United States Seventh Circuit - Opinion Summaries

SZABO v. WALLS

Criminal Law & Procedure, Habeas Corpus
An ineffective assistance of counsel claim was not preserved in state court, and cannot furnish the basis for a writ of habeas corpus.

AMAX COAL CO. v. DIR., OFFICE OF WORKERS' COMP. PROGRAMS

Administrative Law, Government Benefits, Health Law, Workers' Compensation
In a claim for benefits under the Black Lung Benefits Act, when an Administrative Law Judge finds that no onset date is established by the evidence,...

ZEIGLER COAL CO. v. DIR., OFFICE OF WORKERS' COMP. PROGRAMS

Administrative Law, Government Benefits, Health Law, Workers' Compensation
A grant of survivor's benefits under the Black Lung Benefits Act may rest on findings made during the miner's life, and substantial evidence supported...

US v. GRASSER

Criminal Law & Procedure, Sentencing
A downward sentence departure for "exceptional acceptance of responsibility," based on defendant's partial payment of restitution prior to sentencing,...

HAY v. INDIANA STATE BD. OF TAX COMM'RS

Civil Procedure, Constitutional Law, Property Law & Real Estate, Tax Law
An action, alleging that methods used in assessing property for Indiana tax purposes violated due process, was properly dismissed by the district...

US v. KOERTH

Criminal Law & Procedure
Though an affidavit was insufficient to establish probable cause for issuance of a search warrant, based on statements from an informant of unknown...

US v. KELLY

Criminal Law & Procedure
District court's refusal to accept midtrial guilty pleas did not amount to an abuse of discretion, because the judge's reasons for rejecting the...

MOORE v. MUNCIE POLICE & FIRE MERIT COMM'N

Civil Rights, Constitutional Law, Labor & Employment Law
A 42 U.S.C. section 1983 claim, alleging due process violations for refusal to hire a firefighter based on ineligibility for membership in a pension...

PERKINS v. LAWSON

Civil Rights, Constitutional Law, Injury & Tort Law
A 42 U.S.C. section 1983 claim is not actionable on a respondeat superior theory against a sheriff in his official capacity for guards' deliberate...

JENKINS v. CHRYSLER MOTORS CORP.

Injury & Tort Law, Product Liability
In a products liability suit against a pickup truck manufacturer, evidence of component failure was properly excluded because documents referred to...