James Taylor

Correspondent

James Taylor

Capitol Hill correspondent, covers legislative and political stories.

Criminal Justice

Decisions covered by James Taylor

1,506 decisions
May 1 2026
11th Cir. 2:23-cr-14020-AMC-1 Per Curiam

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA v. ISAIAS PABLO-FABIN

The Eleventh Circuit affirmed a 24-month federal sentence for illegal reentry ordered to run consecutively to an undischarged state sentence for child sex abuse. The court held that the district court properly weighed the need to punish unrelated conduct and did not abuse its discretion in rejecting the defendant's arguments for a concurrent sentence.

Criminal Immigration (Criminal) Sentencing Guidelines Supervised Release
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May 1 2026
4th Cir. 25-6677 Per Curiam

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA v. JERMAINE ALI HOLLOWAY, JR

The Fourth Circuit affirmed the district court's denial of Jermaine Ali Holloway, Jr.'s motions to reduce his sentence under 18 U.S.C. § 3582(c)(2). The appellate court found no abuse of discretion, noting that while the lower court correctly understood its authority, it properly declined to reduce the sentence after weighing the statutory factors.

Compassionate Release Criminal
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May 1 2026
11th Cir. 5:24-cr-00028-TKW-MJF-1 Per Curiam

United States v. Neel

The Eleventh Circuit affirmed Larry Neel's conviction for felon possession of firearms, ruling that his constitutional challenges raised for the first time on appeal did not constitute plain error. The court held that the district court acted within its discretion during the suppression hearing and that binding precedent forecloses Neel's Second Amendment argument.

Criminal Drug Trafficking Plain Error Review
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May 1 2026
4th Cir. 25-6625 Per Curiam

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA v. XAVIER MILTON EARQUHART

The Fourth Circuit dismissed Xavier Milton Earquhart's federal habeas appeal because he failed to make the requisite substantial showing that reasonable jurists could debate the district court's denial of constitutional relief. The court independently reviewed the record and found no debatable constitutional claims or procedural errors warranting further review.

Constitutional Habeas Corpus - Federal Prisoner (28 USC 2255)
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May 1 2026
11th Cir. 8:23-cv-00676-WFJ-CPT Per Curiam

Giehl v. Ocwen Financial Corporation

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.

Criminal Fraud
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May 1 2026
4th Cir. 25-6600 Per Curiam

TIMOTHY O'NEIL BULLOCK v. JOSEPH WALTERS, Director of the Virginia Department of Corrections; COMMONWEALTH ATTORNEY GENERAL

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.

Constitutional Habeas Corpus - State Prisoner (28 USC 2254)
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Apr 30 2026
4th Cir. 25-4561 Per Curiam

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA v. CHARLES DANA JOHNSON, II

The Fourth Circuit affirmed an 84-month sentence for a felon-in-possession conviction, ruling that the district court sufficiently addressed the defendant's mitigating arguments. The court held that a district court need not explicitly spell out responses to defense arguments when the context makes it patently obvious that those arguments were rejected.

Criminal Firearms
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Apr 30 2026
4th Cir. 25-1691 Per Curiam

Yates v. U.S. Bank National Association

The Fourth Circuit affirmed the district court's dismissal of the Yateses' mortgage dispute, ruling that their claims were barred by the doctrine of res judicata. The court also upheld the lower court's prefiling injunction, finding no abuse of discretion in restricting the plaintiffs' ability to file new lawsuits on the same issues.

Civil Real Property Res Judicata
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Apr 30 2026
4th Cir. 25-4389 Per Curiam

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA v. DIAMONIQUE SHAWN NEWTON

The Fourth Circuit affirmed a 78-month sentence for a felon-in-possession conviction, rejecting the defendant's challenge to a four-level sentencing enhancement. The court held that the district court did not clearly err in finding the defendant possessed a firearm in connection with a separate felony offense based on social media activity and the circumstances of a search warrant execution.

Criminal Firearms Sentencing Guidelines
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Apr 30 2026
8th Cir. 25-3314 Panel Decision

United States of America v. Txong Thor

The Eighth Circuit affirmed the sentence imposed on a defendant convicted of drug and firearm offenses, finding no abuse of discretion by the district court. The court also conducted an independent review of the record and determined there were no non-frivolous issues to pursue on appeal.

Anders Brief Criminal
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