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USD Hosts Special Sitting of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit

SAN DIEGO (February 1, 2012) – The University of San Diego (USD) School of Law will  host a special sitting of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit on February 6, 2012. Oral Arguments will begin at 10:30 a.m. The three judge-panel consisting of Circuit Judges M. Margaret McKeown of San Diego, and Milan D. Smith, Jr., of El Segundo as well as Senior District Judge Rudi M. Brewster of San Diego, will hear appeals of decisions by the U.S. district courts for the Central District of California and the District of Nevada.

Among the cases on the docket are:

• Oyeniran v Holder - Daniel O. Oyeniran (aka Daniel Olu Abraham and Daniel Segun Oyeniran), a native and citizen of Nigeria, petitions for review of two decisions of the Board of Immigration Appeals: one dismissing his appeal of an immigration judge's denial of his application for deferral of removal under the Convention Against Torture; and another denying his motion to reopen and reconsider. Oyeniran asserted past persecution and a fear of future persecution on account of his father's position as an Archbishop and prominent Christian leader who is opposed to Islam. Oyeniran was previously granted CAT relief which was terminated after his attempted re-entry into the United States without proper travel documents.

• Monge v. Maya Magazines, Inc. - Noelia Lorenzo Monge and Jorge Reynoso appeal the district court's summary judgment in their action under the Copyright Act against Maya Magazines, Inc., and Maya Publishing Group LLC, which published photographs of Monge and Reynoso's wedding in "TVNotas," a celebrity gossip magazine.

• Soloman v. Cutler - Jack Solomon appeals (10-15969) the district court’s judgment, following a bench trial, in favor of Judy Goffman Cutler in a diversity action, concerning a dispute over who lawfully owns the Norman Rockwell painting “Russian Schoolroom.” The painting was stolen from Solomon in St. Louis in 1973. Cutler, an art dealer, purchased the painting at auction in 1988, and sold the painting to Steven Spielberg in 1989. In 2006, Spielberg discovered the painting was stolen and informed the FBI, and Solomon sued for declaratory relief, replevin, quiet title, and conversion. Spielberg filed a counterclaim against Solomon and a third-party claim against Cutler. Cutler filed a third-party claim against Art Loss Register, Inc., and a counterclaim against Solomon. Solomon responded with his own counterclaims against Cutler. Prior to the bench trial, the district court disposed of some claims on summary judgment. The district court found that Solomon consented to the 1988 auction, which justified Cutler’s ownership claim.

For more information on the special sitting click here.

About the University of San Diego School of Law

The University of San Diego School of Law is a center of academic excellence focused on preparing its students for legal practice in the new century. One of the most selective law schools in the country, the School of Law’s nationally recognized faculty create a demanding, yet welcoming environment that emphasizes individualized education. USD law school graduates consistently score higher than the state average on the California Bar Exam and go on to practice law throughout the country and abroad, forming an influential network of alumni. The USD School of Law is one of only 81 law schools in the country to have a chapter of The Order of the Coif, the most distinguished rank of American law schools. The school is accredited by the American Bar Association and is a member of the Association of American Law Schools. Founded in 1954, the law school is part of the University of San Diego, a private, nonprofit, independent, Roman Catholic university chartered in 1949.