Justia U.S. 7th Circuit Court of Appeals Opinion Summaries

The EEOC conducted a preliminary investigation, following a complaint filed by an African-American salesman who was fired after eight months, and discovered possible pattern of discrimination in hiring as well as in treatment of employees. The company refused to comply with an EEOC subpoena for information about hiring practices. The district court entered an order enforcing the subpoena. The Seventh Circuit affirmed, holding that the requested material is relevant to the investigation and to the EEOC's authority and would not impose an undue burden on the company.

The plaintiff stopped working in November, 2005, due to a variety of ailments, and filed a disability claim in August, 2007. The claim was denied in September. The plaintiff's appeal, received in April, 2008, 11 days after the stated 180-day deadline, was denied. She filed suit under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA), 29 U.S.C. 1132. A magistrate upheld the denial. The Seventh Circuit affirmed. The plaintiff failed to exhaust administrative remedies. The plan has a clear deadline; the plaintiff was not denied meaningful access to review procedures and did not allege that pursuing administrative remedies would be futile. The court rejected a "substantial compliance" argument, noting that the plaintiff did not offer an explanation for the late filing. The Plan was not required to show prejudice as a result of the delay to justify rejecting the claim. Letters sent by the plaintiff could not reasonably be construed as notice of appeal. The Plan has procedures to minimize conflicts of interest and its refusal to consider the appeal was not arbitrary.

A former high school teacher and union president was fired for allegedly viewing pornography on school computers. The district court rejected claims under 42 U.S.C. 1983, based on an assertion that the firing was retaliation for union activity. Before terminating the teacher's employment, the school district held an open hearing at which the teacher was allowed to present evidence and witnesses. He did not refute the charges, but only issued an apology; he has had all of the process he is due. With respect to First Amendment retaliation claims, the court stated that the relationship between the union and the district was "contentious, combative, and miserable," but that the district had an independent, legitimate reason for the termination.

After pleading guilty to being in the United States without authorization after removal, 8 U.S.C. 1326(a), the defendant requested a prison term below the guidelines range on the grounds that his criminal history category was overstated and that his reasons for returning to this country, to escape poverty and help his family, mitigate his illegal reentry. The district court imposed a 46-month sentence, at the bottom of the guidelines. The Seventh Circuit vacated and remanded, based on the district court's failure to explain its choice of sentence.

After pleading guilty as a felon in possession of a firearm, 18 U.S.C. 922, 924, the defendant moved (28 U.S.C. 2255) to vacate his plea for ineffective assistance of counsel, arguing that his attorney failed to pursue a Fourth Amendment claim that may have warranted suppressing evidence. The district court denied the motion and the Seventh Circuit affirmed. The record unequivocally supported the governmentâs version of events, that the defendant voluntarily consented to the search, and that the defendant never related his version of events violation to his attorney. Trial counsel met with the defendant 17 times and interviewed all witnesses; the investigation was adequate.

Suspecting the defendant of drug trafficking, federal agents attached a GPS device to his vehicle while it was parked in a public place. The GPS tracked the defendant from Phoenix to Illinois, where the state police took up live surveillance, stopped the defendant for a traffic violation, searched the vehicle after a canine unit alerted to the presence of drugs, and found nine packages of heroin. The district court refused to suppress the evidence. The Seventh Circuit affirmed. The GPS surveillance conducted in this case was not lengthy and did not expose, or risk exposing, the "twists and turns" of the defendant's life. The purpose of the GPS was only to record the trip, so no warrant was required; real-time information from a GPS is exactly the kind of information that drivers make available by traversing public roads.

After pleading guilty to mail fraud, 18 U.S.C. 1341, the defendant challenged a two-level increase in his sentence, based on use of "sophisticated means" and theft of more than $1 million. The Seventh Circuit affirmed. Over the course of seven years, the defendant bilked at least 17, mostly elderly or financially distressed, victims out of more than $2 million; he posed as an attorney, a CPA, and a real estate agent and prepared "significantly more elaborate than usual" fraudulent instruments.

A German online dating service, serving U.S. customers through a Delaware subsidiary, sued a New Jersey resident for operating an online dating service with a "confusingly similar" name, in violation of Illinois law, the Lanham Act, 15 U.S.C. 1114(1), and federal common law. The district court entered default judgment and denied a motion to vacate. The Seventh Circuit reversed for lack of personal jurisdiction. The Lanham Act does not create nationwide jurisdiction and, even discounting a finding that the defendant was not credible, the defendant did not have ties sufficient to establish jurisdiction in Illinois. Beyond operating a website accessible from the state, the defendant took no steps to target the Illinois market; the 20 Illinois residents who created profiles did so unilaterally, having "stumbled upon" the site.

After convicting seven defendants charged with operating a St. Louis area dog-fighting ring, the court sentenced all to a three-year term of supervised release and to payment of $100. Two defendants additionally received sentences of 16 and 18 months of incarceration. The Seventh Circuit affirmed, first holding that the judge did not take on the role of a prosecutor and violate separation of powers by conducting independent research on dog fighting. The judge informed the parties of his research and carefully distinguished information in the memo from evidence related to the defendants. The court adequately justified the sentencing, finding the guidelines inadequate considering the number of dogs, dogs that had to be euthanized, the number of fights, extraordinary cruelty, and the leadership roles of the defendants.

The district court denied a petition for habeas corpus by an inmate serving 40 years for attempted murder and aggravated battery on a senior citizen and certified three issues as appealable. The Seventh Circuit clarified the obligation of appointed appellate counsel. Counsel has no obligation to argue claims, urged by the client, that were not certified as appealable, but could request amendment of the certificate if the claims are debatable. If counsel regards certified issues as frivolous those issues need not be argued and counsel should inform the court. Because prisoners do not have a right to appointed counsel on collateral claims there is no tension between the constitutional right to representation and the ethical obligation to not advance frivolous claims.