April 3, 2026·26-6025·Panel Decision·By James Taylor
The United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit denied a petition for a writ of mandamus seeking to compel a district court ruling on a compassionate release motion. The court found the petition moot because the district court had already denied the motion three days after the petition was filed.
Adrian Conde Aviles filed a petition for a writ of mandamus requesting the Tenth Circuit to direct the district court to rule on his pending motion for compassionate release. Three days after Aviles filed the mandamus petition, the district court entered an order denying his motion for compassionate release.
The court’s reasoning
The court determined that the petition for a writ of mandamus was moot because the district court had already entered an order denying the motion for compassionate release after the petition was filed.
What it means going forward
The decision clarifies that a mandamus petition to compel a ruling on compassionate release becomes moot if the district court issues its ruling shortly after the petition is filed.
