Denzil Price Marshall jr

The case concerned whether Arkansas's election code provision defining a political party—requiring a group to secure at least 3% of the vote for governor or presidential electors to gain or retain ballot access—was unconstitutional as applied to the Green Party of Arkansas under the First and Fourteenth Amendments. The Green Party challenged the law's burden on associational rights and sought recognition based on its performance in other races, while also raising a state-law interpretation claim. The court held that it lacked jurisdiction over the state-law claim due to Eleventh Amendment sovereign immunity as explained in Pennhurst, and thus denied partial summary judgment on that issue. For the federal constitutional claim, the court acknowledged the statute's impact on voting and association rights but noted the countervailing state interests in election regulation, ultimately resolving related evidentiary motions as moot following its summary judgment analysis.

electionsfree speechcivil rightsfederal power

This ERISA case involves Ronnie Turman, a former Crane Corporation employee, who sued Standard Insurance Company after it denied his claim for long-term disability benefits beyond the initial two-year 'own occupation' period and sought to recover an alleged overpayment of about $16,000 tied to his later Social Security disability award. Standard counterclaimed for repayment under the policy's 'deductible income' provisions and a separate repayment agreement, while Turman argued that Standard was judicially estopped from denying benefits or recouping funds due to its referral of him to Allsup, Inc. for SSDI assistance, which he claimed created a conflict of interest and inconsistent positions. The court denied Turman's motion for judgment and granted Standard's motion on the counterclaim, holding that Standard did not abuse its discretion because its benefits decision was reasonable and supported by substantial evidence, and that no agency or collusive relationship existed to support estoppel given Turman's voluntary use of Allsup and the lack of evidence of impropriety.

labor & employmenthealthcarebusiness & regulatory