Daily Digest — 2026-10-24

No Congressional Record issue was observed on this day. The Record for a day's proceedings is typically published by govinfo the following morning; it appears in the digest for the day it is observed (how our clocks work).

1.1 Senate

No Senate floor items met the selection thresholds. 0 floor granule(s) are accounted for in the Coverage Statement.

1.2 House of Representatives

No House floor items met the selection thresholds. 0 floor granule(s) are accounted for in the Coverage Statement.

1.3 Recorded Votes

No recorded votes were published in this issue of the Congressional Record.

Source: Congressional Bills (BILLS), text versions published 2026-10-24 to 2026-10-24.

2.1 Counts by Stage

2.2 Bills Listed by Mechanical Rule

Bills below are listed because they matched at least one listing rule; the matching rule is stated per item. All other bill texts are counted above and accounted for in the Coverage Statement.

No bill texts published in this range matched a listing rule; all 2 are accounted for in the Coverage Statement.

Source: Federal Register (FR), issue of 2026-10-24.

3.1 Counts by Document Type

3.2 Rules Published

No rules were published in this issue.

3.3 Proposed Rules Published

No proposed rules were published in this issue.

3.4 Notices and Presidential Documents

Notices are summarized only when they match a listing rule; all are counted in 3.1 and in the Coverage Statement. Presidential documents in the FR are always listed.

No notices or presidential documents matched a listing rule.

Source: Public and Private Laws (PLAW) published 2026-10-24.

No laws were published in this range.

Source: United States Courts Opinions (USCOURTS): opinions observed 2026-10-24 by our collector; each opinion states its own issue date beside its listing (how our clocks work).

Completeness disclosure (standing): USCOURTS carries opinions from approximately 140 participating appellate, district, bankruptcy, and national federal courts. Unlike the Congressional Record and the Federal Register, which are the complete official record of their branches, USCOURTS is participation-based and is NOT the complete federal judicial record. Courts post opinions with delay — typically over several days — so a day's digest carries the opinions that became available that day, whatever date each was issued.

5.1 Appellate and National Court Opinions

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In plain terms 51 appellate decisions spanning drug trafficking convictions, sentencing relief denials, and immigration, civil rights, bankruptcy, and environmental cases.

Appellate and national court opinions are summarized; district and bankruptcy opinions are counted in 5.2 and in the Coverage Statement.

United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit

• California Valley Miwok Tribe, et al v. Douglas Burgum, et al (No. 24-05231; filed 2026-10-23) — The D.C. Circuit affirmed the district court's decision upholding the Interior Department's 2022 revision to tribal eligibility criteria for the California Valley Miwok Tribe's initial organization, finding reasonable the addition of a fourth eligible group after discovery of a genealogical error that had drastically reduced the pool of eligible participants.
• In plain terms The D.C. Circuit upheld the Interior Department's 2022 revision to tribal eligibility requirements for the California Valley Miwok Tribe, allowing a fourth eligible group after discovering a genealogical error that had reduced eligible participants.
• Included because: USCOURTS-SEL-01 — appellate court opinion (all listed) (document dated 2026-10-23)
• Source: USCOURTS-caDC-24-05231 / USCOURTS-caDC-24-05231-0 (opens in a new tab)

United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit

• Mitchell Sanderson v. Walsh County Sheriff (No. 26-01550; filed 2026-10-23) — The Eighth Circuit Clerk of Court issued notice to Mitchell Sanderson that an opinion was issued in his appeal against Walsh County Sheriff and judgment has been entered.
• In plain terms The court issued an opinion and entered judgment in Sanderson's appeal against Walsh County Sheriff.
• Included because: USCOURTS-SEL-01 — appellate court opinion (all listed) (document dated 2026-10-23)
• Source: USCOURTS-ca8-26-01550 / USCOURTS-ca8-26-01550-0 (opens in a new tab)
• United States v. Gaspar Acosta (No. 26-02048; filed 2026-10-23) — The Eighth Circuit dismissed the appeal of a defendant sentenced for a drug offense after determining that the valid appeal waiver in his plea agreement covered all issues raised and that no miscarriage of justice would result from enforcing the waiver.
• In plain terms The court dismissed the drug defendant's appeal because his plea agreement included a valid waiver covering all issues he raised and enforcing it wouldn't cause a miscarriage of justice.
• Included because: USCOURTS-SEL-01 — appellate court opinion (all listed) (document dated 2026-10-23)
• Source: USCOURTS-ca8-26-02048 / USCOURTS-ca8-26-02048-0 (opens in a new tab)

United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit

• USA v. Torri McLaurin (No. 24-11532; filed 2026-10-23) — McLaurin appealed his 235-month sentence for conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, fentanyl, and cocaine. The Eleventh Circuit affirmed, holding that the district court properly attributed the weight of drugs possessed by McLaurin's co-conspirators to him under sentencing guidelines and properly applied a two-level enhancement for maintaining premises used for drug manufacturing and distribution based on conduct reasonably foreseeable to McLaurin.
• In plain terms A 235-month sentence for distributing methamphetamine, fentanyl, and cocaine was upheld, with co-conspirators' drug amounts properly attributed to the defendant.
• Included because: USCOURTS-SEL-01 — appellate court opinion (all listed) (document dated 2026-10-23)
• Source: USCOURTS-ca11-24-11532 / USCOURTS-ca11-24-11532-0 (opens in a new tab)
• USA v. Guerby Rene (No. 24-13113; filed 2026-10-23) — Rene obtained approximately $243,500 in Small Business Administration pandemic relief loans through false statements about his businesses' revenue, establishment dates, and employee counts, then spent the funds on a Lamborghini, luxury travel, and personal expenses. The Eleventh Circuit affirmed his 37-month sentence for three counts of wire fraud, finding sufficient evidence of material misrepresentations.
• In plain terms A man who falsely obtained about $243,500 in pandemic relief loans and spent it on luxury items received a 37-month sentence that was upheld.
• Included because: USCOURTS-SEL-01 — appellate court opinion (all listed) (document dated 2026-10-23)
• Source: USCOURTS-ca11-24-13113 / USCOURTS-ca11-24-13113-0 (opens in a new tab)
• USA v. Emmanuel Othello (No. 25-12159; filed 2026-10-23) — Othello appealed his 96-month sentence for three counts of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine, challenging both procedural and substantive reasonableness. The Eleventh Circuit affirmed, finding the sentence fell within the 78-97 month guideline range and the district court properly considered all statutory sentencing factors.
• In plain terms A 96-month sentence for conspiracy to distribute cocaine was upheld as properly following sentencing guidelines.
• Included because: USCOURTS-SEL-01 — appellate court opinion (all listed) (document dated 2026-10-23)
• Source: USCOURTS-ca11-25-12159 / USCOURTS-ca11-25-12159-0 (opens in a new tab)
• Rich Successful, et al v. Hall County, Georgia, et al (No. 25-12720; filed 2026-10-23) — The court affirmed the district court's decision in this civil case.
• In plain terms A court upheld the district court's decision in a civil case.
• Included because: USCOURTS-SEL-01 — appellate court opinion (all listed) (document dated 2026-10-23)
• Source: USCOURTS-ca11-25-12720 / USCOURTS-ca11-25-12720-0 (opens in a new tab)
• Rolanda Johnson-Shorter v. Smith Transport LLC, et al (No. 25-13866; filed 2026-10-23) — The court dismissed the appeal for lack of jurisdiction because the district court vacated its dismissal order and remanded the case to state court, rendering the appeal moot.
• In plain terms An appeal was dismissed because the district court vacated its dismissal order and sent the case back to state court.
• Included because: USCOURTS-SEL-01 — appellate court opinion (all listed) (document dated 2026-10-23)
• Source: USCOURTS-ca11-25-13866 / USCOURTS-ca11-25-13866-0 (opens in a new tab)
• Bay Haven at Coco Bay Condominium Association, Inc v. Hartford Insurance Company of the Midwest (No. 26-10485; filed 2026-10-23) — Bay Haven sought additional insurance recovery from Hartford for flood damage from Hurricane Ian beyond amounts already paid, but Hartford refused without new signed and sworn proofs of loss as required by the National Flood Insurance Program standard policy. The Eleventh Circuit affirmed summary judgment for Hartford, holding that strict compliance with the proof of loss requirement is mandatory for all claims under federal flood insurance policies.
• In plain terms A court upheld an insurance company's refusal to pay additional flood damage claims without new sworn proofs of loss as required by federal flood insurance policies.
• Included because: USCOURTS-SEL-01 — appellate court opinion (all listed) (document dated 2026-10-23)
• Source: USCOURTS-ca11-26-10485 / USCOURTS-ca11-26-10485-0 (opens in a new tab)

United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit

• Lee v. DHS (No. 26-01602; filed 2026-10-23) — The Federal Circuit affirmed the Merit Systems Protection Board's decision sustaining the removal of an Immigration Services Officer II from the Department of Homeland Security for lack of candor and unauthorized database searches. The officer had lied to the Office of Inspector General about involvement in his wife's criminal activity and conducted unauthorized searches of her criminal history in the TECS database. The Board's penalty determination was supported by substantial evidence and did not constitute an abuse of discretion.
• In plain terms A federal court upheld removal of an Immigration Services Officer for lying about his wife's criminal activity and conducting unauthorized database searches.
• Included because: USCOURTS-SEL-01 — appellate court opinion (all listed) (document dated 2026-10-23)
• Source: USCOURTS-ca13-26-01602 / USCOURTS-ca13-26-01602-0 (opens in a new tab)

United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit

• South Carolina Coastal Conservation League v. United States Army Corps of Engineers (No. 25-01797; filed 2026-10-23) — The Fourth Circuit affirmed the Army Corps of Engineers' issuance of a Section 404 Clean Water Act permit for the Cainhoy Plantation residential and commercial development project in Charleston, South Carolina, affecting 181.5 acres of wetlands. The Corps determined the proposed project was the least environmentally damaging practicable alternative after reviewing 14 alternative plans and a no-action option. The court found the Corps conducted a thorough analysis and did not act arbitrarily or capriciously.
• In plain terms A court upheld a permit for residential and commercial development affecting 181.5 acres of wetlands in South Carolina, finding the Army Corps conducted thorough analysis.
• Included because: USCOURTS-SEL-01 — appellate court opinion (all listed) (document dated 2026-10-23)
• Source: USCOURTS-ca4-25-01797 / USCOURTS-ca4-25-01797-0 (opens in a new tab)
• Rasien Butler-Mazyck v. Berkeley County Sheriff's Office (No. 26-02038; filed 2026-10-23) — The Fourth Circuit dismissed an appeal for lack of jurisdiction, finding that the district court's order allowing some claims in a § 1983 complaint to proceed while dismissing others with prejudice was neither a final order nor an appealable interlocutory or collateral order.
• In plain terms An appeal was dismissed because the district court's order partially allowing and dismissing claims was not a final, appealable order.
• Included because: USCOURTS-SEL-01 — appellate court opinion (all listed) (document dated 2026-10-23)
• Source: USCOURTS-ca4-26-02038 / USCOURTS-ca4-26-02038-0 (opens in a new tab)
• In re: Ryan Miller (No. 26-02112; filed 2026-10-23) — The Fourth Circuit denied a mandamus petition seeking to compel the district court to rule on a habeas petition under 28 U.S.C. § 2241, finding no evidence of undue delay in the district court.
• In plain terms A court denied a request to force the district court to rule on a habeas petition, finding no evidence of unusual delay.
• Included because: USCOURTS-SEL-01 — appellate court opinion (all listed) (document dated 2026-10-23)
• Source: USCOURTS-ca4-26-02112 / USCOURTS-ca4-26-02112-0 (opens in a new tab)
• US v. Walter Cardona (No. 26-04045; filed 2026-10-23) — The Fourth Circuit affirmed the conviction and sentence of a defendant who pled guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1956(h). The defendant was sentenced to 60 months' imprisonment, below the advisory Sentencing Guidelines range of 87-108 months. The court found the sentence procedurally and substantively reasonable.
• In plain terms A court upheld a guilty plea and 60-month sentence for money laundering conspiracy, finding it reasonably below the guideline range.
• Included because: USCOURTS-SEL-01 — appellate court opinion (all listed) (document dated 2026-10-23)
• Source: USCOURTS-ca4-26-04045 / USCOURTS-ca4-26-04045-0 (opens in a new tab)
• US v. Jerry McKnight, Jr. (No. 26-04135; filed 2026-10-23) — The Fourth Circuit affirmed an 18-month sentence imposed following supervised release revocation for drug possession violations. The court found the violations properly classified as Grade B violations under the Sentencing Guidelines because they constituted new criminal conduct punishable by more than one year of imprisonment.
• In plain terms A court upheld an 18-month sentence for drug possession violations during supervised release, treating them as serious violations under sentencing rules.
• Included because: USCOURTS-SEL-01 — appellate court opinion (all listed) (document dated 2026-10-23)
• Source: USCOURTS-ca4-26-04135 / USCOURTS-ca4-26-04135-0 (opens in a new tab)
• K' Darius West v. Doug Branham (No. 26-06070; filed 2026-10-23) — The Fourth Circuit affirmed a district court judgment in West's civil rights action under 42 U.S.C. § 1983 alleging excessive force by Officer Branham. A jury found that the defendant used excessive force against West but did not award compensatory damages. The court found no reversible error in the jury's decision.
• In plain terms A court upheld a verdict finding excessive force by an officer but found no reversible error when the jury awarded no damages.
• Included because: USCOURTS-SEL-01 — appellate court opinion (all listed) (document dated 2026-10-23)
• Source: USCOURTS-ca4-26-06070 / USCOURTS-ca4-26-06070-0 (opens in a new tab)
• US v. Billy McCullers, Jr. (No. 26-06226; filed 2026-10-23) — The Fourth Circuit affirmed the district court's denial of McCullers' motion for compassionate release under 18 U.S.C. § 3582(c)(1)(A). The court found no abuse of discretion in the denial.
• In plain terms A court upheld denial of a request for compassionate release from prison.
• Included because: USCOURTS-SEL-01 — appellate court opinion (all listed) (document dated 2026-10-23)
• Source: USCOURTS-ca4-26-06226 / USCOURTS-ca4-26-06226-0 (opens in a new tab)
• US v. Raynaldo Brandon (No. 26-06294; filed 2026-10-23) — The Fourth Circuit affirmed the district court's denial of Brandon's motion for compassionate release under 18 U.S.C. § 3582(c)(1)(A). The court concluded the district court did not abuse its discretion in finding that Brandon failed to demonstrate extraordinary and compelling reasons for relief.
• In plain terms A court upheld denial of a request for compassionate release, finding the defendant failed to demonstrate extraordinary and compelling reasons.
• Included because: USCOURTS-SEL-01 — appellate court opinion (all listed) (document dated 2026-10-23)
• Source: USCOURTS-ca4-26-06294 / USCOURTS-ca4-26-06294-0 (opens in a new tab)
• US v. Eduardo Bueno (No. 26-06368; filed 2026-10-23) — The Fourth Circuit affirmed the district court's denial of Bueno's motion for compassionate release under 18 U.S.C. § 3582(c)(1)(A)(i). The court found no abuse of discretion in the denial.
• In plain terms A court upheld denial of a request for compassionate release from prison.
• Included because: USCOURTS-SEL-01 — appellate court opinion (all listed) (document dated 2026-10-23)
• Source: USCOURTS-ca4-26-06368 / USCOURTS-ca4-26-06368-0 (opens in a new tab)
• US v. Adrian Davis (No. 26-06369; filed 2026-10-23) — The Fourth Circuit affirmed the district court's denial of Davis's motion for compassionate release under 18 U.S.C. § 3582(c)(1)(A) in consolidated appeals. The court found no abuse of discretion in the denial.
• In plain terms A court upheld denial of a request for compassionate release from prison.
• Included because: USCOURTS-SEL-01 — appellate court opinion (all listed) (document dated 2026-10-23)
• Source: USCOURTS-ca4-26-06369 / USCOURTS-ca4-26-06369-0 (opens in a new tab)
• US v. Adrian Davis (No. 26-06376; filed 2026-10-23) — The Fourth Circuit affirmed the district court's denial of Davis's motion for compassionate release under 18 U.S.C. § 3582(c)(1)(A) in consolidated appeals. The court found no abuse of discretion in the denial.
• In plain terms A court upheld denial of a request for compassionate release from prison.
• Included because: USCOURTS-SEL-01 — appellate court opinion (all listed) (document dated 2026-10-23)
• Source: USCOURTS-ca4-26-06376 / USCOURTS-ca4-26-06376-0 (opens in a new tab)
• US v. Roy Dykes (No. 26-06398; filed 2026-10-23) — Roy Lee Dykes appealed the district court's denial of his motion for relief from an earlier dismissal of his 28 U.S.C. § 2255 petition as untimely. The Fourth Circuit dismissed the appeal, finding that Dykes failed to demonstrate the requisite substantial showing of denial of a constitutional right required for issuance of a certificate of appealability.
• In plain terms An appeal was dismissed because the defendant failed to demonstrate a substantial constitutional issue in his request for relief.
• Included because: USCOURTS-SEL-01 — appellate court opinion (all listed) (document dated 2026-10-23)
• Source: USCOURTS-ca4-26-06398 / USCOURTS-ca4-26-06398-0 (opens in a new tab)
• Gregory Avent v. Bertha Stith (No. 26-06415; filed 2026-10-23) — Gregory E. Avent appealed the district court's dismissal of his 42 U.S.C. § 1983 complaint under 28 U.S.C. § 1915A(b)(1), which the court determined failed to state a claim and was frivolous. The Fourth Circuit affirmed the district court's order.
• In plain terms A court upheld dismissal of a civil rights complaint as failing to state a valid claim.
• Included because: USCOURTS-SEL-01 — appellate court opinion (all listed) (document dated 2026-10-23)
• Source: USCOURTS-ca4-26-06415 / USCOURTS-ca4-26-06415-0 (opens in a new tab)
• Jason Boyle v. Danny Singleton (No. 26-06470; filed 2026-10-23) — Jason Michael Boyle appealed the district court's dismissal of his 42 U.S.C. § 1983 complaint under 28 U.S.C. § 1915(e)(2)(B). The Fourth Circuit affirmed, finding the district court properly applied Younger abstention doctrine regarding ongoing state court contempt proceedings and correctly determined that state court judges were entitled to immunity from suit.
• In plain terms A court upheld dismissal of a civil rights complaint, finding that state court judges were properly immune from suit.
• Included because: USCOURTS-SEL-01 — appellate court opinion (all listed) (document dated 2026-10-23)
• Source: USCOURTS-ca4-26-06470 / USCOURTS-ca4-26-06470-0 (opens in a new tab)
• US v. Andre Corbett (No. 26-06472; filed 2026-10-23) — Andre Lee Corbett appealed the district court's denial of his authorized successive 28 U.S.C. § 2255 motion, which the district court found was time-barred under the applicable statute of limitations. The Fourth Circuit dismissed the appeal after determining that Corbett failed to demonstrate the requisite substantial showing of denial of a constitutional right required for a certificate of appealability.
• In plain terms An appeal was dismissed because the defendant failed to demonstrate a substantial constitutional issue.
• Included because: USCOURTS-SEL-01 — appellate court opinion (all listed) (document dated 2026-10-23)
• Source: USCOURTS-ca4-26-06472 / USCOURTS-ca4-26-06472-0 (opens in a new tab)
• Jason Boyle v. Oconee County (No. 26-06488; filed 2026-10-23) — Jason Michael Boyle appealed the district court's order that partially dismissed some of his federal claims and referred other claims back to the magistrate judge for further proceedings. The Fourth Circuit dismissed the appeal for lack of jurisdiction, finding the order was neither a final order nor an appealable interlocutory or collateral order.
• In plain terms An appeal was dismissed because the district court's order partially dismissing and partially referring claims was not a final, appealable order.
• Included because: USCOURTS-SEL-01 — appellate court opinion (all listed) (document dated 2026-10-23)
• Source: USCOURTS-ca4-26-06488 / USCOURTS-ca4-26-06488-0 (opens in a new tab)
• Timothy Bullock v. Joseph Walters (No. 26-06505; filed 2026-10-23) — Timothy O'Neal Bullock appealed the district court's dismissal of his "Fair Sentence Act" motion, which was construed as an unauthorized successive 28 U.S.C. § 2254 petition over which the court lacked jurisdiction. The Fourth Circuit affirmed the dismissal and denied authorization to file the successive § 2254 petition.
• In plain terms A court upheld dismissal of a motion challenging a sentence due to lack of jurisdiction and denied permission for a successive petition.
• Included because: USCOURTS-SEL-01 — appellate court opinion (all listed) (document dated 2026-10-23)
• Source: USCOURTS-ca4-26-06505 / USCOURTS-ca4-26-06505-0 (opens in a new tab)
• Teddy Randle v. Officer Hall (No. 26-06623; filed 2026-10-23) — The Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed the district court's dismissal of Teddy Randle's civil rights complaint under 28 U.S.C. § 1915(e)(2)(B)(ii) for failure to state a claim. Randle's informal appellate brief did not challenge the district court's bases for dismissal, resulting in forfeiture of appellate review.
• In plain terms A court upheld dismissal of a civil rights complaint because the appeal did not challenge the bases for the dismissal.
• Included because: USCOURTS-SEL-01 — appellate court opinion (all listed) (document dated 2026-10-23)
• Source: USCOURTS-ca4-26-06623 / USCOURTS-ca4-26-06623-0 (opens in a new tab)
• James Ray v. Leslie Dismukes (No. 26-06628; filed 2026-10-23) — The Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed the district court's dismissal of James Ray's civil complaint as frivolous and for failure to state a claim under 28 U.S.C. § 1915(e)(2)(B). The court found no reversible error in the district court's judgment.
• In plain terms The Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the district court's dismissal of James Ray's lawsuit as frivolous and for not saying enough to support a legal claim.
• Included because: USCOURTS-SEL-01 — appellate court opinion (all listed) (document dated 2026-10-23)
• Source: USCOURTS-ca4-26-06628 / USCOURTS-ca4-26-06628-0 (opens in a new tab)
• Randall Foltyniewicz v. U.S. Federal Bureau of Prisons (No. 26-06630; filed 2026-10-23) — The Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed the district court's denial of Randall Foltyniewicz's 28 U.S.C. § 2241 petition challenging his pretrial detention and related proceedings. The court determined that Foltyniewicz failed to exhaust available remedies as required before seeking habeas relief.
• In plain terms The Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the lower court's rejection of Randall Foltyniewicz's petition challenging his pretrial detention because he failed to use all available remedies first.
• Included because: USCOURTS-SEL-01 — appellate court opinion (all listed) (document dated 2026-10-23)
• Source: USCOURTS-ca4-26-06630 / USCOURTS-ca4-26-06630-0 (opens in a new tab)
• Jerome Scott v. Almetia Hardman (No. 26-06697; filed 2026-10-23) — The Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed the district court's dismissal without prejudice of Jerome Scott's 28 U.S.C. § 2254 habeas petition for his failure to complete and submit the required standardized form. The court found no abuse of discretion in the dismissal.
• In plain terms The Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the lower court's dismissal of Jerome Scott's petition challenging his conviction because he failed to use the required form, and he can file again later.
• Included because: USCOURTS-SEL-01 — appellate court opinion (all listed) (document dated 2026-10-23)
• Source: USCOURTS-ca4-26-06697 / USCOURTS-ca4-26-06697-0 (opens in a new tab)
• Christopher Minor v. Leslie Dismukes (No. 26-06799; filed 2026-10-23) — The Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals dismissed Christopher Minor's appeal for lack of jurisdiction, determining that the district court's order dismissing his motions for expedited decision and records release in his 28 U.S.C. § 2254 proceeding was neither a final order nor an appealable interlocutory or collateral order.
• In plain terms The Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals dismissed Christopher Minor's appeal because the lower court's order was not final enough to be reviewed by the appeals court.
• Included because: USCOURTS-SEL-01 — appellate court opinion (all listed) (document dated 2026-10-23)
• Source: USCOURTS-ca4-26-06799 / USCOURTS-ca4-26-06799-0 (opens in a new tab)

United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit

• NEWSOM, ET AL. V. TRUMP, ET AL. (No. 25-3727; filed 2026-10-23) — The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed a preliminary injunction preventing the President from deploying members of the California National Guard in Los Angeles, finding that the President's order federalizing the Guard under 10 U.S.C. § 12406 lacked statutory authority and violated the constitutional separation of powers. The panel concluded the President did not make required threshold showings under either subsection 12406(3) or 12406(2).
• In plain terms The Ninth Circuit upheld a court order preventing the President from federalizing California National Guard members in Los Angeles, finding he lacked legal authority and violated constitutional separation of powers.
• Included because: USCOURTS-SEL-01 — appellate court opinion (all listed) (document dated 2026-10-23)
• Source: USCOURTS-ca9-25-3727 / USCOURTS-ca9-25-3727-0 (opens in a new tab)
• A. M. V. BLANCHE (No. 25-5415; filed 2026-10-23) — The Ninth Circuit granted a petition for review of an asylum denial, finding the immigration judge fundamentally misunderstood how sexual orientation is defined and failed to provide adequate notice and opportunity to present corroborating evidence of membership in the proposed particular social group. The panel remanded the case for the agency to properly reevaluate the applicant's social group membership.
• In plain terms The Ninth Circuit reviewed an asylum denial after finding the immigration judge misunderstood sexual orientation and failed to allow evidence of the applicant's social group membership, requiring reevaluation.
• Included because: USCOURTS-SEL-01 — appellate court opinion (all listed) (document dated 2026-10-23)
• Source: USCOURTS-ca9-25-5415 / USCOURTS-ca9-25-5415-0 (opens in a new tab)
• NEWSOM, ET AL. V. TRUMP, ET AL. (No. 25-7781; filed 2026-10-23) — The Ninth Circuit denied a motion to dismiss an appeal of the preliminary injunction regarding the initial National Guard federalization, finding it not moot because a merits decision would provide relief preventing future federalizations under similar circumstances, but granted a motion to dismiss a related appeal regarding extension of the federalization that lacked practical significance.
• In plain terms The Ninth Circuit refused to dismiss the appeal of the court order preventing National Guard federalization because it could prevent similar future actions, but dismissed a separate appeal about extending the federalization.
• Included because: USCOURTS-SEL-01 — appellate court opinion (all listed) (document dated 2026-10-23)
• Source: USCOURTS-ca9-25-7781 / USCOURTS-ca9-25-7781-0 (opens in a new tab)

United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit

• USA v. Ashley Grayson (No. 24-05988; filed 2025-08-14) — The Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed Ashley Grayson's conviction for conspiracy to use interstate commerce facilities in the commission of murder-for-hire in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1958. Grayson had hired Olivia Johnson and Brandon Thomas to kill three people, and Johnson recorded a FaceTime call in which Grayson discussed the murders before providing the recording to federal authorities. The court rejected Grayson's challenges to the recording's admissibility and jury instructions.
• In plain terms The Sixth Circuit upheld Ashley Grayson's murder-for-hire conspiracy conviction for hiring others to murder three people, rejecting challenges to the FaceTime recording and jury instructions.
• Included because: USCOURTS-SEL-01 — appellate court opinion (all listed) (document dated 2026-10-23)
• Source: USCOURTS-ca6-24-05988 / USCOURTS-ca6-24-05988-0 (opens in a new tab)
• USA v. Ashley Grayson (No. 24-05988; filed 2026-10-23) — The Sixth Circuit affirmed a murder-for-hire conspiracy conviction despite assuming the admission of a recorded FaceTime conversation violated the Federal Wiretap Act, finding the error harmless based on corroborating testimony, text messages, surveillance footage, and the defendant's own admissions to the FBI.
• In plain terms The Sixth Circuit upheld the murder-for-hire conviction despite assuming a FaceTime recording violated wiretapping laws, finding text messages, surveillance footage, and the defendant's own FBI admissions supported it.
• Included because: USCOURTS-SEL-01 — appellate court opinion (all listed) (document dated 2026-10-23)
• Source: USCOURTS-ca6-24-05988 / USCOURTS-ca6-24-05988-1 (opens in a new tab)
• USA v. Lee Logan (No. 25-01934; filed 2026-10-23) — The Sixth Circuit affirmed the application of a sentencing enhancement for possessing a firearm in connection with drug distribution, finding sufficient evidence that the defendant's firearm possession was connected to his drug trafficking activity based on his recent drug sale, possession of the firearm at arrest, and connection to a residence containing drug trafficking materials.
• In plain terms The Sixth Circuit upheld a longer sentence for firearm possession connected to drug trafficking, based on evidence of a recent drug sale, firearm at arrest, and drugs at his residence.
• Included because: USCOURTS-SEL-01 — appellate court opinion (all listed) (document dated 2026-10-23)
• Source: USCOURTS-ca6-25-01934 / USCOURTS-ca6-25-01934-0 (opens in a new tab)
• Ernest Jarrett, et al v. Dominic Archibald (No. 25-02100; filed 2026-10-23) — The Sixth Circuit affirmed dismissal of an attorney's claims against a former client for unpaid contingency fees, finding the complaint failed to plausibly allege that the attorney had performed all services required under the contract or that the client was unjustly enriched at his expense.
• In plain terms The Sixth Circuit upheld dismissal of an attorney's lawsuit for unpaid contingency fees because he did not adequately claim he completed all services or wrongfully enriched the client.
• Included because: USCOURTS-SEL-01 — appellate court opinion (all listed) (document dated 2026-10-23)
• Source: USCOURTS-ca6-25-02100 / USCOURTS-ca6-25-02100-0 (opens in a new tab)
• Jecinta Tongka v. Todd Blanche (No. 25-03951; filed 2026-10-23) — The Sixth Circuit denied review of a Board of Immigration Appeals decision denying asylum and withholding of removal to a Cameroonian national, finding the Immigration Judge's credibility determination was not clearly erroneous based on inconsistencies between the applicant's testimony and her written application.
• In plain terms The Sixth Circuit declined to review an asylum denial for a Cameroonian national, finding the immigration judge's credibility assessment was not clearly wrong based on inconsistencies in testimony and application.
• Included because: USCOURTS-SEL-01 — appellate court opinion (all listed) (document dated 2026-10-23)
• Source: USCOURTS-ca6-25-03951 / USCOURTS-ca6-25-03951-0 (opens in a new tab)
• USA v. Dejon Boone (No. 25-04030; filed 2026-10-23) — The Sixth Circuit affirmed the application of a sentencing enhancement for possessing ammunition as a felon in connection with another felony, finding the defendant's firing of multiple shots toward an occupied vehicle at a gas station constituted a separate offense under Ohio law that created a substantial risk of physical harm.
• In plain terms The Sixth Circuit upheld a longer sentence for a felon possessing ammunition in connection with another felony, as firing shots at an occupied vehicle created substantial danger.
• Included because: USCOURTS-SEL-01 — appellate court opinion (all listed) (document dated 2026-10-23)
• Source: USCOURTS-ca6-25-04030 / USCOURTS-ca6-25-04030-0 (opens in a new tab)
• USA v. Grady Chandler (No. 25-05412; filed 2026-10-23) — The Sixth Circuit affirmed convictions for drug distribution and conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and a sentence of 235 months, finding sufficient evidence of guilt, proper admission of a coconspirator's statements, and proper attribution of over 500 grams of methamphetamine to the defendant.
• In plain terms The Sixth Circuit upheld methamphetamine distribution and conspiracy convictions with a 235-month sentence, finding sufficient evidence, coconspirator statements admissible, and over 500 grams attributed to the defendant.
• Included because: USCOURTS-SEL-01 — appellate court opinion (all listed) (document dated 2026-10-23)
• Source: USCOURTS-ca6-25-05412 / USCOURTS-ca6-25-05412-0 (opens in a new tab)

United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit

• United States v. Jones (No. 24-05034; filed 2026-10-23) — The court of appeals denied Jones' request for a certificate of appealability regarding his challenge to the district court's dismissal of his first two arguments as unauthorized second motions, finding that the district court correctly determined such arguments must proceed under 28 U.S.C. § 2255, not § 3582(c) compassionate release, per the Supreme Court's decision in Fernandez. The court affirmed the denial of compassionate release based on sentencing disparities, finding they do not meet the statutory requirements for such relief.
• In plain terms The court denied Jones' request to appeal his case, finding that his arguments must go through a different legal process and that sentencing differences don't qualify for sentence reduction.
• Included because: USCOURTS-SEL-01 — appellate court opinion (all listed) (document dated 2026-10-23)
• Source: USCOURTS-ca10-24-05034 / USCOURTS-ca10-24-05034-0 (opens in a new tab)
• Ella Coney v. Harvey Sender (No. 25-00023; filed 2026-10-23) — The bankruptcy appellate panel reviewed Coney's appeal of the bankruptcy court's judgment that her loan to her son and subsequent transfers were fraudulent and preferential under bankruptcy law, upholding the court's finding that the home loan transaction and cash transfers met the statutory elements for fraudulent conveyance and that the trustee could recover the transferred property or its value for the bankruptcy estate.
• In plain terms The court upheld that her loan to her son and the transfers that followed were fraudulent and preferential, allowing the trustee to recover those transferred items or their value.
• Included because: USCOURTS-SEL-01 — appellate court opinion (all listed) (document dated 2026-10-23)
• Source: USCOURTS-ca10-25-00023 / USCOURTS-ca10-25-00023-0 (opens in a new tab)
• Moreno, et al v. Bondi (No. 25-09581; filed 2026-10-23) — The court of appeals affirmed the Board of Immigration Appeals' denial of Moreno's motion to reopen her removal proceedings, finding no abuse of discretion in applying procedural rules limiting motions to reopen and rejecting her due process claim based on alleged ineffective assistance of counsel because she failed to demonstrate the alleged errors likely affected the outcome of her removal proceedings.
• In plain terms The court upheld the immigration board's refusal to reopen her removal case, finding procedural rules were properly applied and that she didn't prove her lawyer's alleged errors affected the outcome.
• Included because: USCOURTS-SEL-01 — appellate court opinion (all listed) (document dated 2026-10-23)
• Source: USCOURTS-ca10-25-09581 / USCOURTS-ca10-25-09581-0 (opens in a new tab)
• United States v. Grigsby (No. 26-03036; filed 2026-10-23) — The court of appeals affirmed the district court's denial of Grigsby's motion to modify his restitution payment schedule, finding he failed to meet the statutory requirements under the Mandatory Victims Restitution Act, specifically failing to show notification to the attorney general and victim notice.
• In plain terms The court denied Grigsby's request to change his restitution payments because he didn't properly notify the attorney general and victims as required by law.
• Included because: USCOURTS-SEL-01 — appellate court opinion (all listed) (document dated 2026-10-23)
• Source: USCOURTS-ca10-26-03036 / USCOURTS-ca10-26-03036-0 (opens in a new tab)
• United States v. Luker (No. 26-03065; filed 2026-10-23) — The court of appeals declined to issue a certificate of appealability in Luker's collateral attack, finding that none of his ineffective assistance of counsel claims presented issues on which reasonable jurists could debate the district court's ruling, and affirming that the constitutional right to habeas corpus does not preclude Congress from requiring such certificates before appeal.
• In plain terms The court refused to allow Luker to appeal his case because his claims that his lawyer didn't help him properly don't raise issues that judges would reasonably disagree about.
• Included because: USCOURTS-SEL-01 — appellate court opinion (all listed) (document dated 2026-10-23)
• Source: USCOURTS-ca10-26-03065 / USCOURTS-ca10-26-03065-0 (opens in a new tab)
• United States v. Carlucci (No. 26-04078; filed 2026-10-23) — The court of appeals affirmed the district court's denial of Carlucci's request for early termination of his probation, finding no abuse of discretion where the defendant had represented that his probation officer supported early termination but later acknowledged the officer's actual statements were limited to observing his compliance with probation conditions.
• In plain terms The court denied Carlucci's request to end his probation early; he initially said his probation officer agreed but later admitted the officer only confirmed he was complying with his probation.
• Included because: USCOURTS-SEL-01 — appellate court opinion (all listed) (document dated 2026-10-23)
• Source: USCOURTS-ca10-26-04078 / USCOURTS-ca10-26-04078-0 (opens in a new tab)

United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit

• Jesus Diaz v. Attorney General United States of America (No. 25-02190; filed 2026-10-23) — The Third Circuit affirmed the Board of Immigration Appeals' denial of asylum, withholding of removal, and Convention Against Torture protection for a Mexican national removable based on two criminal convictions involving moral turpitude. The court found the applicant failed to establish past persecution based on a single threat without physical harm, did not meet the withholding of removal standard, and did not demonstrate he would more likely than not face torture if returned to Mexico.
• In plain terms The court upheld the denial of asylum and torture protection for a Mexican national with two criminal convictions, finding he didn't prove past persecution from a threat alone and wouldn't likely face torture if returned to Mexico.
• Included because: USCOURTS-SEL-01 — appellate court opinion (all listed) (document dated 2026-10-23)
• Source: USCOURTS-ca3-25-02190 / USCOURTS-ca3-25-02190-0 (opens in a new tab)
• Yosef Cohen v. Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania, et al (No. 25-03308; filed 2026-10-23) — The Third Circuit affirmed the district court's denial of attorney's fees in a case removed to federal court and subsequently remanded for lack of subject matter jurisdiction. The court found the university's removal was based on an objectively reasonable basis for asserting federal-question jurisdiction, even though the district court ultimately determined it lacked subject matter jurisdiction over the state-law claims.
• In plain terms The court upheld the denial of attorney's fees, finding the university had a reasonable basis to move the case to federal court even though federal court ultimately lacked authority over the case.
• Included because: USCOURTS-SEL-01 — appellate court opinion (all listed) (document dated 2026-10-23)
• Source: USCOURTS-ca3-25-03308 / USCOURTS-ca3-25-03308-0 (opens in a new tab)
• In re: Albert Sedges (No. 26-03356; filed 2026-10-23) — The Third Circuit denied a petition for a writ of mandamus seeking to compel the district court to process and file a complaint and in forma pauperis application. The court found no undue delay, as the motion had been pending for approximately 8 weeks, and expressed confidence that the district court would adjudicate the motion within an appropriate time.
• In plain terms The court denied the petition to force the district court to file a complaint and waive filing fees, finding that eight weeks pending was not an unreasonable delay.
• Included because: USCOURTS-SEL-01 — appellate court opinion (all listed) (document dated 2026-10-23)
• Source: USCOURTS-ca3-26-03356 / USCOURTS-ca3-26-03356-0 (opens in a new tab)

5.2 Counts by Court Category

Archive-window disclosure (rule USCOURTS-FETCH-01): 34871 USCOURTS package(s) have been listed in delta syncs but fell outside the 7-day archive window and were not fetched (global running count across all syncs, not limited to this date).

Official press releases and statements the agencies themselves date on 2026-10-24 (sources listed in the source guide). These are the agencies' own announcements — official advocacy, quoted and attributed, not findings of this digest. Agency web content can be edited or removed without notice; captures and hashes are preserved per the provenance policy.

DHS News Releases

• DHS Highlights Worst Illegal Aliens Arrested in Georgia (opens in a new tab) — dated 2026-10-24 by the agency
• Included because: AGENCYPR-SEL-01 — official agency release dated this day by the agency (all such releases from active sources are listed; titles only in the pilot)
• Secretary Mullin Highlights Importance of Working with Tribal Nations in North Carolina (opens in a new tab) — dated 2026-10-24 by the agency
• Included because: AGENCYPR-SEL-01 — official agency release dated this day by the agency (all such releases from active sources are listed; titles only in the pilot)

FSIS Recalls and Public Health Alerts (email)

• Imperio Distribution LLC Recalls Beef Jerky Products Produced Without the Benefit of Inspection (opens in a new tab) — dated 2026-10-24 by the agency
• Included because: AGENCYPR-SEL-01 — official agency release dated this day by the agency (all such releases from active sources are listed; titles only in the pilot)
• Source: agency email bulletin to this project's subscription, captured and DKIM-verified

ICE Newsroom

• Criminal alien from El Salvador dies in ICE custody in Georgia (opens in a new tab) — dated 2026-10-24 by the agency
• Included because: AGENCYPR-SEL-01 — official agency release dated this day by the agency (all such releases from active sources are listed; titles only in the pilot)

NASA News Releases

• APOD: 2026 October 24 – Rosetta’s Selfie (opens in a new tab) — dated 2026-10-24 by the agency
• Included because: AGENCYPR-SEL-01 — official agency release dated this day by the agency (all such releases from active sources are listed; titles only in the pilot)

USDA News (email)

• Secretary Rollins and NASA Administrator Isaacman Sign MOU to Advance USDA Data Modernization Plan — dated 2026-10-24 by the agency
• Included because: AGENCYPR-SEL-01 — official agency release dated this day by the agency (all such releases from active sources are listed; titles only in the pilot)
• Source: agency email bulletin to this project's subscription, captured and DKIM-verified (the bulletin named no canonical page)

VA News Releases

• Crisis in the pews: Off-duty VA nurses step in to save a life (opens in a new tab) — dated 2026-10-24 by the agency
• Included because: AGENCYPR-SEL-01 — official agency release dated this day by the agency (all such releases from active sources are listed; titles only in the pilot)
• Every survivor’s voice matters: Helping shape the future of suicide loss support (opens in a new tab) — dated 2026-10-24 by the agency
• Included because: AGENCYPR-SEL-01 — official agency release dated this day by the agency (all such releases from active sources are listed; titles only in the pilot)

Also observed this day, not listed above: 21 release(s) the agencies date on other days (feed backfill from newly activated sources). Excluded under AGENCYPR-EX-01; counted in the Coverage Statement; captures preserved.

Roll-call votes the chambers themselves record on 2026-10-24, in vote-number order. Every recorded vote in the window is listed: selection is by existence, not by importance, and no rule here prefers one question over another. Tallies and member positions come from the chamber's own published vote record, captured and hashed like every other source. This is the chambers' vote record itself; section 1.3 lists the Congressional Record granules in which votes were printed.

No recorded votes dated this day were observed.

What the chambers did with individual measures on 2026-10-24, as the Library of Congress's own bill-status record states it. Every action in the ingestion window is listed, in bill-designation order: selection is by existence, not by importance, and no rule here prefers one measure over another. Section 2 lists the text of bills published this day; this section lists what happened to them.

Publication lag: the record dates an action by the day the chamber took it and publishes it the following morning, so this section fills in after the day it describes has ended — the same lag the judicial section carries, and it is restated under Known gaps.

No bill actions dated this day were observed.

Source: the Executive Office of the President, as published on whitehouse.gov and observed 2026-10-24. These are the President's own instruments — executive orders, proclamations, memoranda — carried here as the White House published them, days before the Federal Register compiles them into section 3.

Register (GUIDE §2): titles are the publisher's words and appear verbatim; any prose of ours about them is attributed, exactly as it is for agency releases. This section states what the White House published, never whether it was significant.

No presidential actions dated this day were observed. The White House publishes on its own schedule; an action taken today may appear in a later digest, and one dated earlier is counted under PRESACT-EX-01 rather than listed as today's news.

This section is mandatory and appears in every digest, including days with no publications. It accounts for every package observed on this digest day (GUIDE §3, observation-day filing); each package's own date may differ and is stated where it does. "Excluded" always names the mechanical rule; there are no unexplained omissions.

Sync summary: BILLS: completed 2026-10-25T04:00:08Z · CREC: completed 2026-10-25T04:00:08Z · FR: completed 2026-10-25T04:00:09Z · PLAW: completed 2026-10-25T04:00:11Z · USCOURTS: completed 2026-10-25T04:00:10Z; last watermarks as listed in the header.

Exclusion rules applied today:

• USCOURTS-EX-01: district court opinions counted, not individually summarized — 971 item(s)
• USCOURTS-EX-02: bankruptcy court opinions counted, not individually summarized — 1 item(s)
• AGENCYPR-EX-01: release dated outside this day by the agency (feed backfill / newly activated source) — counted, not listed — 21 item(s)

Source graphics: 0 graphic(s) flagged across today's documents: 0 content graphic(s) (equations, forms, maps, annex pages) and 0 boilerplate (signatures/seals, excluded by rule FR-GPH-01). Of the content graphics, 0 were analyzed via vision pass (vision pass not yet implemented) and 0 embedded above; the remainder are viewable in the cited source PDFs.

Known gaps: 12 package(s) were not fetched and are not covered above; courts post opinions with delay; opinions filed on this date may appear in later syncs.

Verification: any item above can be checked against its source in one click via its govinfo link. Totals in this table are reproducible from the stored extraction records for 2026-10-24.

Selection rules, summarization prompts, and thresholds are versioned in this repository and identified by the pipeline version in the header (0f1298bf). Editorial principles — primary sources only, opinion-agnostic prose, mechanical party-blind selection, full coverage accounting — are defined in GUIDE.md §2. Ruleset in effect: prompt version 2; plain-language version 2. To reproduce this digest: re-run the report stage against the extracted records for 2026-10-24; no upstream re-fetch is required (GUIDE.md §5).

Inference (GUIDE §6 r15, standing): The pipeline finalizes every publication day with or without an inference provider. Model layers are additive. When no inference was available for a day, the digest states that fact in its own prose and nothing more; the cause is operational detail recorded in the day's provenance and operations report, not in the published digest. The Coverage Statement's arithmetic reconciles regardless. Items are listed with their citations whether or not they were summarized. A day finalized without model layers is frozen like any other day; prose is not backfilled into a frozen digest.

Filing note (2026-08-06, standing): digests from 2026-08-06 file govinfo packages under their day of first observation — FAPD's three clocks are explained in the FAQ. The Federal Register files under its cover date, on which it is legally published. Digests before 2026-08-06 filed by each document's own date; the two Congressional Record issues observed 2026-08-04/05 (proceedings of 08-03/08-04) fell between the freeze and this change and appear in no digest — disclosed here, not backfilled.

"In plain terms" lines are model-generated restatements of the stored summaries, derived only from the summary text shown beside them; items without one had no usable restatement. ALL-CAPS source headings are case-normalized for display; original casing is preserved at the source link. Term definitions above are static, repo-versioned prose.

License: this digest's compilation and prose are CC BY 4.0 (opens in a new tab) (credit "FAPD — Free Agentic Publication Digester"); quoted official government text is public domain (17 U.S.C. § 105).