Michael Washington v. Daviess County Hospital — 7th Cir. (Sep 16, 2026)

No. 25-3054 Argued September 16, 2026 Published October 8, 2026

The Seventh Circuit hears Michael Washington versus Daviess County Hospital. Washington, a nursing-home resident, brought a civil-rights lawsuit under federal nursing-home law. He alleged that staffing deficiencies violated his rights as a resident. The district court dismissed his complaint, concluding that the federal resident-rights provisions did not themselves guarantee certain staffing levels. It also ruled that other provisions he invoked did not create individual rights enforceable through a civil-rights suit. The argument asks where those enforceable rights come from, and when an allegation of too few staff can support such a claim.

Michael Washington v. Daviess County Hospital (No. 25-3054) — U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, argued September 16, 2026.

Sources

Argument audio — Seventh Circuit:https://media.ca7.uscourts.gov/sound/external/cm.25-3054.25-3054_09_16_2026.mp3

Argument date and case listing — Seventh Circuit:https://media.ca7.uscourts.gov/oralArguments/oar.jsp?amonth=09%2F2026&aMonth=List+case%28s%29

Earlier Washington rulings cited in Hersberger — district court, pages 6 and 9:https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/USCOURTS-insd-1_25-cv-01250/pdf/USCOURTS-insd-1_25-cv-01250-0.pdf

Nursing-home rights and Washington litigation — Missouri Law Review:https://lawreview.missouri.edu/finding-the-lightning-medina-v-planned-parenthood-south-atlantic-and-the-search-for-rights-creating-language-in-spending-power-legislation/

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