Nerdy News

**USPS Worker Loses Disability Appeal – No Crypto Link** Merit Systems Protection Board denies Sabra v. Gillins’ petition, upholding a ruling that she failed to prove disability discrimination in her US Postal Service restoration case. This nonprecedential decision from January 21, 2026, affirms an administrative judge’s finding that Gillins wasn’t a “qualified individual with a…

**MSPB Upholds Dismissal, Greenlights FERS Annuity Divorce Fight** The Merit Systems Protection Board just denied Richard Young’s petition, affirming a lower judge’s dismissal of his appeal without prejudice over how federal retirement annuities get split in divorce. This procedural win for efficiency sends Young’s case back for full merits review under fresh precedent that slaps…

**MSPB Slams Door on DoD Employee’s Downgrade Appeal** The Merit Systems Protection Board just crushed Lemuel Esparra-Mercado’s bid to challenge his forced drop to a lower-grade job at the Department of Defense. He claimed the reassignment was involuntary because the agency fed him bad info about his termination alternative after losing position eligibility—but the board…

**Navy Engineer Fails MSPB Appeal – No Crypto Link** Kevin Gunawan Jiang’s bid to overturn his probationary firing from the Department of the Navy crashed at the Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB) on January 21, 2026. The board denied his petition, affirming dismissal for lack of jurisdiction. This nonprecedential spat over federal employment rules holds…

**Retiree’s Retaliation Suit Against University Crushed on Appeal** Pennsylvania’s Commonwealth Court slammed the door on a retired worker’s retaliation claim against Slippery Rock University, ruling a boss’s off-campus tirade doesn’t count as adverse employment action under the state’s Human Relations Act. Alan Schmelzer, who retired in 2020 after 30 years in maintenance, testified in a…

**South Carolina Supreme Court Bails on City Clash – No Ruling Emerges** In a abrupt U-turn, the South Carolina Supreme Court dismissed its review of a heated dispute between the City of Charleston and rivals City of North Charleston plus developer Millbrook Plantation, LLC, calling the writ “improvidently granted.” This non-decision leaves a lower court’s…

**Serial Litigant Barred: Second Circuit Slams Door on Frivolous Appeals** David Lettieri’s endless legal crusade against the Town of Colesville hit a brick wall today as the Second Circuit Court of Appeals doubled down on its sanctions, denying his latest bid to revive a dead case. This per curiam order isn’t just a slap on…

**Second Circuit Backs Porn Ban in Sex Offender Case** The Second Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed a 31-month prison sentence for repeat sex offender Joseph Nash, upholding a supervised release condition banning all pornography—including legal adult content—due to his impulse control disorder and history of violations. This non-precedential ruling reinforces judges’ discretion to impose strict…

**Second Circuit Bolsters Felon Gun Ban Post-Bruen** The Second Circuit just affirmed Tarrell Hendrix’s 78-month prison sentence for illegal firearm possession as a felon, shrugging off his self-representation gripes and plea-withdrawal bids. This non-precedential ruling reinforces 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1)’s constitutionality under the Supreme Court’s Bruen test, signaling courts won’t easily gut longstanding gun restrictions….

**Second Circuit Shields Felon Firearm Ban from Bruen Challenge** The Second Circuit Court of Appeals just upheld the federal ban on felons possessing guns, slapping down Ryan Buckley’s post-Bruen constitutional attack in a swift summary order. Buckley, convicted under 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1), argued the law violates the Second Amendment both on its face and…

**Second Circuit Tosses Prisoner’s Late Appeal Bid** A federal appeals court in New York just slammed the door on inmate Lindsay Applewhite’s bid to challenge his denied compassionate release, ruling his notice of appeal arrived six days past the deadline—even with prison mail perks. This procedural smackdown underscores the ironclad timelines in criminal appeals, a…

**Pothole Slip Shields NYC from Liability Trap** A Manhattan man tripped into a pothole next to a gas cap, suing New York City for negligence—only for the Second Circuit to slam the door on his claims yesterday, affirming summary judgment for the city. This non-precedential ruling reinforces NYC’s ironclad “Pothole Law” shield, demanding prior written…

**Second Circuit Shields Life Sentences from Firearms Collateral Attack** A convicted racketeer and murderer serving life plus 85 years lost his bid to vacate gun convictions in a Second Circuit summary order that upheld the concurrent sentence doctrine. Pedro Narvaez challenged his 18 U.S.C. § 924(c) firearms counts under the Supreme Court’s Davis ruling, but…

**Second Circuit Slaps Down Ecuadorian Asylum Bid in Immigration Rout** The U.S. Second Circuit Court of Appeals denied asylum to Ecuadorian family Felix Minagua-Yaucan and relatives, upholding an immigration judge’s rejection of their claims for persecution, withholding of removal, and torture protection. Petitioners failed to properly brief their appeal, abandoning key challenges and recycling debunked…

**Court Enforces Loan “Traps” in Non-Recourse Blowout** The Second Circuit just slammed the door on guarantors dodging a $42 million real estate loan default, upholding their liability for principal and interest after unauthorized ownership transfers nuked the non-recourse shield. In a sharp win for lenders, the ruling enforces ironclad contract terms under New Jersey law,…