James Taylor

Correspondent

James Taylor

Capitol Hill correspondent, covers legislative and political stories.

Criminal Justice

Decisions covered by James Taylor

1,506 decisions
Apr 28 2026
6th Cir. 25-3458 Published

Crenshaw v. Warden, Lorain Correctional Institution

The Sixth Circuit affirmed the dismissal of Charles Crenshaw's lawsuit against federal and state prison wardens, ruling that his claims were either time-barred or failed to state a valid legal cause of action. The court held that his Federal Tort Claims Act suit was filed too late and that his constitutional claims lacked the specific factual allegations required to proceed.

Civil Rights - Section 1983 Criminal Drug Trafficking
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Apr 28 2026
4th Cir. 25-4640 Per Curiam

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA v. GARY DUANE COOL

The Fourth Circuit affirmed Gary Duane Cool's conviction for methamphetamine trafficking, finding no plain error in the district court's acceptance of his guilty plea. The court held that the magistrate judge fully complied with Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 11, ensuring the plea was knowing, voluntary, and supported by a sufficient factual basis.

Criminal Drug Trafficking Sentencing Guidelines
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Apr 28 2026
6th Cir. 25-3361 Published

United States v. Gaither

The Sixth Circuit affirmed the denial of Antoine Gaither's motion to suppress a handgun found in his vehicle, ruling that the deputy had probable cause to search based on the odor of burnt marijuana. The court further held that ordering the driver out of the car was lawful under established precedent, regardless of the duration of the stop.

Criminal Firearms
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Apr 28 2026
4th Cir. 25-4490 Per Curiam

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA v. DANIEL RAY GRIMSTEAD

The Fourth Circuit affirmed an 18-month supervised release revocation sentence, applying a deferential abuse-of-discretion standard to the district court's decision. The court held that the sentence was procedurally and substantively reasonable given the defendant's repeated violations and the district court's adequate explanation of its reasoning.

Criminal Drug Trafficking Supervised Release
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Apr 28 2026
6th Cir. 25-3451 Published

Sequoia Energy, LLC v. Mitchell

The Sixth Circuit affirmed the award of Black Lung Benefits Act benefits to a miner's surviving spouse, ruling that the employer failed to rebut the statutory presumption of pneumoconiosis. The court held that negative chest x-rays do not preclude a finding of legal pneumoconiosis, leaving the employer's burden of proof unmet.

Civil Labor
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Apr 28 2026
5th Cir. 25-40725 Per Curiam

United States v. Bello

The Fifth Circuit affirmed the denial of a federal prisoner's motion for compassionate release because he was sentenced after the relevant sentencing guideline amendment took effect. The court also dismissed the defendant's appeal regarding a final forfeiture order, ruling that he lacked standing since his property rights were already settled by the preliminary forfeiture order.

Compassionate Release Criminal Forfeiture / Penalty Standing
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Apr 28 2026
4th Cir. 24-4604 Panel Decision

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA v. MILTON CHRISTOPHER ALLEN

The Fourth Circuit reversed a district court's suppression order, ruling that evidence seized from an arrestee's bags would have been inevitably discovered through lawful inventory searches. The court held that established departmental policies mandated searching all personal property of arrestees, rendering the warrantless search incident to arrest unnecessary to justify admission.

Criminal Firearms Fourth Amendment - Search & Seizure
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Apr 28 2026
5th Cir. 25-40384 Per Curiam

United States v. Lubiano-Vidales

The Fifth Circuit granted appointed counsel's motion to withdraw and dismissed the appeal after finding no nonfrivolous issues for review. The court's decision confirms that the district court's judgment remains in effect while excusing the defendant from further appellate proceedings.

Anders Brief Criminal
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Apr 28 2026
9th Cir. 2:21-cv-01681-DLR Unpublished

MARK ENTERPRISES CAR COMPANY, LLC, ET AL. V. ALI, ET AL.

The Ninth Circuit affirmed summary judgment for federal agents, ruling they retained qualified immunity because the warrant was not facially deficient and the agents did not deliberately deceive the magistrate. The court held that the affidavit provided a colorable argument for probable cause despite the Plaintiffs' allegations of overbreadth and misrepresentation.

Civil Rights - Section 1983 Criminal Embezzlement & Forgery Qualified Immunity
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