Federal appellate courts issued several rulings this week regarding constitutional law, including the Seventh Circuit's decision on July 8, 2026, to vacate the dismissal of firearm charges against Jonathan S. Rose under 18 U.S.C. 922(g)(4). The court held that as-applied challenges to the statute require factual determinations of current dangerousness. Also on July 8, the Seventh Circuit ordered an initial en banc hearing in American Academy of Pediatrics v. James Uthmeier, staying a June 8 preliminary injunction. In other developments, the Third Circuit reinstated Dr. Norman Wang's retaliation claims against the University of Pittsburgh, ruling he engaged in protected activity by opposing race-based admissions. Additionally, the Tenth Circuit affirmed qualified immunity for Sheriff Chris Bryant in a 1983 action, while the Fifth Circuit affirmed qualified immunity for officers in a separate detainee medical indifference case. Synthesized from 81 manifests produced by 12 monitored court and legislature sources in the last 7 days, including court holdings, constitutional amendments, statehouse measures.
Answer updated Jul 11, 2026 00:00 UTC · rebuilt twice daily from the rolling 168-hour window
Seventh Circuit Vacates Dismissal of § 922(g)(4) Charges in Mental Health Firearm Case
The Seventh Circuit vacated the district court's dismissal of charges against Jonathan S. Rose under 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(4), which prohibits firearm possession by individuals previously committed to mental institutions. The court held that while the statute is not facially unconstitutional, an as-applied challenge requi
Eighth Circuit affirms denial of compassionate release for nonretroactive sentencing law changes
The Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed the denial of compassionate release for defendants Isaac Loggins and Barton Crandall, ruling that nonretroactive changes to sentencing law under the First Step Act do not qualify as 'extraordinary and compelling reasons' for sentence reduction under 18 U.S.C. § 3582(c)(1)(A)
Seventh Circuit Reverses Injunction Against Illinois Assault Weapons Ban
The Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals reversed a district court's decision to enjoin the Protect Illinois Communities Act, ruling that the state's ban on AR-15 rifles and large-capacity magazines does not violate the Second Amendment. The court determined that the Act is consistent with the nation's historical tradition
Fifth Circuit Affirms Denial of Intervention in Texas Tuition Preemption Case
The Fifth Circuit affirmed the district court's denial of intervention in a lawsuit challenging Texas's in-state tuition policies for illegal aliens. The court held that 8 U.S.C. § 1623(a) expressly preempts the challenged Texas Education Code provisions and that the proposed intervenors lacked standing to appeal the u
Second Circuit Vacates Confirmation of Arbitration Awards Binding Former Employees Without Consent
The Second Circuit ruled that arbitration awards confirming wage-and-hour claims cannot bind former employees who left their bargaining units before the effective date of the 2015 Memorandum of Agreement (MOA). The court determined that the district court erred in denying intervention to these individuals and in conclu