List of United States courts of appeals cases
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Every year, each of the thirteen
United States courts of appeals The United States courts of appeals are the intermediate appellate courts of the United States federal judiciary. The courts of appeals are divided into 11 numbered circuits that cover geographic areas of the United States and hear appeals fr ...
decides hundreds of cases. Of those, a few are so important that they later become models for decisions of other circuits, and of the
United States Supreme Court The Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) is the highest court in the federal judiciary of the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all U.S. federal court cases, and over state court cases that involve a point o ...
, while others are noted for being dramatically rejected by the Supreme Court on appeal. Still others are notable for being written with such a clear and concise explanation of the states of the law that they are used by multiple law school
casebook A casebook is a type of textbook used primarily by students in law schools.Wayne L. Anderson and Marilyn J. Headrick, The Legal Profession: Is it for you?' (Cincinnati: Thomson Executive Press, 1996), 83. Rather than simply laying out the legal do ...
s to teach the area of law addressed. The notable decisions of these courts are listed in chronological order by circuit.


First Circuit The United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit (in case citations, 1st Cir.) is a federal court with appellate jurisdiction over the district courts in the following districts: * District of Maine * District of Massachusetts * ...

*'' Sampson v. Channell'', 110 F.2d 754 (1st Cir. 1940): Application of ''Erie'' doctrine to
choice of law Choice of law is a procedural stage in the litigation of a case involving the conflict of laws when it is necessary to reconcile the differences between the laws of different legal jurisdictions, such as sovereign states, federated states (as in t ...
questions. *''
Commissioner v. Boylston Market Ass'n ''Commissioner v. Boylston Market Association'', 131 F.2d 966 (1st Cir. 1942) was a taxation case decided by the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit. Issues Whether a cash method taxpayer is limited to the deduction of insuranc ...
'', 131 F.2d 966 (1st Cir. 1942): Prepaid insurance tax deductions must be allocable over the time period for which the policy covers. *'' Joint Tribal Council of the Passamaquoddy Tribe v. Morton'', 528 F.2d 370 (1st Cir. 1975): The state of Maine could not terminate a trust relationship between non-federally-recognized Indian tribes and the federal government. *''
Mashpee Tribe v. New Seabury Corp. ''Mashpee Tribe v. New Seabury Corp.'', 592 F.2d 575 (1st Cir. 1979), was the first litigation of the Nonintercourse Act to go to a jury. After a 40-day trial, the jury decided that the Mashpee Tribe was not a "tribe" at several of the relevant d ...
'', 592 F.2d 575 (1st Cir. 1979): Mashpee Tribe of Massachusetts was not a "tribe"; upheld first litigation under the
Nonintercourse Act The Nonintercourse Act (also known as the Indian Intercourse Act or the Indian Nonintercourse Act) is the collective name given to six statutes passed by the Congress in 1790, 1793, 1796, 1799, 1802, and 1834 to set Amerindian boundaries of re ...
to go to a jury. *''
Microsystems Software, Inc. v. Scandinavia Online AB ''Microsystems Software, Inc. v. Scandinavia Online AB'', 226 F.3d 35 (1st Cir. 2000), was a civil case filed in 2000 in the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts and appealed to the United States Court of Appeals for the F ...
'', 226 F.3d 35 (1st Cir. 2000): Dismissal of claims for reverse engineering and cryptanalysis of content-control software. *''
Campbell v. General Dynamics Government Systems Corp. In ''Campbell v. General Dynamics Gov't Sys. Corp.'', 407 F.3d 546 (1st Cir. 2005), the First Circuit had to consider the enforceability of a mandatory arbitration agreement, contained in a dispute resolution policy linked to an e-mailed company-w ...
'', 407 F.3d 546 (1st Cir. 2005): Insufficient notice where a mandatory arbitration agreement was contained in a dispute resolution policy linked to an e-mailed company-wide announcement. *''
Massachusetts v. United States Department of Health and Human Services ''Commonwealth of Massachusetts v. United States Department of Health and Human Services'' 682 F.3d 1 is a United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit decision that affirmed the judgment of the District Court for the District of Massachus ...
'', 682 F.3d 1 (1st Cir. 2006): Federal prohibition on
same-sex marriage Same-sex marriage, also known as gay marriage, is the marriage of two people of the same Legal sex and gender, sex or gender. marriage between same-sex couples is legally performed and recognized in 33 countries, with the most recent being ...
was unconstitutional. *'' Cook v. Gates'', 528 F.3d 42 (1st Cir. 2008): "
Don't ask, Don't tell "Don't ask, don't tell" (DADT) was the official United States policy on military service of non-heterosexual people, instituted during the Clinton administration. The policy was issued under Department of Defense Directive 1304.26 on December ...
" policy upheld against due process and equal protection Fifth Amendment challenges and a free speech challenge under the First Amendment. *'' Glik v. Cunniffe'', 655 F.3d 78 (1st Cir. 2011):
First Amendment First or 1st is the ordinal form of the number one (#1). First or 1st may also refer to: *World record, specifically the first instance of a particular achievement Arts and media Music * 1$T, American rapper, singer-songwriter, DJ, and rec ...
right to photograph public officials in a public place.


Second Circuit The United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit (in case citations, 2d Cir.) is one of the thirteen United States Courts of Appeals. Its territory comprises the states of Connecticut, New York and Vermont. The court has appellate juris ...

* '' Nichols v. Universal Pictures Corp.'', 45 F.2d 119 (2d Cir. 1930):
Copyright infringement Copyright infringement (at times referred to as piracy) is the use of works protected by copyright without permission for a usage where such permission is required, thereby infringing certain exclusive rights granted to the copyright holder, s ...
of
stock character A stock character, also known as a character archetype, is a fictional character in a work of art such as a novel, play, or a film whom audiences recognize from frequent recurrences in a particular literary tradition. There is a wide range of st ...
s. * ''
United States v. One Package of Japanese Pessaries ''United States v. One Package of Japanese Pessaries'', 86 F.2d 737 ( 2d Cir. 1936) (often just ''U.S. v. One Package''), was an ''in rem'' United States Court of Appeals case in the Second Circuit involving birth control. Background In 1873 C ...
'', 86 F.2d 737 (2nd Cir. 1936): Importation of birth control supplies. * ''
United States v. Peoni ''United States v. Peoni'', case citation, 100 Federal Reporter, F.2d 401 (2d Cir. 1938), was a criminal case that the prosecution must establish that the mental state (mens rea) of an accomplice to a crime include a purpose to aid or encourage, ...
'', 100 F.2d 401 (2d Cir. 1938): Examined mental state for complicity in a crime. * ''
United States v. Carroll Towing Co. ''United States v. Carroll Towing Co.'', 159 F.2d 169 ( 2d. Cir. 1947), is a decision from the 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals that proposed a test to determine the standard of care for the tort of negligence. The judgment was written by Judge Le ...
'' 159 F.2d 169 (2d. Cir. 1947):
Calculus of negligence In the United States, the calculus of negligence, also known as the Hand rule, Hand formula, or BPL formula, is a term coined by Judge Learned Hand which describes a process for determining whether a legal duty of care has been breached (see n ...
. * ''
National Comics Publications, Inc. v. Fawcett Publications, Inc. was a decision by the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit in a twelve-year legal battle between National Comics (also known as Detective Comics and DC Comics) and the Fawcett Comics division of Fawcett Publications, concerning ...
'', 191 F.2d 594 (2d Cir. 1951): Clarified 198 F.2d 927 (2d Cir. 1952). * ''
Scenic Hudson Preservation Conference v. Federal Power Commission ''Scenic Hudson Preservation Conference v. Federal Power Commission'', 354 F.2d 608 ( 2d Cir. 1965) is a United States Second Circuit Court of Appeals case in which a public group of citizens, the Scenic Hudson Preservation Conference, organize ...
'', 354 F.2d 608 (2d Cir. 1965): Legal standing of a conservation group to sue to prevent environmental damage. * '' Walkovszky v. Carlton'', 276 2d 585 (2d Cir. 1966):
Lifting the corporate veil Piercing the corporate veil or lifting the corporate veil is a legal decision to treat the rights or duties of a corporation as the rights or liabilities of its shareholders. Usually a corporation is treated as a Corporate personhood, separate leg ...
. * ''
Engblom v. Carey ''Engblom v. Carey'', 677 F.2d 957 (2d Cir. 1982), is a List of landmark court decisions in the United States, landmark decision by the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit interpreting the Third Amendment to the United States Co ...
'', 677 F.2d 957 (2d Cir. 1982): Third Amendment prohibited eviction of striking prison guards from state-supplied housing in favor of national guardsmen.


Third Circuit The United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit (in case citations, 3d Cir.) is a federal court with appellate jurisdiction over the district courts for the following districts: * District of Delaware * District of New Jersey * Easte ...

* ''
Corfield v. Coryell ''Corfield v. Coryell'' (6 Fed. Cas. 546, no. 3,230 C.C.E.D.Pa. 1823) was a landmark decision decided by Justice Bushrod Washington, sitting as a judge for the U.S. Circuit Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. In it, he upheld a New ...
'', (6 Fed. Cas. 546, no. 3,230 C.C.E.D.Pa. 1823): Privileges and immunities. * '' Monsanto Co. v. Rohm and Haas Co.'', 456 F.2d 592 (3d Cir. 1972), failure to disclose material information to the Patent Office was fraudulent, and potentially a violation if the
Sherman Antitrust Act The Sherman Antitrust Act of 1890 (, ) is a United States antitrust law which prescribes the rule of free competition among those engaged in commerce. It was passed by Congress and is named for Senator John Sherman, its principal author. Th ...
* ''
Piscataway School Board v. Taxman ''Piscataway School Board v. Taxman'', Case citation, 91 Federal Reporter, F.3d 1547 (3d Cir. 1996) is a United States labor law case on racial discrimination, that began in 1989 against the Piscataway Township Schools. Facts The school board of ...
'', 91 F.3d 1547 (3d Cir. 1996): Affirmative action in public hiring. * '' Kaelin v. Globe Communications'', 162 F.3d 1036 (3rd Cir. 1998): Magazine cover headline which "falsely insinuated" a criminal act may be grounds for a
libel Defamation is the act of communicating to a third party false statements about a person, place or thing that results in damage to its reputation. It can be spoken (slander) or written (libel). It constitutes a tort or a crime. The legal defini ...
action even if the related article inside the magazine is not defamatory. *''
American Civil Liberties Union v. Schundler ''American Civil Liberties Union of New Jersey v. Schundler'', 168 F.3d 92 (3rd Cir. 1999), is a United States federal case establishing standards for a government-sponsored holiday display to contain religious symbols. It was decided by the Unit ...
'', 168 F.3d 92 (3rd Cir. 1999): Standards for a government-sponsored holiday display containing religious symbols. * ''
A.D. Bedell Wholesale Co., Inc. v. Philip Morris Inc. ''A.D. Bedell Wholesale Co., Inc. v. Philip Morris Inc.'', 263 F.3d 239 (3d Cir. 2001), was an early appellate case testing the legality of the Tobacco Master Settlement Agreement (MSA), in this instance whether it could properly be alleged to vi ...
'', 263 F.3d 239 (3d Cir. 2001): Tobacco companies could still be found to violate the
Sherman Antitrust Act The Sherman Antitrust Act of 1890 (, ) is a United States antitrust law which prescribes the rule of free competition among those engaged in commerce. It was passed by Congress and is named for Senator John Sherman, its principal author. Th ...
based on pricing activities, despite the
Tobacco Master Settlement Agreement The Tobacco Master Settlement Agreement (MSA) was entered on November 23, 1998, originally between the four largest United States Tobacco industry, tobacco companies (Altria, Philip Morris Inc., R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company, R. J. Reynolds, Brown ...


Fourth Circuit The United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit (in case citations, 4th Cir.) is a federal court located in Richmond, Virginia, with appellate jurisdiction over the district courts in the following districts: * District of Maryland ...

* ''
Dow v. United States ''Dow v. United States'', 226 F. 145 (4th Cir., 1915), is a United States Court of Appeals, Fourth Circuit, case in which a Syrian immigrant, George Dow, appealed two lower court decisions denying his application for naturalization as a United ...
'', 226 F. 145 (4th Cir., 1915): Syrian immigrant was entitled to be classified as "white" for purposes of naturalization as a United States citizen, which was then limited on the basis of race. * '' Backun v. United States'', 112 F.2d 635 (4th Cir. 1940): Examined mental element for complicity in a crime. * '' United States v. Morlang'', 531 F.2d 183 (4th Cir. 1975): Standard for abuse of FRE 607. * ''
Dettmer v. Landon ''Dettmer v. Landon'', 799 F.2d 929 (4th Cir. 1986), is a court case in which the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit held that although Wicca was a religion, it was not a violation of the First Amendment to deny a prisoner acc ...
'', 799 F.2d 929 (4th Cir. 1986):
Wicca Wicca () is a modern Pagan religion. Scholars of religion categorise it as both a new religious movement and as part of the occultist stream of Western esotericism. It was developed in England during the first half of the 20th century and was ...
reviewed as a religion; no
First Amendment First or 1st is the ordinal form of the number one (#1). First or 1st may also refer to: *World record, specifically the first instance of a particular achievement Arts and media Music * 1$T, American rapper, singer-songwriter, DJ, and rec ...
violation to deny a Wiccan access to unusual materials. * '' Comprehensive Technologies International, Inc. v. Software Artisans, Inc.'', 3 F.3d 730 (4th Cir. 1993): Legal tests for software copyright infringement. * ''
Zeran v. America Online, Inc. ''Zeran v. America Online, Inc.'', 129 F.3d 327 (4th Cir. 1997), The opinion of the Fourth Circuit '' cert. denied'', ,[] Bound Volume number 524 of the U.S. Supreme Court is a case in which the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Cir ...
'', Case citation, 129 F.3d 327 (4th Cir. 1997), cert. denied, 524 U.S. 937 (1998): Liability for website hosts under the
Communications Decency Act The Communications Decency Act of 1996 (CDA) was the United States Congress's first notable attempt to regulate pornographic material on the Internet. In the 1997 landmark case ''Reno v. ACLU'', the United States Supreme Court unanimously struck ...
.


Fifth Circuit The United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit (in case citations, 5th Cir.) is a United States federal court, federal court with appellate jurisdiction over the United States district court, district courts in the following United Stat ...

*'' Cowden v. Commissioner'', 289 F.2d 20 (5th Cir. 1961): Outlining the factors used to determine whether something received is a cash equivalent, and therefore taxable. *''
Dixon v. Alabama ''Dixon v. Alabama'', 294 Federal Reporter, F.2d 150 (5th Cir. 1961) was a landmark 1961 U.S. federal court decision that spelled the end of the doctrine that colleges and universities could act ''in loco parentis'' to discipline or expel their ...
'' 294 F. 2d 150 (5th Cir. 1961): Tax-funded college cannot expel students without due process. *'' Hawkins v. Town of Shaw'', 437 F.2d 1286 (5th Cir. 1971): Equal Protection Clause applied to distribution of municipal services and infrastructure. *''
Gates v. Collier ''Gates v. Collier'', 501 F.2d 1291 (5th Cir. 1974), was a landmark decision of the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals that brought an end to the trusty system as well as flagrant inmate abuse at Mississippi State Penitentiary, also known as Parchm ...
'', 501 F. 2d 1291 (5th Cir. 1974): Abolished racial segregation in prisons and held that various forms of corporal punishment against prisoners constitute cruel and unusual punishment in violation of the Eighth Amendment. *'' Smith v. Pilots Union'', 296 F.3d 380 (5th Cir. 2002): Six-month period of limitations applies to Smith's suit against the Union whether or not he was a supervisor. *'' McCorvey v. Hill'', 385 F.3d 846 (5th Cir. 2004): Original party to the decision in ''
Roe v. Wade ''Roe v. Wade'', 410 U.S. 113 (1973),. was a landmark decision of the U.S. Supreme Court in which the Court ruled that the Constitution of the United States conferred the right to have an abortion. The decision struck down many federal and st ...
'' lacked standing to have the case re-opened after 30 years. *'' Horvath v. City of Leander'', No. 18-51011 (5th Cir. 2020): An employer may require employees to receive
vaccination Vaccination is the administration of a vaccine to help the immune system develop immunity from a disease. Vaccines contain a microorganism or virus in a weakened, live or killed state, or proteins or toxins from the organism. In stimulating ...
s, so long as the employer makes reasonable accommodations to religious objections, even if the accommodations offered are not ideal for the employee.


Sixth Circuit The United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit (in case citations, 6th Cir.) is a federal court with appellate jurisdiction over the district courts in the following districts: * Eastern District of Kentucky * Western District of K ...

*'' Addyston Pipe & Steel Co. v. United States'', 85 F. 271 (6th Cir. 1898):
Rule of reason The rule of reason is a legal doctrine used to interpret the Sherman Antitrust Act, one of the cornerstones of United States antitrust law. While some actions like price-fixing are considered illegal ''per se', ''other actions, such as poss ...
in
antitrust Competition law is the field of law that promotes or seeks to maintain market competition by regulating anti-competitive conduct by companies. Competition law is implemented through public and private enforcement. It is also known as antitrust l ...
cases. *'' Miller v. Commissioner'', 733 F.2d 399 (6th Cir. 1984): Taxpayers can claim deductions for uncompensated economic detriments regardless of whether the property was insured. *''
Alerding v. Ohio High School Athletic Association ''Alerding v. Ohio High School Athletic Association'', 779 F.2d 315 (6th Cir. 1985) was a court case heard before the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit which held that the right to participate in interscholastic sports is not a ...
'', 779 F.2d 315 (6th Cir. 1985): Participation in interscholastic sports is not a fundamental privilege protected by the Privileges and Immunities Clause. *''
American Civil Liberties Union v. National Security Agency ''American Civil Liberties Union v. National Security Agency'', 493 F.3d 644 (6th Cir. 2007), is a case decided July 6, 2007, in which the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit held that the plaintiffs in the case did not have stand ...
'', 493 F.3d 644 (6th Cir. 2007): No standing to sue NSA where plaintiff ACLU could not present evidence that they were the targets of surveillance. *'' United States v. Warshak'', 631 F.3d 266 (6th Cir. 2010): Fourth Amendment rights bars government from compelling an
Internet service provider An Internet service provider (ISP) is an organization that provides services for accessing, using, or participating in the Internet. ISPs can be organized in various forms, such as commercial, community-owned, non-profit, or otherwise private ...
(ISP) to turn over his emails without first obtaining a
search warrant A search warrant is a court order that a magistrate or judge issues to authorize law enforcement officers to conduct a search of a person, location, or vehicle for evidence of a crime and to confiscate any evidence they find. In most countries, ...
based on
probable cause In United States criminal law, probable cause is the standard by which police authorities have reason to obtain a warrant for the arrest of a suspected criminal or the issuing of a search warrant. There is no universally accepted definition or f ...
. *''
Novak v. City of Parma ''Novak v. City of Parma'', No. 21-3290, is a 2022 decision of the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit granting qualified immunity to the city of Parma, Ohio, and its officials for prosecuting Anthony Novak over a Facebook page ...
'', No. 21-3290 (6th Cir. 2022): Granting qualified immunity to police officers who arrested a parodist.


Seventh Circuit The United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit (in case citations, 7th Cir.) is the U.S. federal court with appellate jurisdiction over the courts in the following districts: * Central District of Illinois * Northern District of Ill ...

* '' Harris v. Harvey'', 605 F.2d 330 (7th Cir. 1979): a judge engaging in acts of public
defamation Defamation is the act of communicating to a third party false statements about a person, place or thing that results in damage to its reputation. It can be spoken (slander) or written (libel). It constitutes a tort or a crime. The legal defini ...
inspired by
racial prejudice Racism is the belief that groups of humans possess different behavioral traits corresponding to inherited attributes and can be divided based on the superiority of one race over another. It may also mean prejudice, discrimination, or antagonism ...
is not protected by
judicial immunity Judicial immunity is a form of sovereign immunity, which protects judges and others employed by the judiciary from liability resulting from their judicial actions. Though judges have immunity from lawsuit, in constitutional democracies judicial m ...
and therefore a civil lawsuit against a judge can be brought under the
Civil Rights Act Civil Rights Act may refer to several acts of the United States Congress, including: * Civil Rights Act of 1866, extending the rights of emancipated slaves by stating that any person born in the United States regardless of race is an American ci ...
(42 U.S.C. § 1983). *'' Selle v. Gibb'', 741 F. 2d 896 (7th Cir. 1984):
Substantial similarity Substantial similarity, in US copyright law, is the standard used to determine whether a defendant has infringed the reproduction right of a copyright. The standard arises out of the recognition that the exclusive right to make copies of a work w ...
is not enough to prove
copyright infringement Copyright infringement (at times referred to as piracy) is the use of works protected by copyright without permission for a usage where such permission is required, thereby infringing certain exclusive rights granted to the copyright holder, s ...
in the absence of proof of access. *''
American Booksellers Ass'n, Inc. v. Hudnut ''American Booksellers Ass'n, Inc. v. Hudnut'', 771 F.2d 323 (7th Cir. 1985), aff'd mem., 475 U.S. 1001 (1986), was a 1985 court case that successfully challenged the constitutionality of the Antipornography Civil Rights Ordinance, as enacted in In ...
'', 771 F.2d 323 (7th Cir. 1985): Challenged the constitutionality of the
Antipornography Civil Rights Ordinance The Antipornography Civil Rights Ordinance (also known as the Dworkin–MacKinnon Antipornography Civil Rights Ordinance or Dworkin–MacKinnon Ordinance) is a name for several proposed local ordinances in the United States and that was closely as ...
. *''
United States v. Harris ''United States v. Harris'', 106 U.S. 629 (1883), or the ''Ku Klux Kase'', was a case in which the US Supreme Court held that it was unconstitutional for the federal government to penalize crimes such as assault and murder in most circumstances. ...
'', 942 F.2d 1125 (7th Cir. 1991):
Gift A gift or a present is an item given to someone without the expectation of payment or anything in return. An item is not a gift if that item is already owned by the one to whom it is given. Although gift-giving might involve an expectation ...
to a long-term
mistress Mistress is the feminine form of the English word "master" (''master'' + ''-ess'') and may refer to: Romance and relationships * Mistress (lover), a term for a woman who is in a sexual and romantic relationship with a man who is married to a d ...
did not constitute
taxable income Taxable income refers to the base upon which an income tax system imposes tax. In other words, the income over which the government imposed tax. Generally, it includes some or all items of income and is reduced by expenses and other deductions. Th ...
. *''
ProCD, Inc. v. Zeidenberg ''ProCD, Inc. v. Zeidenberg'', 86 F.3d 1447 (7th Cir., 1996), was a court ruling at the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit. The case is a significant precedent on the matter of the applicability of American contract law to new ...
'', 86 F.3d 1447 (7th Cir. 1996): Validity of
shrink wrap contracts Shrinkwrap contracts or shrinkwrap licenses are boilerplate contracts packaged with products; usage of the product is deemed acceptance of the contract. Web-wrap, clickwrap, click-wrap and Browse wrap, browse-wrap are related terms which refer to ...
. *''
In re Aimster Copyright Litigation ''In re Aimster Copyright Litigation'', 334 F.3d 643 ( 7th Cir. 2003), was a case in which the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit addressed copyright infringement claims brought against Aimster, concluding that a preliminary in ...
'', 334 F.3d 643 (7th Cir. 2003):
Vicarious liability Vicarious liability is a form of a strict, secondary liability that arises under the common law doctrine of agency, ''respondeat superior'', the responsibility of the superior for the acts of their subordinate or, in a broader sense, the res ...
for
copyright infringement Copyright infringement (at times referred to as piracy) is the use of works protected by copyright without permission for a usage where such permission is required, thereby infringing certain exclusive rights granted to the copyright holder, s ...
. *'' Muth v. Frank'', 412 F.3d 808 (7th Cir. 2005):
U.S. Supreme Court The Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) is the highest court in the federal judiciary of the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all U.S. federal court cases, and over state court cases that involve a point o ...
's decision in ''
Lawrence v. Texas ''Lawrence v. Texas'', 539 U.S. 558 (2003), is a landmark decision of the U.S. Supreme Court in which the Court ruled that most sanctions of criminal punishment for consensual, adult non- procreative sexual activity (commonly referred to as so ...
'', 539 U.S. 558 (2003): Striking down anti-homosexual sodomy laws as unconstitutional did not bar laws against consensual adult
incest Incest ( ) is human sexual activity between family members or close relatives. This typically includes sexual activity between people in consanguinity (blood relations), and sometimes those related by affinity (marriage or stepfamily), adoption ...
.


Eighth Circuit The United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit (in case citations, 8th Cir.) is a United States federal court with appellate jurisdiction over the following United States district courts: * Eastern District of Arkansas * Western Dist ...

*'' Frosty Treats, Inc. v. Sony Computer Entertainment America, Inc.'', 426 F.3d 1001 (8th Cir. 2005):
Trademark A trademark (also written trade mark or trade-mark) is a type of intellectual property consisting of a recognizable sign, design, or expression that identifies products or services from a particular source and distinguishes them from others ...
and
trade dress Trade dress is the characteristics of the visual appearance of a product or its packaging (or even the design of a building) that signify the source of the product to consumers. Trade dress is an aspect of trademark law, which is a form of intelle ...
. *''
United States v. $124,700 in U.S. Currency ''United States of America v. $124,700 in U.S. Currency'', 458 F.3d 822 ( 8th Cir. 2006), was a decision of the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit that was handed down on August 18, 2006. The form of the styling of this caseâ ...
'', 458 F.3d 822 (8th Cir. 2006): Transport of large amounts of currency concealed in an unusual manner could be taken as evidence that the currency was connected with drug trafficking.


Ninth Circuit The United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit (in case citations, 9th Cir.) is the U.S. federal court of appeals that has appellate jurisdiction over the U.S. district courts in the following federal judicial districts: * District o ...

* ''
Hirabayashi v. United States ''Hirabayashi v. United States'', 320 U.S. 81 (1943), was a case in which the Supreme Court of the United States, United States Supreme Court held that the application of curfews against members of a minority group were constitutional when the nati ...
'' 28 F.2d 591 (9th Cir. 1987): Vacation of
World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
-era convictions of
Japanese-American are Americans of Japanese ancestry. Japanese Americans were among the three largest Asian American ethnic communities during the 20th century; but, according to the 2000 census, they have declined in number to constitute the sixth largest Asia ...
Gordon Hirabayashi was an American sociologist, best known for his principled resistance to the Japanese American internment during World War II, and the court case which bears his name, '' Hirabayashi v. United States''. Early life Hirabayashi was born in Seatt ...
by writ of ''
coram nobis A writ of ''coram nobis'' (also writ of error ''coram nobis'', writ of ''coram vobis'', or writ of error ''coram vobis'') is a legal order allowing a court to correct its original judgment upon discovery of a fundamental error that did not appear i ...
''. * ''
Midler v. Ford Motor Co. ''Midler v. Ford Motor Co.'', 849 F.2d 460 (9th Cir. 1988) is a United States Court of Appeals case in which Bette Midler sought remedy against Ford Motor Company for a series of commercials in the 1980s which used a Midler impersonator. The cas ...
'' 849 F.2d 460 (9th Cir. 1998): Definition of unique feature for purposes of protection from unauthorized impersonation. * ''
Apple Computer, Inc. v. Microsoft Corp. ''Apple Computer, Inc. v. Microsoft Corporation'', 35 F.3d 1435 ( 9th Cir. 1994), was a copyright infringement lawsuit in which Apple Computer, Inc. (now Apple Inc.) sought to prevent Microsoft and Hewlett-Packard from using visual graphical user ...
'', 35 F.3d 1435 (9th Cir. 1994):
Copyright infringement Copyright infringement (at times referred to as piracy) is the use of works protected by copyright without permission for a usage where such permission is required, thereby infringing certain exclusive rights granted to the copyright holder, s ...
with respect to the layout of a computer desktop. * '' A&M Records, Inc. v. Napster, Inc.'', 239 F.3d 1004 (9th Cir. 2001):
Vicarious liability Vicarious liability is a form of a strict, secondary liability that arises under the common law doctrine of agency, ''respondeat superior'', the responsibility of the superior for the acts of their subordinate or, in a broader sense, the res ...
for
copyright infringement Copyright infringement (at times referred to as piracy) is the use of works protected by copyright without permission for a usage where such permission is required, thereby infringing certain exclusive rights granted to the copyright holder, s ...
. * '' Konop v. Hawaiian Airlines, Inc.'', 236 F.3d 1035 (9th Cir. 2001): Whether unauthorized access of password-protected website violates federal
Wiretap Act The Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (, codified at ''et seq.'') was legislation passed by the Congress of the United States and signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson that established the Law Enforcement Assistance Admi ...
prohibition on intercepting electronic communications. * '' Carafano v. Metrosplash.com, Inc.'', 339 F.3d 1119 (9th Cir. 2003): Liability of internet forum providers. * '' Grosso v. Miramax Film Corp.'', 383 F.3d 965 (9th Cir. 2004): Preemption of state law claims by the
copyright A copyright is a type of intellectual property that gives its owner the exclusive right to copy, distribute, adapt, display, and perform a creative work, usually for a limited time. The creative work may be in a literary, artistic, education ...
act. * '' Arizona Cartridge Remanufacturers Ass'n Inc. v. Lexmark International Inc.'', 421 F.3d 981 (9th Cir. 2005): Validity of certain
end-user license agreement An end-user license agreement or EULA () is a legal contract between a software supplier and a customer or end-user, generally made available to the customer via a retailer acting as an intermediary. A EULA specifies in detail the rights and restr ...
s. * '' Sprint PCS, L.P. v. City of La Cañada Flintridge'', 435 F.3d 993 (9th Cir. 2006): Ability of a city to deny construction permit on aesthetic grounds. * '' Navajo Nation v. United States Forest Service'', 479 F.3d 1024 (9th Cir. 2007): Whether use of treated sewage water on lands considered sacred to the
Navajo Nation The Navajo Nation ( nv, Naabeehó Bináhásdzo), also known as Navajoland, is a Native American reservation in the United States. It occupies portions of northeastern Arizona, northwestern New Mexico, and southeastern Utah; at roughly , the ...
violated the
Religious Freedom Restoration Act The Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993, Pub. L. No. 103-141, 107 Stat. 1488 (November 16, 1993), codified at through (also known as RFRA, pronounced "rifra"), is a 1993 United States federal law that "ensures that interests in religiou ...
. * ''
Asset Marketing Systems, Inc. v. Gagnon ''Asset Marketing Systems, Inc. v. Gagnon'' was a case heard by the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit regarding implied licenses to use, modify and retain the source code of computer programs, and the enforceability of non-comp ...
'', 542 F. 3d 748 (9th Cir. 2008): Implied licenses to use, modify and retain the
source code In computing, source code, or simply code, is any collection of code, with or without comments, written using a human-readable programming language, usually as plain text. The source code of a program is specially designed to facilitate the wo ...
of computer programs, and the enforceability of
non-competition agreements In contract law, a non-compete clause (often NCC), restrictive covenant, or covenant not to compete (CNC), is a clause under which one party (usually an employee) agrees not to enter into or start a similar profession or trade in competition agains ...
. * '' Joffe v. Google, Inc.'', 41 W. St. U. L. Rev. 279 (9th Cir. 2013-2014): Whether the Wiretap Act covers the interception of unencrypted
Wi-Fi Wi-Fi () is a family of wireless network protocols, based on the IEEE 802.11 family of standards, which are commonly used for local area networking of devices and Internet access, allowing nearby digital devices to exchange data by radio wave ...
communications. * ''
SmithKline Beecham Corporation v. Abbott Laboratories ''Batson v. Kentucky'', 476 U.S. 79 (1986), was a landmark decision of the United States Supreme Court ruling that a prosecutor's use of a peremptory challenge in a criminal case—the dismissal of jurors without stating a valid cause for doin ...
'', 740 F.3d 471 (9th Cir. 2014): Peremptory challenges striking potential jurors because of their sexual orientation violates the equal protection clause of the U.S. Constitution.


Tenth Circuit The United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit (in case citations, 10th Cir.) is a federal court with appellate jurisdiction over the district courts in the following districts: * District of Colorado * District of Kansas * Distric ...

*''
Colorado River Water Conservation District v. United States ''Colorado River Water Conservation District v. United States'', 424 U.S. 800 (1976), was a case in which the Supreme Court of the United States extensively refined the abstention doctrine to prevent duplicative litigation between state and feder ...
'', 593 F.2d 907 (10th Cir. 1976): Abstention to prevent duplicative litigation between state and federal courts; reversed by the Supreme Court. *'' Thompson v. Johnson County Community College'', 108 F. 3d 1388 (10th Cir. 1997): Worker privacy in bathrooms or changing rooms. *'' United States v. Andrus'', 483 F.3d 711 (10th. Cir. 2007): Criminal defendant's father had the apparent authority to consent to search of defendant's computer. *'' Doe v. Shurtleff'', 628 F.3d 1217 (10th Cir. 2010): State law requiring sex offenders to register their internet identifiers with the state upheld as constitutional. *''
Burwell v. Hobby Lobby Stores, Inc. ''Burwell v. Hobby Lobby Stores, Inc.'', 573 U.S. 682 (2014), is a List of landmark court decisions in the United States, landmark decision in United States corporate law by the Supreme Court of the United States, United States Supreme Court allow ...
'', 723 F.3d 1114 (10th Cir. 2013): Corporation is a person who has religious freedom.


Eleventh Circuit The United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit (in case citations, 11th Cir.) is a federal court with appellate jurisdiction over the following U.S. district courts: * Middle District of Alabama * Northern District of Alabama * ...

*''
Miles v. City Council of Augusta, Georgia ''Miles v. City Council of Augusta, Georgia'', 710 F.2d 1542 (11th Cir. 1983), is a United States federal court case in which the court found that the exhibition of a talking cat was an occupation for the purposes of municipal licensing law. In M ...
'', 710 F.2d 1542 (11th Cir. 1983): Exhibition of a "talking cat" was an occupation for the purposes of municipal licensing law. *''
Smith v. Board of School Commissioners of Mobile County ''Smith v. Board of School Commissioners of Mobile County'', 827 F.2d 684 (11th Cir. 1987),''Smith v. Bd. of School Com'rs of Mobile Cnty.'', was a lawsuit in which the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit held that the Mobile C ...
'', 827 F.2d 684 (11th Cir. 1987): Teaching of ideas associated with
secular humanism Secular humanism is a philosophy, belief system or life stance that embraces human reason, secular ethics, and philosophical naturalism while specifically rejecting religious dogma, supernaturalism, and superstition as the basis of morality an ...
does not constitute endorsement of a religion. *''
Estate of Martin Luther King, Jr., Inc. v. CBS, Inc. ''Estate of Martin Luther King, Jr., Inc. v. CBS, Inc.'' (194 F.3d 1211 ( 11th Cir. 1999)) is a United States court case that involved a longstanding dispute about the public domain copyright status of the text of Martin Luther King Jr.'s famous s ...
'', 194 F.3d 1211 (11th Cir. 1999): Original delivery of Martin Luther King Jr.'s "
I Have a Dream "I Have a Dream" is a public speech that was delivered by American civil rights activist and Baptist minister, Martin Luther King Jr., during the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom on August 28, 1963. In the speech, King called ...
" speech was legally a "performance", rather than a "general publication" of the speech, with the text still being covered by
copyright A copyright is a type of intellectual property that gives its owner the exclusive right to copy, distribute, adapt, display, and perform a creative work, usually for a limited time. The creative work may be in a literary, artistic, education ...
. * ''
Suntrust Bank v. Houghton Mifflin Co. ''Suntrust Bank v. Houghton Mifflin Co.'', , was a case decided by the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit against the owner of Margaret Mitchell's 1936 novel ''Gone with the Wind'', vacating an injunction prohibiting the publi ...
'', 252 F. 3d 1165 (11th Cir. 2001):
Parody A parody, also known as a spoof, a satire, a send-up, a take-off, a lampoon, a play on (something), or a caricature, is a creative work designed to imitate, comment on, and/or mock its subject by means of satiric or ironic imitation. Often its subj ...
as a
fair use Fair use is a doctrine in United States law that permits limited use of copyrighted material without having to first acquire permission from the copyright holder. Fair use is one of the limitations to copyright intended to balance the interests ...
defense to
copyright infringement Copyright infringement (at times referred to as piracy) is the use of works protected by copyright without permission for a usage where such permission is required, thereby infringing certain exclusive rights granted to the copyright holder, s ...
. *'' Arce v. García'', 434 F.3d 1254 (11th Cir. 2006): Salvadoran plaintiffs who had been tortured in their home country could sue the responsible Ecuadoran government officials under the Alien Tort Claims Act (ATCA) and the Torture Victim Protection Act (TVPA).


D.C. Circuit The United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit (in case citations, D.C. Cir.) is one of the thirteen United States Courts of Appeals. It has the smallest geographical jurisdiction of any of the U.S. federal appellate cou ...

*'' United States v. Fenwick'', 25 F. Cas. 1062; 4 Cranch C.C. 675 (1836): Right to make legal argument to jury. *'' Stettinius v. United States'', 22 F. Cas. 1322; 5 Cranch C.C. 573 (1839): Right to make legal argument to jury. *'' Frye v. United States'', 293 F. 1013 (D.C. Cir. 1923): Established that the admissibility of expert testimony must be based on scientific methods that are sufficiently established and accepted. *''
Edwards v. Habib In United States landlord-tenant law, ''Edwards v. Habib'', 397 F.2d 687 (D.C. Cir. 1968), was a case decided by the D.C. Circuit that includes the first recognition of retaliatory eviction as a defense to eviction. Factual background Plaintif ...
'', 397 F.2d 687 (D.C. Cir. 1968): Established the tenant's defense of
retaliatory eviction In American landlord–tenant law, a retaliatory eviction is a substantive defense and affirmative cause of action that can be used by a tenant against a landlord. If a tenant reports sanitary violations or violations of minimum housing standar ...
. *''
Javins v. First National Realty Corp. ''Javins v. First National Realty Corp.'', 428 F.2d 1071 (D.C. Cir. 1970), was a case decided by the D.C. Circuit that first established the warranty of habitability in landlord–tenant law. The court determined that if the premises become unin ...
'', 428 F.2d 1071 (D.C. Cir. 1970): Established warranty of habitability. *'' Calvert Cliffs' Coordinating Committee, Inc. v. Atomic Energy Commission'', 449 F.2d 1109 (D.C. Cir. 1971): National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) requires EPA to evaluate environmental impact of nuclear power plants, even if review is not requested. *''
Canterbury v. Spence ''Canterbury v. Spence'' (464 F.2d. 772, 782 D.C. Cir. 1972) was a landmark federal case decided by the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit that significantly reshaped malpractice law in the United States.Roberts, S ...
'', 464 F.2d. 772 (D.C. Cir. 1972): In medical malpractices cases, informed consent is required of the patient and no expert is required for the case to be heard by a jury. *'' Pro-Football, Inc. v. Harjo'', 415 F.3d 44 (D.C. Cir. 2005): Applicability of laches defense to
disparagement Disparagement, in United States trademark law, was a statutory cause of action that permits a party to petition the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (TTAB) of the Patent and Trademark Office (PTO) to cancel a trademark registration that "may disp ...
claims. *'' Colorado River Indian Tribes v. National Indian Gaming Commission'', 05-5402 (D.C. Cir. 2006): National Indian Gaming Commission doesn't have oversight jurisdiction in regulating Class II or Class III games in Class III Indian casinos. *''
Doe ex. rel. Tarlow v. District of Columbia ''Doe ex. rel. Tarlow v. District of Columbia'', 489 F.3d 376 (D.C. Cir. 2007), is a unanimous decision of the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, written by Circuit Judge Brett Kavanaugh, in which the Court uphel ...
'', 489 F.3d 376 (D.C. Cir. 2007) : Regarding surgical treatment for the mentally incompetent who are unable to give informed consent.


Federal Circuit The United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit (in case citations, Fed. Cir. or C.A.F.C.) is a United States court of appeals that has special appellate jurisdiction over certain types of specialized cases in the U.S. federal court ...
(and its predecessor courts)

*'' State Street Bank & Trust Co. v. Signature Financial Group, Inc.'', 149 F.3d 1368 (Fed. Cir. 1998): An invention was eligible for patent protection if it involved some practical application and "produces a useful, concrete and tangible result". Later overturned by another decision. *'' Jazz Photo Corp. v. United States International Trade Commission'', 264 F. 3d 1094 (Fed. Cir. 2001): Repair and reconstruction of patented items is permissible under the patent law. *'' Schism v. United States'', 316 F.3d 1259 (Fed. Cir. 2002) (en banc): Military could not be held to promises made by recruiters of lifetime health care for enlistees, where Congress did not provide for such. *'' Buchanan v. Nicholson'', 451 F.3d 1331 (Fed. Cir. 2006): Competent lay evidence can be sufficient to establish a service-connection award without any contemporaneous medical evidence. *''
In re Bilski ''In re Bilski'', 545 F.3d 943, 88 U.S.P.Q.2d 1385 (Fed. Cir. 2008), was an ''en banc'' decision of the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit (CAFC) on the patenting of method claims, particularly business methods. The Federal C ...
'', 545 F.3d 943, 88 U.S.P.Q.2d 1385 (Fed. Cir. 2008) (en banc): Machine-or-transformation test is the sole applicable test for patent-eligible subject matter, overturning ''State Street Bank & Trust Co. v. Signature Financial Group, Inc.''; decision was affirmed with modifications by the U.S. Supreme Court.


Court of Claims

*'' Williams & Wilkins Co. v. United States'', 487 F.2d 1345 ( Ct. Cl. 1973), ''per curiam aff'd by an equally divided court'', 420 U.S. 376 (1975): Liability for
copyright infringement Copyright infringement (at times referred to as piracy) is the use of works protected by copyright without permission for a usage where such permission is required, thereby infringing certain exclusive rights granted to the copyright holder, s ...
for
photocopy A photocopier (also called copier or copy machine, and formerly Xerox machine, the generic trademark) is a machine that makes copies of documents and other visual images onto paper or plastic film quickly and cheaply. Most modern photocopiers u ...
ing of journal articles.


See also

*
List of sources of law in the United States Federal *Constitution of the United States Statutes * List of United States federal legislation Acts listed by popular name via Cornell University * United States Statutes at Large *Volumes 1 through 18, 1789–1875 via Library of Congress * Pu ...
*
Lists of United States Supreme Court cases This page serves as an index of lists of United States Supreme Court cases. The United States Supreme Court is the highest federal court of the United States. By Chief Justice Court historians and other legal scholars consider each Chief J ...
*
List of United States state supreme court cases Every year, each of the 50 United States state supreme courts decides hundreds of cases. Of those cases dealing with state law, a few significantly shape or re-shape the law of their state or are so influential that they later become models for de ...
{{U.S. courts of appeals
United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...