Monthly Archives: June 2022

Oral Bench Ruling Was Final Decision That Triggered Running of Time to Appeal, Holds Fifth Circuit

In Ueckert v. Guerra, No. 22-40263 (5th Cir. June 27, 2022), the Fifth Circuit dismissed as untimely an appeal filed 412 days after a verbal bench order was entered on the docket. “There is at least one exception to the maxim ‘no news is good news.’ When a lawyer has an outstanding motion but hasn’tContinue reading “Oral Bench Ruling Was Final Decision That Triggered Running of Time to Appeal, Holds Fifth Circuit”

Split Second Circuit Panel Upholds Federal Judicial Power to Appoint Special Prosecutor Under Fed. R. Crim. P. 42(a) to Press Criminal Contempt

In United States v. Donziger, No. 21-2486 (2d Cir. June 23, 2022), a 2-1 panel majority turns back constitutional challenges to the district court’s power under the Appointments Clause, U.S. Const. art. II, § 2, cl. 2, and Fed. R. Crim. P. 42(a) to appoint special prosecutors in a criminal contempt case. The appeal arisesContinue reading “Split Second Circuit Panel Upholds Federal Judicial Power to Appoint Special Prosecutor Under Fed. R. Crim. P. 42(a) to Press Criminal Contempt”

Split Ninth Circuit Panel Applies Prior Exclusive Jurisdiction Rule to Affirm Dismissal of Federal Action Against State Insurance Commission

In Applied Underwriters v. Laras,  No. 21-15679 (9th Cir. June 10, 2022), a split panel affirms the dismissal of a federal civil-rights action in favor of a pending state conservatorship action, but disagrees on the grounds. The panel majority would affirm under the prior exclusive jurisdiction rule, while the concurring judge would rely (as didContinue reading “Split Ninth Circuit Panel Applies Prior Exclusive Jurisdiction Rule to Affirm Dismissal of Federal Action Against State Insurance Commission”

No Interlocutory Appeal of Decision Denying Summary Judgment on Title VII “Ministerial Exception” Defense, Split Tenth Circuit Panel Holds

In Tucker v. Faith Bible Chapel Int’l., No. 20-1230 (10th Cir. June 7, 2022), a 2-1 panel of the Tenth Circuit holds that there is no appellate jurisdiction under the collateral-order doctrine to review the denial of summary judgment on the “ministerial exception” recognized by the U.S. Supreme Court. Two Supreme Court decisions from theContinue reading “No Interlocutory Appeal of Decision Denying Summary Judgment on Title VII “Ministerial Exception” Defense, Split Tenth Circuit Panel Holds”

Plaintiffs’ “Mad-Libs-Style Complaints” Alleging Americans with Disabilities Act Violations Lacked Plausible Grounds for Article III Standing, Holds Split Second Circuit Panel

In Calcano v. Swarovski N.A. Ltd., No. 20-1552 (2d Cir. June 2, 2022), a 2-1 panel of the Second Circuit holds—in a case involving four blind plaintiffs—that a template complaint used by a law firm in scores of ADA public-accommodation cases that it filed lacked enough in the way of facts to plausibly allege anContinue reading “Plaintiffs’ “Mad-Libs-Style Complaints” Alleging Americans with Disabilities Act Violations Lacked Plausible Grounds for Article III Standing, Holds Split Second Circuit Panel”