I posted earlier about the en banc decision issued today in the TSA-tort-liability case, in which the opinion for the court was authored by Judge Ambro. The court issued two panel opinions today too, and both of them were authored by Judge Ambro as well. Three published opinions by one judge issued on the same day? Impressive. Pretty sure this is the first time that’s happened in the five-plus years I’ve been doing the blog.

Verma v. 3001 Castor, Inc.—civil / employment — affirmance —Ambro

The cogent introduction:

A jury in the District Court awarded more than $4.5 million to a class of dancers at the Penthouse Club, an “adult gentleman’s club” in Philadelphia owned and operated by 3001 Castor, Inc., for unpaid minimum wages and unjust enrichment under Pennsylvania law. The Court denied the motion of Castor to set aside the verdict, and it appeals to us. We join our District Court colleague, Judge Brody, in concluding that, as a matter of “economic reality,” the dancers were employees of Castor, not its independent contractors, and we reject Castor’s novel argument that the federal Fair Labor Standards Act (“FLSA”) precludes the class’s claims for unjust enrichment. We also conclude that Castor is not entitled to any credit or offset against the jury award for payments already received by the dancers. We thus affirm across the board and sustain the jury’s verdict.

Joining Ambro were Greenaway and Scirica. Arguing counsel were John Innelli of Philadelphia for the club and Jamisen Etzel of Carlson Lynch for the dancers. So, two men argued this appeal in front of a panel made up of three men: not how it oughtta be.

Matheis Jr. v. CSL Plasma—civil / disability—reversal—Ambro

The Third Circuit held that plasma-donation centers are subject to the Americans with Discrimination Act’s bar on unreasonable discrimination by “service establishments,” joining the Tenth Circuit in a split with the Fifth.  The court further held that the district court erred in dismissing an ADA challenge to a center’s bar on plasma donations by anyone who uses a psychiatric service animal.

Joining Ambro were Restrepo and Fisher. Arguing counsel were Zachary Nahass of the CGA law firm for plaintiff, Bruce Douglas of Ogletree Deakins for the center, and John Delacourt of the Plasma Protein Therapeutics Association for amicus.