7th Circuit Court

Posner criticizes ‘verbosity’ in appeals briefs in decision upholding closed voir dire

It didn’t take much more than seven pages for Judge Richard Posner of the Chicago-based 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to explain why he was upholding the convictions of two Wisconsin defendants. The Jan. 5 opinion spilled over into the eighth page because of a final paragraph in which…

Jan 9, 2017 7:00 AM CST

Wife’s unauthorized access to husband’s emails could violate Wiretap Act, 7th Circuit says

Putting an auto-forward on your husband’s email account when you suspect that he’s cheating on you can amount to a violation of the federal Wiretapping and Electronic Surveillance Act, the Chicago-based 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals decided on Dec. 14. Paula Epstein, the defendant in the case, was sued…

Dec 21, 2016 4:30 PM CST

Acquitted lawyer can’t sue, 7th Circuit says; Posner would allow claim over investigator statements

A Michigan lawyer who was acquitted on charges that she aided a client’s fraud can’t sue officials involved in her arrest and prosecution for alleged deprivation of her constitutional rights, a federal appeals court has ruled. The Chicago-based 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said most of the claims by…

Dec 14, 2016 7:45 AM CST

Does federal law forbid workplace discrimination against gays? Full 7th Circuit hears arguments

A lawyer with Lambda Legal told an en banc federal appeals court on Wednesday that workplace discrimination based on sexual orientation should be prohibited under a federal law barring sex discrimination. Lawyer Greg Nevins argued on behalf of Kimberly Hively, a math teacher at Ivy Tech Community College in Indiana…

Dec 1, 2016 9:52 AM CST

In just-released video, Posner calls chief justice a ‘terrible’ manager, blasts ‘stupid’ opinions

The discussion topic was the First Amendment, but Judge Richard Posner went far afield with criticisms of the U.S. Supreme Court and Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr., a newly released video shows. Posner spoke before a small group of First Amendment advocates last May, but a video of the…

Dec 1, 2016 8:00 AM CST

7th Circuit bars release of nephew in ‘Making a Murderer’ case

Brendan Dassey will have to stay in jail while the state of Wisconsin appeals his overturned conviction. The Chicago-based 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Thursday granted (PDF) an emergency request to keep Dassey in jail pending an appeal. Dassey’s case received widespread attention after it was examined in…

Nov 17, 2016 12:59 PM CST

Appeals courts are dismantling stricter voter ID laws

The rulings came quickly this past summer in a steady drumbeat that pleased progressives and disappointed conservatives.

Nov 1, 2016 12:15 AM CDT

Posner says Supreme Court is ‘awful,’ top two justices are OK but not great

Updated: Circuit Judge Richard Posner says he’s writing a new book called Strengths and Weaknesses of the Legal System, and one of the weaknesses is the U.S. Supreme Court. Posner, a judge on the Chicago-based 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, criticized the high court at a recent bookstore appearance…

Oct 25, 2016 9:20 AM CDT

Mike Pence’s attempt to ban Syrian refugees is based on ‘nightmare speculation,’ Posner opinion says

A federal appeals court has upheld a preliminary injunction that prevents Indiana Gov. Mike Pence from barring federal funding to a social-service agency to help resettle Syrian refugees. The Chicago-based 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said the funding ban was based on “nightmare speculation” rather than evidence that some…

Oct 4, 2016 9:15 AM CDT

‘Parking while black’ at issue in pending 7th Circuit appeal

A case pending in the Chicago-based 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals could give the green light to police who want to use parking infractions as a justification for car searches. The case pending before the en banc court could legitimize cases of so-called “parking while black,” according to a…

Sep 26, 2016 7:45 AM CDT

Posner opinion blasts class actions that are ‘no better than a racket’

A shareholder lawsuit settled 18 days after filing benefited the lawyers who would receive $370,000, but the disclosures required by the deal in advance of a merger were of little value, a federal appeals court has found. The Aug. 10 opinion (PDF) by the Chicago-based 7th U.S. Circuit Court of…

Aug 12, 2016 8:15 AM CDT

7th Circuit blocks judge who would have allowed voting without ID in Wisconsin

A federal appeals court has blocked a federal judge’s injunction that would allow people in Wisconsin without identification to vote by signing an affidavit. The Chicago-based 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Wednesday stayed the injunction by U.S. District Judge Lynn Adelman of Milwaukee pending an appeal in the…

Aug 11, 2016 11:45 AM CDT

7th Circuit judge has ‘penchant for confabulation,’ losing law prof alleges in law review article

A retired University of Chicago law professor who represented former Illinois Gov. George Ryan is striking out at a respected federal appeals judge for an alleged “penchant for confabulation,” “questionable” rulings and “bullying” of lawyers on both sides of the case. The former law professor, Albert Alschuler, unsuccessfully represented Ryan…

Jul 28, 2016 7:30 AM CDT

7th Circuit orders new sentence after judge’s remarks on urban decay, riots and fatherhood

A federal judge’s remarks at a sentencing hearing have once again led the Chicago-based 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to order resentencing for a drug defendant. Chief Circuit Judge Diane Wood wrote the July 22 opinion chastising U.S. District Judge Rudolph Randa of Milwaukee for “several wide-ranging soliloquies” on…

Jul 26, 2016 7:00 AM CDT

7th Circuit grants injunction allowing Wiccan prisoner to wear pentacle medallion

A Wiccan who wanted to wear a pentacle medallion small enough to comply with prison jewelry regulations may wear the necklace pending resolution of his lawsuit, a federal appeals court has ruled. The Chicago-based 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals granted a preliminary injunction to inmate Gilbert Knowles in an…

Jul 18, 2016 7:30 AM CDT