115 results for 'court:"USDC Middle District of North Carolina"'.
J. Osteen denies a retired businessman’s motion for preliminary injunction against the U.S. Department of Agriculture to prevent it from enforcing the Horse Protection Act against him. The department claims the businessman violated the Act when he entered his own horse into a Virginia horse show when the horse was sored, or exposed to harmful chemicals in order to make the horse produce a more desirable gait. The businessman denies that he sored the horse and contests the process by which he was accused. Because one of the department’s judicial officers, and not its secretary, filed the complaint against the businessman, he incorrectly believes this delegitimizes the process and demands a jury trial. He is not likely to succeed on the merits and his motion is therefore denied.
Court: USDC Middle District of North Carolina, Judge: Osteen, Filed On: April 24, 2024, Case #: 1:24cv175, NOS: Other Statutory Actions - Other Suits, Categories: Agriculture, Constitution, Injunction
J. Biggs partially sustains a civil rights advocacy organization’s rejection of a magistrate judge’s memorandum opinion and recommendation in this ongoing voting rights suit. The judge incorrectly employed the moot doctrine because, although an amendment to a bill — which would prosecute anyone convicted of a crime if they vote — included a scienter requirement, the organization still has a concrete interest in the outcome of this litigation. The scienter requirement is still not specific enough about how someone convicted of a crime would restore the rights of their citizenship, so it is too vague and violates equal protection and due process rights. Thus, the organization still has a demonstrable interest, which the judge should have recognized, and the organization can proceed on a summary judgment motion.
Court: USDC Middle District of North Carolina, Judge: Biggs, Filed On: April 22, 2024, Case #: 1:20cv876, NOS: Voting - Civil Rights, Categories: Civil Rights, Constitution, Elections
J. Schroeder rules in favor of an insulating glass manufacturer in its patent infringement suit against a glass fabrication equipment firm over a specific method and apparatus for heating and tempering glass. The parties argue over the meaning of some of the terms in the patents’ claims. The firm maintains that certain claims are indefinite. However, the manufacturer’s claims construction is sufficient and adopted.
Court: USDC Middle District of North Carolina, Judge: Schroeder, Filed On: April 18, 2024, Case #: 1:21cv942, NOS: Patent - Property Rights, Categories: Patent
J. Eagles denies Greensboro’s Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) Board’s motion for judgment on the pleadings following allegations of disability discrimination brought by a former ABC warehouse worker. The worker’s doctor examined him for chronic pain after having worked in the warehouse for eight years, and he called off from work for four days on doctor’s order after he was diagnosed with plantar fasciitis. The board argues the worker does not have a disability because of the short time between when he let them know about his condition and his call-off, and it fired him less than a week after his four-day absence. However, the worker reported having had chronic pain for two years before the call-off and has demonstrated his disability under ADA.
Court: USDC Middle District of North Carolina, Judge: Eagles, Filed On: April 15, 2024, Case #: 1:23cv621, NOS: Amer w/Disabilities-Employment - Civil Rights, Categories: Ada / Rehabilitation Act, Employment Discrimination, Employment Retaliation
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J. Schroeder grants an agricultural insurance company’s motion to dismiss allegations of breach of contract, deceptive trade practices and bad faith brought by a policy holder. Specifically, the policy holder claims the company wrongfully refused to pay under its crop insurance policy. However, because the policy holder did not respond to the company’s motion, and the time to do so has passed, the motion is granted and the case dismissed.
Court: USDC Middle District of North Carolina, Judge: Schroeder, Filed On: April 12, 2024, Case #: 1:24cv116, NOS: Insurance - Contract, Categories: Agriculture, Insurance, Contract
[Consolidated.] J. Schroeder denies the North Carolina Board of Elections’ motion to dismiss several voter advocacy groups’ complaint that a particular bill allegedly threatens voter protections. Currently, North Carolina practices non-forwardable voter registration verification, meaning when someone registers to vote and votes on the same day, they are sent a card to the address under which they registered. Then, if the state board of elections does not receive said card, the voter’s ballot is removed from the official count. The advocacy groups have shown here, and in other recent litigation, plausible evidence that the potential harm caused to voters by continuing this process without giving them notice and a chance to prove their residency is likely more harmful than the possible injury to the government if the process remains the same.
Court: USDC Middle District of North Carolina, Judge: Schroeder, Filed On: April 2, 2024, Case #: 1:23cv878, NOS: Voting - Civil Rights, Categories: Elections, Government
J. Biggs grants the couple currently living on a contested property its motion to dismiss allegations, brought by the previous owners, that the couple is essentially squatting in their home. In previous state court proceedings, the previous owners lost the right to their home because it was foreclosed upon and they were prevented from reentering. The couple legally bought the home and moved in. The previous owners fail to show compelling evidence as to why the state court’s decision should be overturned, and even if they did, the case would need to return to state court to resolve it.
Court: USDC Middle District of North Carolina, Judge: Biggs, Filed On: March 30, 2024, Case #: 1:22cv908, NOS: All Other Real Property - Real Property, Categories: Property, Foreclosure
J. Osteen partially denies a fire extinguisher company’s motion to dismiss a second amended class action complaint alleging a slew of allegations after many extinguishers failed to work properly. Almost all of the class’s claims allege violations of California and Florida state laws, and include unfair trade practices, fraud and breach of warranty. Most of the claims are barred by other state law regulations. However, several survive, including fraudulent inducement and implied warranty violations because the company concealed its knowledge of extinguisher malfunctions for 12 years before they were recalled in 2017.
Court: USDC Middle District of North Carolina, Judge: Osteen, Filed On: March 29, 2024, Case #: 1:21cv839, NOS: Other Fraud - Torts - Personal Property, Categories: Fraud, Trade, Warranty
J. Osteen denies the state department of health and human services’ secretary’s motion to dismiss allegations of disability discrimination brought by a class of parents and guardians of disabled children. The class shows sufficient evidence that hundreds of children with disabilities are unnecessarily institutionalized at understaffed state psychiatric wards every year in North Carolina. The children are subject to physical, emotional and sexual abuse and given heavily mind-altering drugs by untrained employees in violation of the ADA, specifically the Olmstead Act.
Court: USDC Middle District of North Carolina, Judge: Osteen, Filed On: March 29, 2024, Case #: 1:22cv1046, NOS: Amer w/Disabilities - Other - Civil Rights, Categories: Ada / Rehabilitation Act, Government, Class Action
J. Biggs partially denies Experian’s motion to dismiss allegations of credit reporting violations brought by a class of credit consumers. Members of the class claim Experian’s purported attempts at investigating claims they brought against lenders were insufficient. In some cases, Experian allegedly refused to reinvestigate after their findings aligned with the lenders, who had made mistakes on the members’ accounts which caused them to default. The count of failure to conduct re-investigation against Experian survives.
Court: USDC Middle District of North Carolina, Judge: Biggs, Filed On: March 29, 2024, Case #: 1:23cv409, NOS: Consumer Credit - Other Suits, Categories: Debt Collection, Consumer Law, Banking / Lending
[Consolidated.] J. Eagles grants a woman’s applications to proceed without prepaying fees and costs in this pro se action against the federal government and YouTube simply to allow the court to recommend dismissal. The woman appears to make sweeping statements regarding institutionalized racism against her and her family imposed by the federal government. She also claims that YouTube has been harassing her with its content even though she has communicated with it that she has mental health difficulties and it should stop. Both allegations fail to state a claim.
Court: USDC Middle District of North Carolina, Judge: Eagles, Filed On: March 29, 2024, Case #: 1:24cv234, NOS: Other Civil Rights - Civil Rights, Categories: Civil Rights, Government, Technology
J. Eagles dismisses a man’s allegations of conspiracy, extortion and Title 18 violations levied against the federal government for all manner of infractions against its citizens. The man claims that the U.S. is still controlled by the British Crown, which is, in turn, controlled by the “Mother of All Harlots known as the Roman Catholic Church.” His allegations seemingly arise from his house being foreclosed upon. His claims are considered frivolous and dismissed for a lack of subject matter jurisdiction.
Court: USDC Middle District of North Carolina, Judge: Eagles, Filed On: March 29, 2024, Case #: 1:23cv871, NOS: Other Civil Rights - Civil Rights, Categories: Property, Jurisdiction, Foreclosure
J. Osteen grants a municipality’s motion to dismiss allegations that a new ordinance that puts limitations on short-term rentals is in violation of the state constitution. A couple who owns a short-term rental property in the municipality brings this action. Because the couple also has an underlying suit pending in state court, this action is dismissed, but the couple can bring a new action after the state suit has resolved.
Court: USDC Middle District of North Carolina, Judge: Osteen, Filed On: March 29, 2024, Case #: 1:22cv102, NOS: Other Civil Rights - Civil Rights, Categories: Civil Rights, Property, Zoning
J. Biggs grants the federal government’s motion to dismiss tort allegations brought by an immigrant man who had temporary protected status when ICE arrested him. ICE agents pulled the man and his son over, citing issues with the man’s license plate. The details that followed are contested between the parties, but the man alleges he was falsely arrested and imprisoned in shackles for six or seven hours, then inexplicably let go a 25-minute drive from his vehicle. Thanks to an exception to the Federal Tort Claims Act, the ICE agents are immune from the suit.
Court: USDC Middle District of North Carolina, Judge: Biggs, Filed On: March 29, 2024, Case #: 1:22cv1008, NOS: Other Personal Injury - Torts - Personal Injury, Categories: Government, Immigration, Immunity
J. Eagles grants a hotel’s motion to dismiss personal injury claims brought by a guest after she slipped on water and broke her hip. The guest had reported to staff that water was collecting under the air conditioning unit in her room, but they failed to fix the unit. At night, the guest got up and slipped on the water, breaking her hip. As the injury happened on St. Maarten, and the parties agreed to litigate in St. Maarten, this court lacks jurisdiction over the action.
Court: USDC Middle District of North Carolina, Judge: Eagles, Filed On: March 29, 2024, Case #: 1:23cv1048, NOS: Other Personal Injury - Torts - Personal Injury, Categories: Negligence, Jurisdiction, Premises Liability
J. Biggs grants a university health system’s motion for summary judgment following allegations of multiple civil rights violations brought by a radiation oncology resident. The resident, a Black woman, entered residency with the system despite misgivings on the part of some staff based on her previous academic performance, but it accepted her anyway. Throughout her residency, she required unprecedented support and consistently scored low in testing ranges, requiring an extension of her residency, which required more scrutiny by staff than other residents. However, she fails to produce sufficient evidence to her claims.
Court: USDC Middle District of North Carolina, Judge: Biggs, Filed On: March 27, 2024, Case #: 1:20cv281, NOS: Other Civil Rights - Civil Rights, Categories: Civil Rights, Health Care, Employment Discrimination
J. Osteen grants Quest Diagnostics’ motion to dismiss allegations of civil rights violations and race discrimination brought by a physician account executive. The executive, a Black woman, claims that her white, male supervisor treated her with derision and comparatively praised and better treated her white, female coworker. She further alleges the supervisor systematically discriminated against her, eventually firing her for a frivolous reason. However, the executive’s claims fail to meet requirements for federal civil rights and race discrimination protections.
Court: USDC Middle District of North Carolina, Judge: Osteen, Filed On: March 27, 2024, Case #: 1:22cv736, NOS: Employment - Civil Rights, Categories: Civil Rights, Employment, Employment Discrimination
J. Schroeder grants U.S. Citizens and Immigration Services’ motion to dismiss federal tort claims brought by a doctor whose fiancee was denied entry to the U.S. The doctor, a U.S. citizen, met his fiancee online, then met her in person once in Australia. However, the two have not physically seen each other within two years of the date of the doctor’s petition for his fiancee’s visa application. The Department of Homeland Security created this stipulation. Because only DHS has discretion to waive it, the court lacks subject matter jurisdiction.
Court: USDC Middle District of North Carolina, Judge: Schroeder, Filed On: March 26, 2024, Case #: 1:23cv657, NOS: Other Immigration Actions - Immigration, Categories: Immigration, Jurisdiction
J. Eagles partially grants a motion for extension of time to obtain timely and valid service to the parents of a Black child whom a white woman allegedly struck in the face while he and his sister visited a swimming pool on the property she manages. The parents do not have good cause for having missed their deadline to obtain service of process on the apartment complex where the white woman worked, but they do show good cause to extend the deadline in their service of suit to the property owner.
Court: USDC Middle District of North Carolina, Judge: Eagles, Filed On: March 20, 2024, Case #: 1:23cv689, NOS: Other Civil Rights - Civil Rights, Categories: Civil Rights, Property, Tort
[Consolidated.] J. Osteen defers consideration of a Silicon Carbide fabrication facility’s argument that its high-voltage power semiconductor patent claim term is indefinite at this stage, and so no claim construction can happen. The Purdue University Board of Trustees says construction of patent claim terms must proceed, but since the term is currently indefinite, consideration must be deferred.
Court: USDC Middle District of North Carolina, Judge: Osteen, Filed On: March 19, 2024, Case #: 1:21cv840, NOS: Patent - Property Rights, Categories: Education, Patent, Technology
J. Biggs partially denies the University of North Carolina’s motion for summary judgment following claims of racial discrimination brought by a Ph.D. candidate. Specifically, the candidate, a Black man, claims his dissertation committee plagiarized his work and re-attributed it to another student and did not behave this way with other candidates of different races. There is enough evidence to call the university and committee into question such that qualified immunity is suspended at this time.
Court: USDC Middle District of North Carolina, Judge: Biggs, Filed On: March 15, 2024, Case #: 1:20cv1050, NOS: Other Civil Rights - Civil Rights, Categories: Civil Rights, Education, Immunity
J. Osteen grants an online political strategy firm’s motion for summary judgment following its claim that a multinational investment company failed to pay a third installment on a $900,000 promissory note. This claim comes after the company was recently sued for public corruption for bribing politicians in exchange for governmental decision making power that would benefit the company. The company shows no evidence that it is not obligated to pay the third installment of $300,000 plus interest and attorney fees of $45,000.
Court: USDC Middle District of North Carolina, Judge: Osteen, Filed On: March 14, 2024, Case #: 1:21cv206, NOS: Other Contract - Contract, Categories: Debt Collection, Attorney Fees, Contract
J. Osteen denies a male university student’s motion for preliminary injunction following an investigation into allegations of rape and sexual assault brought against him by a female student. The male student, found responsible for sexual misconduct, counters by saying that procedural irregularities in the investigation and hearing were committed against him based on gender bias. However, the male student provides no evidence of gender bias or violation of the university’s Title IX policy.
Court: USDC Middle District of North Carolina, Judge: Osteen, Filed On: March 14, 2024, Case #: 1:24cv41, NOS: Education - Civil Rights, Categories: Education, Tort, Assault
J. Biggs grants in part one insurance firm’s motion for summary judgment in a suit where a second insurer sued the first for the partial cost of a fire claim in some underlying suits. Four apartment residents died of smoke inhalation after calling a county emergency communications center and receiving the advice not to open any windows, but to “hunker down” until emergency services arrived. The victims’ families’ sued the communications center and staff for $9 million total, but the first firm refused to contribute to the settlement. Its policy on excess coverage allows it to escape having to contribute more than $1 million on the claim.
Court: USDC Middle District of North Carolina, Judge: Biggs, Filed On: March 13, 2024, Case #: 1:22cv404, NOS: Insurance - Contract, Categories: Insurance, Wrongful Death, Contract
[Consolidated.] J. Biggs denies the state board of elections’ motion for summary judgment in an ongoing suit brought by the NAACP for alleged voting rights violations. While the board argues that the NAACP fails to demonstrate that things like requiring voters to have photo identification has racially discriminatory intent, the NAACP is correct that such requirements have historically been dsicriminatory. This and other genuine disputes of fact still exist.
Court: USDC Middle District of North Carolina, Judge: Biggs, Filed On: March 13, 2024, Case #: 1:18cv1034, NOS: Voting - Civil Rights, Categories: Civil Rights, Elections, Government