Browse recent court opinions from the First Circuit. AI-powered plain English summaries, key holdings, and legal analysis of 30 cases. Federal Appellate Court.
First Circuit Upholds Warrantless Search Based on Informant Tip and Controlled Buy
Lopez Martinez v. Blanche, decided by First Circuit on April 23, 2026, resulted in a defendant win outcome. The First Circuit affirmed the district court's denial of a motion to suppress evidence seiz...
First Circuit Affirms Denial of Motion to Suppress Evidence in Vehicle Search
United States v. Giang, decided by First Circuit on April 22, 2026, resulted in a defendant win outcome. The First Circuit affirmed the district court's denial of a motion to suppress evidence seized ...
FEMA Disaster Relief Denial Upheld by First Circuit
Vernaliz Perez v. FEMA, decided by First Circuit on April 22, 2026, resulted in a defendant win outcome. The First Circuit affirmed the district court's dismissal of a lawsuit challenging FEMA's denia...
Probable Cause and Consent Justify Vehicle Search
Taveras Martinez v. Blanche, decided by First Circuit on April 17, 2026, resulted in a defendant win outcome. The First Circuit affirmed the district court's denial of a motion to suppress evidence se...
First Circuit Upholds Warrantless Vehicle Search Based on Probable Cause
United States v. Cartagena, decided by First Circuit on April 15, 2026, resulted in a defendant win outcome. The First Circuit affirmed the district court's denial of the defendant's motion to suppres...
Consent to search upheld despite language barrier
United States v. Nieves-Diaz, decided by First Circuit on April 14, 2026, resulted in a defendant win outcome. The First Circuit affirmed the district court's denial of the defendant's motion to suppr...
Water damage exclusion in insurance policy upheld
Garcia-Navarro v. Universal Insurance Company, decided by First Circuit on April 10, 2026, resulted in a defendant win outcome. The core dispute centered on whether Universal Insurance Company's denia...
First Circuit Affirms Summary Judgment for Gym in ADA Discrimination Case
Beckwith v. Frey, decided by First Circuit on April 3, 2026, resulted in a defendant win outcome. The First Circuit affirmed the district court's grant of summary judgment to the defendants in a case ...
First Circuit Upholds Drug Trafficking Conviction Amid Evidentiary Challenges
United States v. Calderin-Pascual, decided by First Circuit on April 3, 2026, resulted in a defendant win outcome. The First Circuit affirmed the defendant's conviction for drug trafficking and illega...
Car Search Upheld Under Automobile Exception
United States v. Ross, decided by First Circuit on April 2, 2026, resulted in a defendant win outcome. The First Circuit affirmed the district court's denial of the defendant's motion to suppress evid...
First Circuit: Isolated Misconduct Doesn't Prove Police Pattern or Practice
Villalobos-Santana v. PR Police Department, decided by First Circuit on April 2, 2026, resulted in a defendant win outcome. The First Circuit affirmed the dismissal of a lawsuit against the Puerto Ric...
Statute of Limitations Bars Contract Claims in Wescott v. Stanfill
Wescott v. Stanfill, decided by First Circuit on April 2, 2026, resulted in a defendant win outcome. The First Circuit affirmed the district court's grant of summary judgment to the defendant, finding...
First Circuit Upholds Dismissal of Challenge to Puerto Rico Election Laws
Ocasio v. Comision Estatal de Elecciones, decided by First Circuit on April 1, 2026, resulted in a defendant win outcome. The First Circuit affirmed the district court's dismissal of a lawsuit challen...
Consent to Search Vehicle Was Voluntary, Court Rules
United States v. Ponzo, decided by First Circuit on April 1, 2026, resulted in a defendant win outcome. The First Circuit affirmed the denial of the defendant's motion to suppress evidence, finding th...
State Lacks Standing to Sue HUD Under False Claims Act
State of Washington v. U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, decided by First Circuit on April 1, 2026, resulted in a defendant win outcome. The First Circuit affirmed the district court's...
Consent to Search Valid Despite Officer Presence
United States v. Roache, decided by First Circuit on March 30, 2026, resulted in a defendant win outcome. The First Circuit affirmed the district court's denial of the defendant's motion to suppress e...
Court Upholds Health Plan's Denial of Prior Authorization for Treatment
This case involves a dispute over the interpretation of a "prior authorization" requirement for medical services under an employee health plan governed by the Employee Retirement Income Security Act o...
Appeals Court Affirms No Contract Formed Between Seafood Importers Due to Lack of Agreed Quantity
This case involves a dispute between two seafood importing companies, Kendell Seafood Imports, Inc. (Kendell) and Mark Foods, LLC (Mark Foods), over a contract for the sale of scallops. Kendell sued M...
Appeals Court Upholds Drug Trafficker's Sentence, Denying Ineffective Assistance of Counsel Claim
This case involves Mr. Urizar-Mota, who was convicted of drug trafficking and money laundering. After his conviction, he filed a motion asking the court to vacate, set aside, or correct his sentence, ...
First Circuit Affirms Lower Court's Judgment in Ramos Ramos v. Jordan-Conde Business Dispute
This case involves a dispute between two individuals, Ramos Ramos and Jordan-Conde, regarding the ownership and operation of a business. The core of the disagreement appears to stem from an alleged ag...
First Circuit Affirms Summary Judgment for National Grid in Age Discrimination Lawsuit
This case involves a former employee, Harris, who sued National Grid USA Service Company, Inc. for age discrimination after he was laid off during a reduction in force (RIF). Harris, who was 59 at the...
Landlord improperly withheld security deposit, court rules
This case involves a dispute over a residential lease agreement. The plaintiff, Mr. Manzo, rented a property from the defendant, Ms. Wohlstadter. A key issue arose concerning the security deposit. Upo...
Appeals Court Affirms Dismissal of Age Discrimination and Retaliation Claims Against Massachusetts Education Department
This case involves Dr. Hellman, a former employee of the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE), who sued DESE and several individual defendants for age discrimination, ...
First Circuit Affirms Drug Conviction Sentence, Denying 'Minor Participant' Reduction
This case involved Mr. Rosario-Orangel, who was convicted of drug offenses and appealed his sentence. He argued that the district court made a mistake by not giving him a two-level reduction in his se...
Appeals Court Lifts Injunction Against Former Employee, Finding Non-Compete Agreement Too Broad
This case involves a dispute between ZipBy USA LLC and its former employee, Michael Parzych, regarding a non-compete agreement. ZipBy sued Parzych, alleging he violated the agreement by working for a ...
Florida's 'need for self-defense' requirement for concealed carry upheld
This case involves a challenge to the constitutionality of a Florida statute that required individuals seeking to obtain a concealed weapon license to demonstrate a "need for self-defense." The petiti...
Appeals Court Vacates Judgment in Carr v. Lizotte, Remands for Recalculation of Damages
This case involves a dispute between Robert Carr and his former employer, Lizotte, regarding unpaid wages and other compensation. Carr, a former employee of Lizotte, sued for breach of contract, claim...
Appeals Court Upholds Contract for Antique Car Sale, Buyer Must Complete Purchase Despite Minor Flaws
This case, Narrigan v. Goldberg, involved a dispute over a contract for the sale of a unique antique car. Narrigan, the seller, sued Goldberg, the buyer, for breach of contract after Goldberg refused ...
Appeals Court Reverses Summary Judgment for Delivery Company, Sending Driver's Misclassification Case to Jury
This case involves Abdisalam, a former delivery driver for Strategic Delivery Solutions, LLC (SDS), who sued SDS for various wage and hour violations under Massachusetts law. Abdisalam claimed he was ...
New York Court Finds Trump, Sons, and Trump Organization Liable for Fraud, Orders Over $350 Million in Penalties and Business Restrictions
This case, State of New York v. Trump, was brought by the New York Attorney General against Donald Trump, his adult sons, and the Trump Organization, alleging a decade-long scheme of fraud. The Attorn...