North American Wetlands Conservation Act Standard Grants Program

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced the 2026-2 cycle of the North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA) Standard Grants Program, offering $250,000 to $3 million for wetland conservation projects. Eligible applicants include state, county, tribal, and local governments, educational institutions, nonprofits with 501(c)(3) status, and small businesses. The application deadline is May 7, 2026.

Alumni Engagement Innovation Fund Grant Opportunity

The U.S. Mission to Italy announced the Alumni Engagement Innovation Fund (AEIF) grant opportunity, offering $5,000 to $35,000 to support alumni engagement projects tied to the Freedom 250 commemoration. Eligible applicants include NGOs and individuals who must submit proposals by May 3, 2026.

Title X Family Planning Services Grants

The Office of Population Affairs (OPA) announces the availability of up to $257 million in FY2027 Title X Family Planning Services grants, with approximately 90 awards anticipated for periods up to five years. Eligible applicants include public and private nonprofit entities seeking to provide voluntary family planning services, body literacy education, and related reproductive health services to low-income and uninsured Americans.

Campbell v. Campbell - Military Retirement Pay Division in Divorce

The Maryland Court of Special Appeals affirmed a ruling granting Kelly Marie Harrigan Campbell 15.96% of her ex-husband's military retirement pay. The court held that for mixed active/reserve military service, courts should use point-based calculations to determine the marital property portion of retirement benefits. The case arose after the ex-husband retired approximately nine years post-divorce.

Mayor & City Cncl. of Ocean City v. Washington Post - Public Records

The Maryland Court of Special Appeals issued an opinion clarifying that Anton's Law (2021 amendments to GP §§ 4-311 and 4-351) removed police misconduct investigation records from the MPIA's personnel records exemption. Records relating to administrative or criminal investigations of police misconduct—including internal affairs records, hearing records, and disciplinary decisions—are now subject to discretionary denials under GP § 4-351 rather than mandatory denials.

State v. Robb - Postconviction Waiver of Errors

The Maryland Court of Special Appeals issued an opinion in State v. Robb (No. 837, Sept. Term 2024) addressing postconviction waiver under Criminal Procedure Article § 7-106(b). The court clarified that rights subject to the knowing and voluntary waiver standard articulated in Johnson v. Zerbst may be forfeited if not raised at trial or on direct appeal. The opinion addresses the rebuttable presumption of intelligent waiver when a defendant could have but failed to raise an allegation of error in prior proceedings.

Royall v. Dicks - Defamation Per Se (Sexual Orientation)

The Maryland Court of Special Appeals held in Royall v. Dicks (No. 0597, Sept. Term, 2024) that false statements about a person's sexual orientation are not defamatory per se under Maryland law. The court clarified that Wetherby v. Retail Credit Co. (1964) did not establish precedent on this question since the parties had stipulated the statements were libelous per se. The ruling acknowledges that evolving legal and cultural standards—including anti-discrimination protections—have changed how such statements affect reputational harm.

Estate of Duraiswamy - Common-Law Marriage Claim Affirmed

The Court of Special Appeals of Maryland affirmed the orphans' court decision finding no common-law marriage existed between the decedent and the petitioner. The appellate court held the trial court did not abuse its discretion by reopening evidence to permit a previously unidentified party to submit exhibits, and that the personal representative of an opposing estate was prohibited from testifying under the Dead Man's Statute (Md. Code Cts. & Jud. Proc. § 9-116) due to a pecuniary interest in the outcome.

Vidal v. Venettozzi - Prison Disciplinary Due Process

The Second Circuit vacated summary judgment for New York DOCCS officials in Vidal v. Venettozzi, holding that 180-270 days of special housing unit confinement constitutes an atypical and significant hardship triggering Fourteenth Amendment due process protections. The court found that the duration alone was sufficient to implicate a protected liberty interest under Sandin v. Conner, disagreeing with the district court's conclusion. The case was remanded for further proceedings.

Waldman v. Palestine Liberation Org. - Motion Denied

The Second Circuit denied a motion in Waldman v. Palestine Liberation Org., a consolidated civil case where American families seek damages against the PLO and Palestinian Authority for terrorist attacks. The appellate court issued its decision on March 30, 2026, resolving procedural matters in the ongoing litigation spanning multiple docket numbers.