US Courts

E. Marcellus Windhom v. State - Criminal Appeal Dismissed

The Georgia Court of Appeals dismissed E. Marcellus Windhom's appeal in Case No. A26A1534 due to untimeliness. The appellant filed his notice of appeal 85 days after the trial court's November 19, 2025 order, exceeding the 30-day statutory requirement under OCGA § 5-6-38(a). The court reaffirmed that timely filing of a notice of appeal is an absolute requirement to confer jurisdiction.

In the Interest of J.G., a Child (Mother) - Parental Rights Termination Appeal Dismissed

The Court of Appeals of Georgia dismissed appeal A26A1447 filed by a mother challenging the termination of her parental rights to minor child J.G. The court held it lacked jurisdiction because the mother filed a direct appeal instead of the required application for discretionary review under OCGA § 5-6-35(a)(12), (b). The case was dismissed as a procedural matter without reaching the merits of the parental rights termination.

State v. Seddens - 404(b) Evidence Admissibility

The New Jersey Superior Court Appellate Division affirmed defendant Eric T. Seddens' manslaughter conviction, rejecting his challenge to the trial court's admission of prior assault evidence under N.J.R.E. 404(b) to prove motive and identity in the homicide case. The three-judge panel found the trial court did not abuse its discretion, determining the prior aggravated assault against the same victim at the same location two years earlier was sufficiently related to the fatal incident, despite the defendant's arguments about lack of sanitization and availability of less prejudicial evidence.

State v. Walls - Evading Arrest and Felon Firearm Possession

The Tennessee Court of Criminal Appeals reversed in part a Giles County trial court's denial of a motion for new trial for defendant Lacy Frank Walls, III, who received an effective 40-year sentence for evading arrest and three counts of felon in possession of a firearm. The appellate court found the trial court erred by refusing to consider sentencing-related issues in the motion for new trial.

Bulatov v. North East Medical Services - Contract Dispute

Northern District of California received a Notice of Removal from San Francisco County Superior Court, Case No. CGC-26-634184. Plaintiff Bulatov filed against North East Medical Services in a federal question contract dispute. North East Medical Services filed the removal with a $405 filing fee.

Mancill v. State of Florida - Petition for Belated Appeal Denied

The Florida First District Court of Appeal denied Dylan Lee Mancill's petition for belated appeal in Case No. 1D2025-0178. The per curiam denial was issued on April 2, 2026, with Justices Osterhaus, Roberts, and M.K. Thomas concurring. This routine procedural ruling concludes the petitioner's attempt to pursue a belated appeal in the underlying criminal matter.

Arellano v. Hernandez - Civil Appeal Affirmed

The District Court of Appeal of Florida, First District, affirmed per curiam a circuit court ruling in Arellano v. Hernandez (No. 1D2025-0325). The three-judge panel (Ray, Winokur, and M.K. Thomas, JJ.) issued a standard affirmance without published opinion. This per curiam disposition carries no precedential value beyond the immediate parties.

Estevez v. State of Florida - Criminal Appeal Affirmed

The Florida First District Court of Appeal affirmed a criminal appeal (No. 1D2025-0459) from Leon County Court in a per curiam decision. Appellant Luis Marte Estevez challenged the lower court ruling, which was upheld. No oral argument or written opinion with new legal analysis was issued—standard affirmance.

Vidal v. Venettozzi - Prisoner Due Process

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit vacated the Southern District of New York's summary judgment in favor of New York Department of Corrections and Community Supervision (DOCCS) officials, holding that 270 days of disciplinary segregation constitutes an atypical and significant hardship triggering Fourteenth Amendment due process protections. The appellate court found that Plaintiff-Appellant Joseph Vidal was denied basic procedural protections, including the opportunity to call witnesses and present documentary evidence at his disciplinary hearing. The case has been remanded for further proceedings consistent with this opinion.

Waldman v. Palestine Liberation Org. - Terrorism Damages Claims

The Second Circuit decided a motion in Waldman v. Palestine Liberation Org., consolidated cases 15-3135-cv, 15-3151-cv, and 22-1060-cv. The decision addresses terrorism-related damages claims brought by American plaintiffs against the PLO, Palestinian Authority, and individual defendants. The court issued its ruling on the motion filed August 11, 2025.