State v. Andrew White — Vermont Supreme Court Affirms Criminal Refusal Conviction
Case State of Vermont v. Andrew White Court Vermont Supreme Court Judge Paul L. Reiber, Chief Justice; Nancy J. Waples,
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Personal Injury & Tort
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Brown v. State — Mississippi Court of Appeals upheld culpable-negligence manslaughter conviction
Case Adrian Brown a/k/a Adrian Kentrell Brown v. State of Mississippi Court Mississippi Court of Appeals Judge Barnes, C.J.; Carlton,
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State v. Vaught-Cantwell — Court affirms criminal-mischief instruction requiring criminal negligence as to damage amount
Case State of Oregon v. Charles Adrian Vaught-Cantwell Court Oregon Court of Appeals Judge Tookey, Presiding Judge; Kamins, Judge; Jacquot,
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Mallett v. State of Mississippi — convictions for manslaughter and child neglect affirmed
Case Brooke Mallett v. State of Mississippi Court Mississippi Court of Appeals Judge Wilson, P.J.; Emfinger, J.; Lassitter St. Pé,
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State v. Bradbury — Maine’s high court affirmed sexual-touching and indecent-conduct convictions but ordered clerical corrections
Case State of Maine v. William Bradbury Court Maine Supreme Judicial Court Judge LAWRENCE, J. (Janet Mills, 2022) Date Decided
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Erwine v. Westbrook — Ninth Circuit revives former tribal police officer’s claims
Case Michael Erwine v. Zachary Westbrook; John Leonard; Michel Hall; Gene M. Burke Court U.S. Court of Appeals for the
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United States v. Walker — Third Circuit affirmed denial of suppression because the officer’s unauthorized entry was, at most, isolated negligence
Case United States of America v. Davone Desean Walker Court U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit Judge Stephanos
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People v. Castillo — Crime Victims May Receive Noneconomic Restitution Without a Fixed Formula
The Fifth District held that noneconomic victim restitution needs no fixed formula, but each recipient must have evidence of individualized harm.
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Hughes v. State — Arkansas court affirms sentence because juror-bias claim was not preserved
Case Brandon Hughes v. State of Arkansas Court Arkansas Court of Appeals, Division II Judge Robert J. Gladwin; Tucker; Barrett
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People v. Lee — 81-mph residential crash supports homicide charge
A divided Second Department restored a criminally negligent homicide count based on an 81-mph fatal crash in a 30-mph residential zone.
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Bennett v. Remington — dismissal of tort suit against abuse victim and mother affirmed
Case Chad Reese Bennett v. Shannon Marie Remington and M.R. Court Iowa Court of Appeals Judge Tabor, C.J. (Chet Culver,
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State v. Gray — Reversed dangerous-dog conviction for insufficient evidence of negligence
Case State of Hawaiʻi v. Maura Gray Court Hawaiʻi Intermediate Court of Appeals Judge Katherine G. Leonard (Linda Lingle, 2008);
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McCartney v. State — Court affirms denial of Apprendi sentencing challenge under Rule 3.800(a)
Case Robert Alan McCartney v. State of Florida Court Florida Third District Court of Appeal Judge Scales, C.J.; Fernandez, J.;
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State v. Dunn — Affirmed restitution for funeral expenses despite the estate’s settlement
Case State of Oregon v. Heidi Marie Dunn Court Oregon Court of Appeals Judge Ortega (Ted Kulongoski, 2003) Date Decided
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State v. Lyman — Court affirms fatal DUI conviction despite medical-event defense
The Utah Court of Appeals held that sufficient evidence supported a fatal negligent-driving conviction and that any speeding-instruction error was harmless.
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State v. Palmer — Maryland’s high court reaffirms “no reasonable trier of fact” standard for DUI/DWI cases, reinstating convictions based on circumstantial evidence.
Case State of Maryland v. Marconi Palmer, Jr. Court Supreme Court of Maryland Judge Eaves (Larry Hogan, 2022) Date Decided
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Sherwin v. State — Iowa Court of Appeals upheld dismissal of parents’ tort claims against state and county investigators
Case Cecilia and Joseph Sherwin v. State of Iowa, Division of Criminal Investigation and Jackson County Sheriff’s Office Court Iowa
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Bowman v. Duran-Madrigal — Delaware Supreme Court upheld the verdict and the challenged evidence rulings
Case Willie L. Bowman v. Roberto Duran-Madrigal and Evergreen Waste Services, LLC Court Delaware Supreme Court Judge Abigail M. LeGrow
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Tennessee v. Smith — Restitution cut from $16,250 to $250
Case State of Tennessee v. Sarah Elaine Smith Court Tennessee Court of Criminal Appeals Judge Steven W. Sword (Bill Lee,
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State of Tennessee v. John Jay Starnes — Affirmed conviction for child endangerment; rejected judicial diversion despite technical eligibility
Case State of Tennessee v. John Jay Starnes Court Tennessee Court of Criminal Appeals Date Decided July 15, 2026 Docket
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State v. Jackson — Vermont Supreme Court affirms grand larceny conviction, rejecting “mistaken taking” defense
Case State of Vermont v. Terrell Jackson Court Vermont Supreme Court (Three-Justice Panel) Judge Paul L. Reiber (James Douglas, 2003);
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Redwine v. Thomas — Eyewitness Account Conclusively Establishes Probable Cause, Defeating Malicious Prosecution Claim at Summary Judgment
The Texas Court of Appeals, Tenth District, affirmed summary judgment for the defendant in a malicious prosecution suit, holding that an eyewitness account received before the police report was filed conclusively established probable cause and negated malice, and that the plaintiff’s evidence of a contentious family relationship failed to raise a fact issue because it did not address the objective reasonableness of the defendant’s belief at the time of the report.
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State v. Kayne — Oregon Court of Appeals reverses dangerous-dog conviction for failure to apply criminal-negligence element
Case State of Oregon v. Karen V. Kayne Court Court of Appeals of the State of Oregon Date Decided June
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Woznak v. Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s Office — Dismissed petition seeking to compel prosecution of physician for medical negligence resulting in death
Case State ex rel. George B. Woznak v. Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s Office Court Ohio Court of Appeals, Eighth Appellate District