Court Filings

The Appellate Division, Third Department granted attorney Hideaki Kubo's application to resign from the New York bar for nondisciplinary reasons. The court reviewed Kubo's sworn affidavit and the Attorney Grievance Committee's response, found Kubo eligible to resign under the court's disciplinary rules, accepted the resignation, struck Kubo's name from the roll of attorneys, and ordered Kubo to cease practicing law in New York and to surrender any Attorney Secure Pass within 30 days. The resignation was accepted with immediate effect and without a disciplinary finding.

The Fifth District Court of Appeal reviewed an appeal by A.M., the mother of S.L., from a Hernando County circuit court order in a child-protective proceeding brought by the Department of Children and Families. The appellate court issued a short per curiam opinion on April 16, 2026, and affirmed the lower court's decision. No further reasoning or explanation is included in the opinion; the panel of three judges concurred.

The Appellate Division affirmed the Law Division's denial without prejudice of R.G.C.'s second application to expunge her criminal record under New Jersey's "clean slate" law. The court held that although more than ten years had passed since her conviction, petitioner failed to prove her large unpaid restitution obligation was not "willful noncompliance." Because she offered no competent, credibly documented evidence of inability to pay (despite claiming deportation, illness, and poverty), the court found her post-release nonpayment was a deliberate choice and therefore denied expungement.

The Pennsylvania Supreme Court denied an application to correct the record under Pa.R.A.P. 1926 and affirmed the Commonwealth Court's March 31, 2026 order concerning the nomination petition of Karl Morris as the Democratic candidate for the Third Congressional District. The matter was an appeal by Karl Morris from the Commonwealth Court decision; the Supreme Court reviewed the procedural request to alter the record and declined it, leaving the lower court's decision intact.

The Superior Court of Pennsylvania affirmed the juvenile court's November 7, 2025 order that declined to terminate court supervision of dependent adult N.L. at age 21 and ordered York County Children and Youth Services (CYS) to fund N.L.’s placement until social security benefits were obtained. The juvenile court found that although CYS had developed a transition plan, the plan lacked an enforceable funding source because N.L.’s guardian had not secured benefits. The Superior Court held that a dependency court may continue supervision past 21 when a transition plan is not complete, particularly when income to support placement is not in place.

The Washington Supreme Court reviewed a Commission on Judicial Conduct finding that pro tem Judge David Ruzumna used a sitting judge’s signature stamp and the King County District Court seal without permission to create a document presented for a county employee parking discount. The Court held, after de novo review, that Ruzumna violated Judicial Conduct Code rules requiring compliance with law, promoting public confidence, and avoiding abuse of judicial prestige, and that his continued untruthful explanations during proceedings compounded the misconduct. The Court adopted the Commission’s recommendation to censure and remove him from judicial office.

The Ohio Supreme Court affirmed the Tenth District Court of Appeals' dismissal of Ramone Wright’s petition for a writ of mandamus against the Franklin County Municipal Court Clerk. Wright sought to compel the clerk to vacate an allegedly unconstitutional 2009 municipal-court conviction based on an apparent error in the judgment entry. The court held that Wright failed to state a mandamus claim because he did not show a clear legal right to vacatur, the clerk had no clear legal duty to vacate the judgment, and Wright had an adequate remedy by appeal. A separate request for judgment was denied as moot.

The Pennsylvania Supreme Court affirmed the Commonwealth Court's April 1, 2026 order upholding a decision involving Taiba Sultana's nomination petition for the Democratic nomination for state senator in the 18th Legislative District for the May 19, 2026 primary. The appeal by Taiba Sultana was considered and denied, and her separate application for a stay was dismissed as moot. One justice did not participate. The court issued a short per curiam order adopting the lower court's disposition without extended opinion.

The Pennsylvania Supreme Court reviewed an appeal by Christina Marie Seeling from a Commonwealth Court order dated March 24, 2026, concerning the nomination petition of Robyn Bird for the Republican nomination for the State House 177th District in the May 19, 2026 primary. The Supreme Court, in a per curiam decision dated April 9, 2026, affirmed the Commonwealth Court's order. No further reasoning or factual detail is included in the short order beyond the affirmance.

The Pennsylvania Supreme Court denied an appellant’s motion to supplement the record, noted jurisdiction, and affirmed the Commonwealth Court’s March 26, 2026 order. The case concerned an objection to Summer Lee’s nomination petition for the Democratic primary for the 12th U.S. Congressional District. The Supreme Court issued a brief per curiam order on April 9, 2026, leaving the lower court’s decision in place without adding materials to the record.

The Ohio Supreme Court reviewed disciplinary proceedings against attorney Javier Horacio Armengau arising from his criminal convictions for rape, kidnapping, gross sexual imposition, sexual battery, and a misdemeanor public indecency. The Board of Professional Conduct had found those convictions established violations of professional-conduct rules and recommended permanent disbarment. The court rejected Armengau’s objections — including attempts to relitigate his criminal convictions, to introduce a polygraph, and to rely on character evidence — and held certified convictions are conclusive in disciplinary matters. The court adopted the board’s findings and permanently disbarred Armengau to protect the public and preserve professional integrity.

The Pennsylvania Supreme Court, in a per curiam order dated April 8, 2026, affirmed the Commonwealth Court's April 2, 2026 order in the appeal concerning Tony Dphax King's nomination petition as the Democratic candidate for the 188th Legislative District. The Supreme Court reviewed the lower court's decision and concluded no basis existed to disturb it, resulting in affirmation of the Commonwealth Court's ruling. No additional reasoning or opinion text is provided in the document.

The Ohio Supreme Court affirmed the Tenth District Court of Appeals’ dismissal of inmate Patrick O. Stokes’s mandamus action seeking copies of an electronic kite and its response. Stokes filed the action against A. Combs but, in the affidavit required by R.C. 2969.25(A), failed to provide the case numbers for three appeals he said he filed within the prior five years. The court held that the statute requires strict compliance and that an inmate must list and describe all civil actions and appeals filed in the previous five years, including their case numbers, so dismissal was proper.

The Pennsylvania Supreme Court granted the candidate Mark Lavelle leave to file an amended jurisdictional statement and to supplement his brief after receiving trial notes, but otherwise affirmed the Commonwealth Court's prior order. The appeal concerned Lavelle's nomination petition for the Democratic primary for the 177th Legislative District. The court noted jurisdiction and allowed procedural relief to complete the appellate record, while concluding that the Commonwealth Court's disposition should stand. A concurring opinion was filed by Justice Brobson, joined by Justices Dougherty and Mundy.

The Pennsylvania Supreme Court reviewed an appeal by Todd Elliot Koger, Sr. challenging a Commonwealth Court order concerning his nomination petition as the Democratic candidate for the 34th Legislative District. After consideration, the Supreme Court entered a per curiam order on April 7, 2026, affirming the Commonwealth Court's March 25, 2026 decision. The Supreme Court did not provide extended opinion or additional reasoning in this short order, simply affirming the lower court's disposition and ending the appeal at the state supreme court level.

The Ninth District Court of Appeals affirmed the Lorain County Common Pleas Court’s grant of summary judgment in favor of Nancy Vega, holding she is entitled to participate in the Ohio workers’ compensation system. Vega fell at work and injured her shoulder; the court concluded her fall was an “unexplained fall” under Waller v. Mayfield, meaning it arose from a neutral risk tied to the workplace. Because Vega eliminated idiopathic (personal) causes and there was no evidence of a non-employment cause, an inference arose that the injury was work-related. The BWC forfeited its challenge by not participating in initial briefing.

The Ohio Third District Court of Appeals affirmed the juvenile court’s dispositions adjudicating R.G. and R.C. juvenile traffic offenders. Both juveniles challenged the denial of motions to suppress statements they made to police without receiving Miranda warnings. The appellate court concluded the encounters occurred at the juveniles’ workplace, were brief and unrestrained, and did not involve physical restraint, threats, or coercive tactics; therefore the questioning was not custodial and Miranda warnings were not required. The court also found the statements were voluntary under the totality of the circumstances.