James Taylor

Correspondent

James Taylor

Capitol Hill correspondent, covers legislative and political stories.

Criminal Justice

Decisions covered by James Taylor

2,484 decisions
Mar 19 2026
5th Cir. 25-50976 Per Curiam

United States v. Burger

The Fifth Circuit reversed a district court's dismissal of an indictment charging a Roblox user with transmitting threats in interstate commerce. The appellate court held that determining whether online statements constitute unprotected true threats requires a trial to resolve disputed factual questions about context and intent.

Mar 19 2026
Fed. Cir. 26-1249 Panel Decision

Peter J. Polinski v. United States

The Federal Circuit summarily affirmed the dismissal of a pro se appeal challenging the United States Treasury's handling of a $36 million check. The court held that the Tucker Act does not grant jurisdiction over tort claims or most constitutional allegations, and found the appellant's arguments implausible and frivolous.

Mar 19 2026
6th Cir. 25-3661 Published

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA v. ANDREW GOLOBIC

The Sixth Circuit affirmed the conviction and 144-month sentence of Andrew Golobic, an ICE agent who used his authority to coerce sexual encounters with immigrants under his supervision. The court rejected all challenges regarding jury management, multiplicity of charges, and sentencing enhancements, clarifying that obstruction enhancements apply to pre-investigation conduct.

Mar 19 2026
6th Cir. 22-3544 Published

MARVIN G. JOHNSON v. DAVID BOBBY, Warden

The Sixth Circuit held that a state prisoner's federal habeas petition is not rendered moot by a subsequent resentencing from death to life without parole, as long as the underlying conviction remains intact. The court affirmed the denial of Johnson's petition, rejecting claims of ineffective assistance of counsel regarding the admission of criminal history evidence and the failure to raise a Confrontation Clause challenge.

Mar 19 2026
6th Cir. 25-3173 Published

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA v. ANDREW GOLOBIC

The Sixth Circuit affirmed the conviction and 144-month sentence of Andrew Golobic, an ICE agent who coerced sexual acts from immigrants under his supervision and obstructed the subsequent investigation. The court rejected arguments regarding juror excusal, multiplicity of charges, and sentencing enhancements, clarifying that the obstruction enhancement applies to pre-investigation conduct.

Mar 19 2026
4th Cir. 25-4375 Per Curiam

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA v. SANG THANH HUYNH

The Fourth Circuit vacated Sang Thanh Huynh's sentence due to a material discrepancy between the district court's oral pronouncement of supervised release conditions and the written judgment. Even though the Government conceded the error, the Court independently reviewed the record and found that such discrepancies require resentencing under established precedent.

Mar 19 2026
10th Cir. 5:11-CR-00045-R-1) Panel Decision

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA v. BRIAN WILLIAM MCKYE

The United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit granted an unopposed motion to dismiss an appeal filed by Brian William McKye. The court dismissed the appeal pursuant to Federal Rule of Appellate Procedure and local circuit rules, effectively ending the appellate proceedings.

Mar 19 2026
8th Cir. 25-3009 Panel Decision

United States of America v. Kevin Adams

The Eighth Circuit affirmed the revocation of Kevin Adams's supervised release and the imposition of a 22-month prison sentence. The court found no abuse of discretion, holding that the district court properly considered relevant factors and accorded a presumption of substantive reasonableness to the sentence within the Guidelines range.