Correspondent
Capitol Hill correspondent, covers legislative and political stories.
The Eighth Circuit affirmed an above-Guidelines sentence for a defendant with extensive tribal court convictions. The court found no abuse of discretion in the district court's reliance on the defendant's criminal history to justify the variance.
The Eleventh Circuit affirmed the district court's denial of a sentence reduction for a defendant convicted of international drug trafficking. The court held that the district court did not abuse its discretion in weighing sentencing factors against a reduction under the Sentencing Guidelines.
The United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit affirmed a district court judgment in a civil dispute involving defamation, civil extortion, and stock valuation. The appellate panel found no clear error in the lower court's factual findings regarding the parties' economic relationships and damages calculations.
The Eleventh Circuit affirmed the denial of a motion to reduce a sentence based on a retroactive sentencing guideline amendment. The court held that the district court did not abuse its discretion in weighing the sentencing factors against the defendant's request for relief.
The United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit affirmed a district court judgment in a civil dispute involving defamation, civil extortion, and stock valuation. The appellate panel found no clear error in the lower court's factual findings regarding the parties' economic relationships and damages calculations.
The Eleventh Circuit affirmed a defendant's sentence for possession of ammunition as a felon. The court held that the district court's findings regarding specific intent to kill were sufficient to apply the attempted murder sentencing guideline cross-reference.
The Fourth Circuit remanded the case to determine if the named plaintiffs have standing to seek injunctive relief for opioid use disorder treatment. The court affirmed the lower court's certification of a class seeking damages for the denial of such medical care.
The Eleventh Circuit vacated a federal dismissal order and remanded with instructions to dismiss without prejudice, clarifying that the Rooker-Feldman doctrine does not bar claims for damages against private parties in state court proceedings. The court held that the plaintiff's federal claims were wholly insubstantial because they lacked a plausible foundation in federal law and did not involve state action.
The Fourth Circuit denied a certificate of appealability and dismissed Timothy Bullock's appeal of his dismissed habeas petition because he failed to make a substantial showing that reasonable jurists could debate the district court's procedural ruling. The court held that Bullock's informal brief was insufficient to preserve any issues for review, resulting in the immediate termination of the appellate proceeding.
The Eleventh Circuit affirmed the denial of Denzil Stewart's motion for a new trial based on newly discovered evidence. The court held that the evidence merely constituted cumulative impeachment of a cooperating witness and was insufficient to likely change the trial's outcome given the overwhelming proof of guilt.
