U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit

Rule Changes

Overruled its 1985 Mason precedent en banc

Plan participants in Alabama, Florida, and Georgia can now sue over mismanaged retirement plans without first exhausting their plan's internal appeals process. On October 13, the full Eleventh Circuit overruled its 1985 decision in Mason v. Continental Group, which had required administrative exhaustion for all statutory claims under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA).

Updated Oct 18

Rule Changes

As of October 2026: Appeal pending; stay denied

Trump, two of his sons, and the Trump Organization filed a $10 billion suit against the IRS on January 29, 2026, over a contractor's leak of his tax returns. In May, the case was dismissed and the parties announced a settlement that released federal claims against Trump's family and created a $1.776 billion fund.

Updated Oct 1

Rule Changes

As of May 2026: Ruling left in place

Joseph Clifton Smith has been on Alabama's death row since 1997. His five IQ tests came back at 72, 74, 74, 75, and 78. On Thursday, the Supreme Court dismissed Alabama's appeal in Hamm v. Smith, letting stand a lower-court finding that Smith is intellectually disabled and cannot be executed.

Updated May 21

Rule Changes

As of May 2026: Repeatedly denied Bowe's successive petition requests

The Supreme Court just handed federal prisoners a major win, ruling 5-4 that they can challenge their convictions repeatedly—something most courts have blocked for decades. Michael Bowe, serving 24 years for armed robbery, asked to revisit his case based on new legal precedent. The Eleventh Circuit said no. On January 9, 2026, the Supreme Court said yes, declaring that a key provision of the 1996 anti-terrorism law applies only to state prisoners, not federal inmates.

Updated May 20

Rule Changes

As of May 2026: Allowed Florida HB 3 enforcement while litigation continues

A federal judge blocked Texas from forcing Apple and Google to verify every app store user's age, calling the law akin to requiring ID checks at bookstore doors. This December 2024 ruling is the latest defeat in a wave of state attempts to age-gate the internet.

Updated May 16