judicial Immunity and Firearms Licensing

The Second Circuit Court of Appeals amended its opinion in Kellogg v. Nichols, affirming the dismissal of claims against a New York state court judge regarding firearms license applications. The court reaffirmed that judicial officers have absolute immunity for decisions made in their judicial capacity and that Article III's case-or-controversy requirement bars official-capacity claims against them for injunctive and declaratory relief.

United States v. Aryeetey - Firearm Possession Appeal

The Second Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed the conviction and sentence of Ivanjoel 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.

Safdieh v. Commissioner - Tax Court Appeal on Penalty Assessment

The Second Circuit Court of Appeals reversed a Tax Court decision, holding that the Commissioner of Internal Revenue may assess penalties under I.R.C. § 6038(b) through administrative assessment rather than requiring a federal district court judgment. This decision impacts how the IRS collects penalties for failure to report control of foreign businesses.

William Jimenez Appeal - Ammunition Possession Sentence

The Second Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed the District Court's judgment against William Jimenez, who pleaded guilty to possessing ammunition after a felony conviction. The court upheld the special conditions of supervised release, including electronic device searches and mental health counseling, and found that an appeal waiver barred challenges to his 105-month sentence.