270 results for 'court:"6th Circuit"'.
J. Siler finds the prison officers failed to properly raise the defense of qualified immunity before the lower court and, therefore, forfeited the defense. Although qualified immunity was "mentioned" in their response to the inmate's civil rights lawsuit, the officers failed to provide any legal of evidentiary arguments to support their position, which renders it forfeit. Affirmed.
Court: 6th Circuit, Judge: Siler, Filed On: May 15, 2024, Case #: 23-1291, Categories: Civil Procedure, Civil Rights, Immunity
J. Siler finds the lower court erroneously granted the class's motion for an injunction to prevent enforcement of the entirety of Tennessee's sex offender registration statutory scheme. While some of the individual components of the scheme may violate convicted sex offenders' constitutional rights, the "sweeping" injunction was overly broad. The scheme in question was ratified by the state legislature over many years and can be examined piece-by-piece to preserve its constitutionality as a whole. Therefore, the case will be remanded to allow the court to determine which portions, if any, violate the ex post facto clause of the Constitution and must be severed. Reversed.
Court: 6th Circuit, Judge: Siler, Filed On: May 15, 2024, Case #: 23-5248, Categories: Constitution, Ex Post Facto, Sex Offender
J. McKeague finds the lower court properly awarded Kroger more than $612,000 to cover legal fees related to a wrongful death lawsuit filed by the estate of individuals killed in a collision with one of its shipping contractors. The shipping company's indemnification agreement with Kroger required payments for incidents involving negligence on the part of the shipping company. An exception in the agreement removes liability from the shipping company only in accidents where Kroger is "solely liable," and because the shipping company's driver is at least partially at fault for the accident, the company was required to cover Kroger's legal expenses. Affirmed.
Court: 6th Circuit, Judge: McKeague, Filed On: May 13, 2024, Case #: 23-3462, Categories: Transportation, Indemnification, Contract
J. Bush finds the trial court properly denied defendant's motion for safety-valve sentencing relief after he pleaded guilty to drug trafficking charges. Although he cooperated with federal investigators about his drug shipping operation, he failed to provide the names or aliases of any customers and lied about his involvement and monetary gain from the scheme. Meanwhile, although the court's failure to calculate defendant's sentencing guidelines was erroneous, the error was harmless because the court imposed a minimum fine and sentence, which did not prejudice defendant. Affirmed.
Court: 6th Circuit, Judge: Bush, Filed On: May 13, 2024, Case #: 23-3048, Categories: Drug Offender, Sentencing
J. Thapar finds the trial court properly granted the government's request for forfeiture of more than $92,000 in cash found in defendant's bedroom. He not only admitted to dealing drugs in cash transactions when he was convicted of drug trafficking, but he was also familiar with banking as a small business owner, which made it more likely than not the cash was connected to criminal activity and not his legitimate business. However, more than $20,000 in cash found in a dresser drawer must be returned to defendant, who provided evidence of loans and federal grants to support the stockpile of cash. Affirmed in part.
Court: 6th Circuit, Judge: Thapar, Filed On: May 13, 2024, Case #: 22-2032, Categories: Drug Offender, Evidence, Forfeiture
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J. Thapar finds the trial court properly denied defendant's motion to suppress evidence obtained from a search of his home despite errors on the warrant application. Although the address and tax identification information were incorrect, the application included a detailed description of the property, including the exterior colors and information about a red star attached to the home, that indisputably identified defendant's home as the property to be searched. Affirmed.
Court: 6th Circuit, Judge: Thapar, Filed On: May 9, 2024, Case #: 23-1585, Categories: Drug Offender, Search
J. Murphy finds the lower court properly denied defendant's motion for resentencing under the First Step Act because his drug trafficking crimes involved an intent to distribute over 500 grams of crack cocaine, well in excess of the 280 grams required to trigger a life sentence under the 2018 revised version of the Act. Affirmed.
Court: 6th Circuit, Judge: Murphy, Filed On: May 7, 2024, Case #: 21-3753, Categories: Drug Offender, Sentencing
J. Clay finds the lower court erroneously dismissed the adjacent landowner's Clean Water Act claims against the landfill operator on the grounds of claim preclusion. Although some of the issues presented in the lawsuit, including the issue of fill material used at the site, were present prior to the operator's consent decree with the Environmental Protection Agency, the landowner could not have litigated them at that point because Tennessee did not have the authority to issue the proper permits. However, because the landowner failed to follow notice requirements after the landfill operator entered into the consent decree, the lower court properly dismissed the claims in the suit that deal with violations after the decree was signed. Reversed in part.
Court: 6th Circuit, Judge: Clay, Filed On: May 7, 2024, Case #: 22-6118, Categories: Civil Procedure, Environment, Water
J. Clay finds that both the University of Michigan and its doctor, who controlled the lab from which the fentanyl used by the decedent was taken, are entitled to sovereign immunity on due process and wrongful death claims filed by the estate. It seeks only monetary damages, while the university has also not waived the defense, given its only motion in response to the lawsuit was the underlying motion to dismiss. Reversed.
Court: 6th Circuit, Judge: Clay, Filed On: May 6, 2024, Case #: 23-1718, Categories: Immunity, Due Process, Wrongful Death
J. Moore grants the El Salvadoran immigrant's petition for review of his removal order, ruling the immigration panel erroneously considered him statutorily ineligible for cancellation of removal as a result of his Tennessee domestic violence conviction. That crime does not necessarily involve the use of physical force and, therefore, is not a crime of violence.
Court: 6th Circuit, Judge: Moore, Filed On: April 30, 2024, Case #: 23-3004, Categories: Civil Procedure, Immigration
J. Siler finds the trial court erroneously denied defendant's motion to dismiss fraud and identity theft charges for speedy trial violations. The 36-day delay between the trial court's competency evaluation order and defendant's transport to a facility for the evaluation violated his speedy trial rights, regardless of the fact the government did not know which facility would be used when the 10-day transportation clock began to run. Therefore, defendant's convictions on fraud and identity theft charges must be vacated and the case will be remanded to allow the trial court to determine whether the indictment will be dismissed with or without prejudice. Reversed.
Court: 6th Circuit, Judge: Siler, Filed On: April 30, 2024, Case #: 22-3797, Categories: Criminal Procedure, Speedy Trial, Identity Theft
J. Bloomekatz finds the lower court properly rejected the police officer's request for qualified immunity on excessive force and deliberate indifference claims filed by the estate. Video evidence and the testimony of other officers clearly indicate the decedent was not a threat at the time he was shot and killed in his home after officers were called there for a well check. The decedent had put his gun on the table at which he was seated and merely leaned toward the ground at the time he was shot; therefore, he did not represent a threat to the officer, while he was also required to do more than simply call paramedics after the shooting, at which time the decedent was hemorrhaging blood and struggling to breathe. Affirmed in part.
Court: 6th Circuit, Judge: Bloomekatz, Filed On: April 29, 2024, Case #: 23-3296, Categories: Civil Rights, Immunity, Due Process
J. Mathis finds the trial court properly granted the life insurance company's motion for the production of confidential medical records during discovery. The policyholder waived the patient-physician privilege when she signed a disclosure form as part of her application to process the death benefit claim following the death of her husband. Meanwhile, the insurance company properly rescinded the insurance policy because evidence in the medical records clearly contradicted the policyholder's application answers about her husband's health; specifically, she denied he had any mental disorder despite years of treatment for depression and had no health issues even though he was being treated for chronic liver disease. Affirmed.
Court: 6th Circuit, Judge: Mathis, Filed On: April 29, 2024, Case #: 23-3530, Categories: Insurance, Discovery, Privilege
J. Batchelder finds the lower court properly granted the insurance company's motion for summary judgment on securities claims filed by investors. None of the statements included in the company's pre-IPO release meet the heightened pleading requirements of a fraud claim, but were instead historical statements of past performance that would not have misled the ordinary investor. Affirmed.
Court: 6th Circuit, Judge: Batchelder, Filed On: April 29, 2024, Case #: 23-3392, Categories: Fraud, Insurance, Securities
J. McKeague finds the trial court properly applied a career offender enhancement to defendant's sentence because his previous Ohio robbery conviction qualifies as a crime of violence. Under this court's previous ruling, Ohio robbery is not considered "generic" robbery under federal sentencing guidelines, but meets the criteria for generic extortion, which always involves the use of force; therefore, the enhancement was properly applied. Affirmed.
Court: 6th Circuit, Judge: McKeague, Filed On: April 26, 2024, Case #: 23-3466, Categories: Criminal Procedure, Robbery, Sentencing
J. Moore finds the lower court erroneously granted the village's motion for summary judgment on constitutional claims filed by the advertising company. The "public-service" exemption included in the village's ordinance on off-site billboards is a content-based restriction that requires the application of strict scrutiny. Therefore, because certain types of signs, including those that do not advertise a service or consumer good, are treated differently than those designed to provide information to the public at large, the regulation is unconstitutional and the case will be reinstated to allow the lower court to determine if that portion of the ordinance can be severed. Reversed.
Court: 6th Circuit, Judge: Moore, Filed On: April 19, 2024, Case #: 23-3623, Categories: Constitution, Government, First Amendment
[Consolidated.] J. Davis finds the trial court erroneously granted defendant's motion to vacate several of her convictions on wire fraud charges related to embezzlement of grants funds for student scholarships. The evidence presented by the prosecution, including performance reports that showed the disbursement of numerous scholarships not linked to any students, was sufficient to prove all elements of the crimes, including intent. Reversed in part.
Court: 6th Circuit, Judge: Davis, Filed On: April 17, 2024, Case #: 22-5075, Categories: Evidence, Fraud
Per curiam, the circuit finds the applicant's skill set, which rendered her capable of performing numerous, readily available jobs, precluded her from receiving disability benefits; therefore, the administrative law judge properly denied her appeal. Affirmed.
Court: 6th Circuit, Judge: Per curiam, Filed On: April 17, 2024, Case #: 23-1466, Categories: Evidence, Social Security
J. Clay finds the reinstatement order issued by the trial court is not barred by judicial estoppel as a result of the employee's failure to file notice of her employment lawsuit during bankruptcy proceedings. The order had no bearing on the employee's distribution of debts and was unrelated to any potential damages. Meanwhile, the court lacks jurisdiction over the award of damages and attorney fees to the employee because none of those orders were finalized by the lower court; therefore, the remainder of the appeal will be dismissed. Affirmed.
Court: 6th Circuit, Judge: Clay, Filed On: April 17, 2024, Case #: 22-5761, Categories: Bankruptcy, Civil Procedure, Employment
J. Moore finds that although defendant was involved with his girlfriend in the scheme whereby she traded sexual favors for painkillers and used some of the drugs "purchased" through the setup, there was sufficient evidence to convict him of sex trafficking through force or coercion. The dealer routinely assaulted the victim and threatened her with guns on several occasions. Meanwhile, the trial court properly applied a "vulnerable victim" enhancement to defendant's sentence because his girlfriend's addiction to opioids and physical ailments placed her squarely in the category. Affirmed.
Court: 6th Circuit, Judge: Moore, Filed On: April 17, 2024, Case #: 23-3179, Categories: Evidence, Sentencing, Sex Offender
[Consolidated.] J. Thapar finds the trial court properly denied defendant's motion to suppress evidence obtained by police after he admitted he had weed in his room. Officers were not interrogating him at the time and, therefore, were not required to read him his Miranda rights, while the narrow question from the officer - "do you have anything else on you?" - was part of the arrest procedure and not designed to elicit an incriminating response. Affirmed.
Court: 6th Circuit, Judge: Thapar, Filed On: April 16, 2024, Case #: 22-6076, Categories: Firearms, Miranda
J. Batchelder finds the lower court properly dismissed the inmate's habeas petition as untimely. Although his "new evidence," including a report on coerced confessions and an eyewitness recantation, impeaches the state's evidence against him, it does not prove he is actually innocent of the murder for which he was convicted and cannot be used to circumvent the one-year statute of limitations. Although the evidence could be enough to make a member of a hypothetical jury find the inmate not guilty, that is not the standard that governs habeas petitions, and because the witness who recanted his statement has already changed his story at least three times, the most recent version is unreliable and insufficient to prove actual innocence. Affirmed.
Court: 6th Circuit, Judge: Batchelder, Filed On: April 16, 2024, Case #: 21-2968, Categories: Criminal Procedure, Habeas, Murder
J. Davis finds the lower court properly denied a retired detective’s motion for summary judgment on a plaintiff’s claims of fabrication of evidence and malicious prosecution. The detective argues on appeal that the plaintiff fails to show a substantial evidence claim and the court erred when they denied him qualified immunity. A reasonable jury could in fact find a substantial showing of this evidence that the detective made false statements. Affirmed.
Court: 6th Circuit, Judge: Davis, Filed On: April 15, 2024, Case #: 22-1963, Categories: Immunity, False Claims, Police Misconduct
[Consolidated.] J. Murphy finds that the lower court properly in part denied officers’ motion for summary judgment in these claims of excessive force and failure to intervene. The officers have opposite arguments but cannot justify the force of kneeing and dragging the suing citizen. The plaintiff alleges one officer punched, kneed him in the back while dragging him across the floor and the other officer failed to intervene. This case is partially dismissed for lack of jurisdiction, and the both officers are owed summary judgment on the failure-to intervene claims. Affirmed in part. Reversed in part.
Court: 6th Circuit, Judge: Murphy, Filed On: April 15, 2024, Case #: 22-1990, Categories: Malicious Prosecution, Negligence, Police Misconduct
J. Batchelder finds that the district court improperly dismissed a contract and fraudulent inducement lawsuit based on a contractual forum-selection clause for a lack of jurisdiction. The forum selection clause stated “Each party irrevocably agrees that the courts of England and Wales shall have exclusive jurisdiction to settle any dispute or claim that arises out of or in connection with this agreement or its subject matter or formation.” The non-signatory partner argues the clause should be enforceable for state and federal common laws but that the court skipped the applicability step that should have been done. The contract does not apply to the non-signatory in the forum-selection clause. Reversed.
Court: 6th Circuit, Judge: Batchelder, Filed On: April 12, 2024, Case #: 23-3085, Categories: Jurisdiction, Contract
Per curiam, the court vacates this settlement agreement that a jury decided in favor of the former employee for more than $1.5 million after he was wrongfully terminated from the county. The employee argued that, as a serviceman, his Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act claims should be litigated, but that the settlement agreement had been presented as a “take it or leave it.” The case is remanded so a jury can determine whether the settlement agreement outweighs the Act. Vacated.
Court: 6th Circuit, Judge: Per curiam, Filed On: April 11, 2024, Case #: 22-6054, Categories: Employment, Jury, Settlements
J. Moore grants an Iraq citizen’s petition for review of denial of his motion to reopen from the board of immigration appeals based on changes in Iraq. The board erred when denying the motion because of the evidence submitted with his prior motions were the same each time. The court vacates the board’s decision and remands it back for further proceedings. Reversed.
Court: 6th Circuit, Judge: Moore, Filed On: April 11, 2024, Case #: 22-3743, Categories: Civil Rights, Immigration, Due Process
J. Nalbandian vacates the lower court's injunction against an insurance firm's former employee, finding the court failed to conduct the four-step analysis required under the Ohio Supreme Court's 1975 ruling in Raimonde v. Van Vlerah when it determined whether the insurance firm's non-solicitation agreement was enforceable. Although the client information taken by the employee was properly deemed a trade secret, the injunction's reliance on references to the non-solicitation agreement renders it defective.
Court: 6th Circuit, Judge: Nalbandian, Filed On: April 10, 2024, Case #: 23-3638, Categories: Trade Secrets, Contract, Injunction
[Consolidated.] J. Nalbandian finds the trial court properly denied defendant's motion to suppress evidence of drugs and a loaded gun found during the search of his girlfriend's car. He failed to establish an expectation of privacy when he was detained in the passenger seat of her car. Defendant did not own and was not driving the vehicle at the time of his arrest, and actually told the officers several times he was not driving prior to the search, all of which prevented him from proving he had control over the vehicle. Affirmed.
Court: 6th Circuit, Judge: Nalbandian, Filed On: April 10, 2024, Case #: 22-1432, Categories: Drug Offender, Firearms, Search
J. Thapar finds the lower court properly dismissed the estate's Eighth Amendment and wrongful death claims against the prison. It failed to show the inmate had "unfettered access" to illegal drugs prior to his overdose, while the complaint also lacked details about drug use by inmates and, therefore, failed to show the inmate faced an "objectively excessive risk of harm." Affirmed.
Court: 6th Circuit, Judge: Thapar, Filed On: April 10, 2024, Case #: 23-5410, Categories: Civil Rights, Evidence, Wrongful Death