Correspondent

James Taylor

Capitol Hill correspondent, covers legislative and political stories.

Criminal Justice

Decisions covered by James Taylor

2,536 decisions

May 26 2026

6th Cir. 25-1783 Published

Express Jewelry Enterprises, Inc. d/b/a Haks Jewelry v. National Fire Insurance Company of Hartford

The Sixth Circuit affirmed a district court's grant of summary judgment to an insurance company denying coverage for flood damage to a jewelry store. The court held that the backup of a sewer system was caused by a flood, triggering a policy exclusion, and that the insured failed to provide reliable evidence of wind damage to the building's walls.

Civil Insurance Summary Judgment

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May 26 2026

4th Cir. 25-4213 Per Curiam

United States v. Robinson

The Fourth Circuit affirmed a criminal judgment where a defendant challenged the substantive reasonableness of a below-Guidelines sentence. The court found the district court properly applied the abuse-of-discretion standard and adequately weighed the statutory factors.

Criminal Drug Trafficking Sentencing Guidelines

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May 26 2026

9th Cir. 24-6689 Published

United States v. Johnsen

The Ninth Circuit affirmed the conviction of Duane Lee Johnsen for receiving and possessing child pornography. The court held that hash value matches alone can establish probable cause for a search warrant and that forensic analysis of seized devices is not a critical stage requiring counsel.

Child Sexual Abuse Material Criminal Supervised Release

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May 26 2026

4th Cir. 25-4516 Per Curiam

United States v. Nelson

The Fourth Circuit affirmed the defendant's convictions for assault resulting in serious bodily injury on a commercial aircraft. The court vacated two special conditions of supervised release because the district court failed to adequately explain them.

Criminal Supervised Release Violent Crimes

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May 26 2026

9th Cir. 2:21-cv-00582-DJC-CKD Unpublished

Henry's Bullfrog Bees v. Sunland Trading, Inc.

The Ninth Circuit affirmed a district court dismissal of a consumer protection lawsuit alleging fraud in the honey industry. The appellate panel held that the plaintiffs failed to meet the heightened pleading requirements of Federal Rule of Civil Procedure nine point B.

Civil Consumer Protection

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May 26 2026

4th Cir. 25-4452 Per Curiam

United States v. Hannah

The Fourth Circuit affirmed in part and dismissed in part the appeal of a defendant convicted of Hobbs Act robbery. The court held that the defendant's appeal waiver was valid and that his guilty plea was entered knowingly and voluntarily.

Criminal Robbery & Extortion Supervised Release

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May 26 2026

5th Cir. 25-10916 Per Curiam

United States v. Scott

The Fifth Circuit granted a motion by the Federal Public Defender to withdraw from representing the defendant. The court dismissed the appeal after finding no nonfrivolous issues for review.

Anders Brief Criminal

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May 26 2026

5th Cir. 25-10690 Panel Decision

United States v. Hackney

The Fifth Circuit dismissed an appeal by a defendant challenging conditions of his supervised release. The court held that a plea agreement waiver barred the appeal because the challenge did not concern a sentence exceeding the statutory maximum.

Child Sexual Abuse Material Criminal Sentencing Guidelines Supervised Release

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May 26 2026

5th Cir. 25-11326 Per Curiam

United States of America v. Eduardo Arredondo

The Fifth Circuit granted an unopposed motion to reform a district court judgment to correct clerical errors. The court clarified that the revocation judgment was based solely on violations alleged in specific petitions.

Criminal Supervised Release

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May 22 2026

4th Cir. 25-4199 Per Curiam

United States v. Ijaz Oliver

The United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit affirmed the conviction and sentence of Ijaz Oliver for being a felon in possession of a firearm. The court found no meritorious grounds for appeal and determined the district court's sentence was reasonable under federal law.

Criminal Firearms Sentencing Guidelines Supervised Release

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