James Taylor

Correspondent

James Taylor

Capitol Hill correspondent, covers legislative and political stories.

Criminal Justice

Decisions covered by James Taylor

2,517 decisions
Apr 22 2026
10th Cir. 5:24-CR-00389-J-1 Panel Decision

United States v. Mays

The United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit affirmed a defendant's sentence, rejecting the claim that denying a sentencing reduction for acceptance of responsibility violates the Sixth Amendment right to a jury trial. The court held that the denial of a reduction is not a penalty for exercising trial rights but rather the withholding of a reward for those who accept responsibility.

Criminal Firearms Sentencing Guidelines
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Apr 22 2026
4th Cir. 24-4530 Per Curiam

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA v. GREGORY LARGENT

The Fourth Circuit affirmed the revocation of Gregory Largent's supervised release and his 18-month prison sentence, rejecting his claim that the district court erred by modifying a contact condition without a separate hearing. The court held that Largent failed to demonstrate plain error, as he had counsel and an opportunity to present evidence during the proceeding.

Criminal Plain Error Review Sentencing Guidelines Supervised Release
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Apr 22 2026
4th Cir. 24-7215 Panel Decision

PATRICK NICHOLS v. N. BUMGARNER, Montgomery County Police Officer Defendant –

The Fourth Circuit vacated a district court dismissal of a pro se excessive force complaint, ruling that the lower court applied an overly strict pleading standard and failed to include a second officer as a defendant. The appellate court held that the plaintiff's allegations, accepted as true, sufficiently stated a plausible claim under the Fourth Amendment's reasonableness test.

Civil Rights - Section 1983 Criminal Embezzlement & Forgery Qualified Immunity
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Apr 22 2026
4th Cir. 23-7116 Panel Decision

White v. Warden of Fed. Corr. Inst. - Cumberland

The Fourth Circuit denied a petition for panel rehearing in a First Step Act time credit dispute, upholding the original ruling that denied sentence credits. The majority rejected the petitioner's new claim of participation in psychological programming as inconsistent with his prior litigation positions and insufficient to meet statutory requirements.

Constitutional Habeas Corpus - Federal Prisoner (28 USC 2255)
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Apr 22 2026
Fed. Cir. 24-1835 Panel Decision

Perez v. Army

The United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit affirmed the removal of a federal employee for failure to follow instructions and conduct unbecoming a supervisor. The court held that the agency provided substantial evidence supporting the charges and that the penalty was reasonable under the Douglas factors.

Civil Labor
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Apr 22 2026
9th Cir. 3:23-cr-05326-BHS-1 Unpublished

USA v. Colfax

The Ninth Circuit affirmed Schylar Colfax's conviction for abusive sexual contact with a minor, finding the evidence sufficient to prove intent to gratify sexual desire. The court rejected challenges regarding witness credibility, the suppression of statements, and the admission of prior bad acts, concluding no reversible error occurred.

Criminal Fourth Amendment - Search & Seizure Sex Offenses
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Apr 22 2026
9th Cir. 3:22-cr-08113-DJH Unpublished

USA V. ANAGAL

The Ninth Circuit affirmed Kendall Anagal's conviction for aggravated sexual abuse, ruling that the district court properly admitted expert testimony regarding child abuse myths and prior bad acts evidence. The court further held that the admission of peephole and video evidence was harmless error and that an inquiry into a juror's internal motivations was barred by Federal Rule of Evidence 606(b).

Constitutional Habeas Corpus - General (28 USC 2241)
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Apr 21 2026
10th Cir. 1:22-CR-01907-WJ-1) Panel Decision

United States v. Lacey

The Tenth Circuit affirmed Maurice Lacey's conviction for firearm possession, ruling that the district court did not clearly err in finding him mentally competent to stand trial. The appellate court determined that a second psychological evaluation, which found the defendant alert and knowledgeable, outweighed conflicting evidence regarding his delusions.

Criminal Firearms Other Criminal
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