Industry News
All Court of Appeals News
Top stories summarized by our editors
Top stories summarized by our editors

Rail operators encounter deluge of shipper lawsuits

10/9/2019

Multiple shippers filed lawsuits against BNSF, CSX, Norfolk Southern and Union Pacific late last month, accusing them of wrongdoing in how they set fees. A federal appeals court ruled in August that the shippers could not demonstrate class-wide damages related to their allegations, preventing them from filing a class-action suit.

Government wants high court review of ruling on military rape cases

7/31/2019

The Office of the Solicitor General is requesting that the Supreme Court consider a case regarding sexual assault in the military and a five-year statute of limitations that has blocked some prosecutions. The Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces has held that the statute of limitations, which was in effect until 2006, is not retroactive and therefore does not apply to a 2005 case.

FDA: Warning labels on cigar packs were appropriately tailored

4/24/2019

The FDA filed a brief with the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia saying its health warning label requirements for cigars and pipe tobacco are "appropriately tailored." The agency wants the court to reject arguments that the label rules violate producers' free speech rights.

Ind. high court considers Fifth Amendment, smartphone privacy

4/19/2019

The Indiana Supreme Court is reviewing the case of Katelin Seo, who invoked her Fifth Amendment rights when investigators told her to unlock her cellphone as part of a stalking case. The state Court of Appeals has held that Seo is protected by the Fifth Amendment, while attorneys for the state argue the only information Seo would provide as an implicit factual assertion would be that she knows her phone's passcode.

Vacant D.C. court seats resulting in delays, judges say

4/16/2019

The Washington, D.C., Superior Court and the Court of Appeals are facing a shortage of judges as 12 vacancies across both courts are contributing to delays and bigger caseloads, top judges said. Nominees for the courts are determined by the White House and confirmed by the US Senate.

Court lifts injunction against ban on transgender people in military

3/27/2019

A three-judge panel of the Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit has ended an injunction against the Trump administration's military service ban for transgender people, meaning the policy can take effect April 12. The deadline for lawyers challenging the ban to seek an en banc hearing before the court is Friday.

Veterans ask Trump to let Federal Circuit decision stand

3/14/2019

Ten veterans' organizations are asking the Trump administration to refrain from appealing a recent decision of the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit that extended benefits for individuals exposed to Agent Orange. The groups assert that the court decision makes certain individuals eligible to receive benefits without the need to wait for the passage of the Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act.

Beasley is first black woman to serve as N.C. high court's chief justice

3/11/2019

Cheri Beasley was sworn in last week as the chief justice of the North Carolina Supreme Court, becoming the first black woman to serve in that role in the state. Beasley started her legal career as a Fayetteville-based public defender and has served on the Supreme Court since 2012.

Court upholds IRS PTIN fees

3/11/2019

The US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit has held that the Internal Revenue Service can charge a fee for obtaining or renewing a preparer taxpayer identification number because it conveys a benefit on return preparers. The appeals court has remanded the case to the lower court to determine what fee would be reasonable.

Court upholds IRS PTIN fees

3/5/2019

The US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit has held that the Internal Revenue Service can charge a fee for obtaining or renewing a preparer taxpayer identification number because it conveys a benefit on return preparers. The appeals court has remanded the case to the lower court to determine what fee would be reasonable.