Correspondent
Capitol Hill correspondent, covers legislative and political stories.
The United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit affirmed the dismissal of a pro se complaint alleging violations of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act. The court concluded that the district court did not err in dismissing the case following a de novo review.
The Eleventh Circuit affirmed the convictions of three defendants for kidnapping and stalking. The court held that the defendants failed to meet the evidentiary burden required to assert a duress defense.
The Eighth Circuit affirmed a drug trafficking sentence after finding no plain error in the district court's remarks. The court held that a judge's policy disagreement with sentencing guidelines does not constitute an impermissible presumption of reasonableness.
The United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit dismissed an appeal from a district court order denying a habeas corpus petition. The court found that the petitioner failed to demonstrate a substantial showing of the denial of a constitutional right required to obtain a certificate of appealability.
The Eighth Circuit affirmed a supervised release revocation sentence but remanded for reconsideration of a community service condition. The court held that the district court did not impermissibly consider retribution and that the community service condition was ripe for facial review.
The Fourth Circuit affirmed the conviction of a physician for unauthorized distribution of oxycodone. The court held that jury instructions correctly required the government to prove the defendant subjectively knew her prescriptions fell outside the bounds of professional practice.
The Seventh Circuit affirmed a district court ruling upholding the Small Business Administration's Corporate Group Rule limiting Paycheck Protection Program loans. The court held that the agency acted within its statutory discretion to define business concerns as affiliated groups to ensure fair distribution of limited funds.
The United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit affirmed the conviction of a defendant for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. The court granted the government's motion for summary affirmance, finding all constitutional challenges to the statute foreclosed by binding precedent.
The Ninth Circuit affirmed the denial of a federal habeas petition challenging a state court's refusal to grant resentencing relief under California Penal Code Section one thousand one hundred seventy-two point six. The court held that the petition was timely filed and that any error in the state court's determination was harmless because the petitioner remained ineligible for relief.
The United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit dismissed an appeal filed by Demartin Hall after reviewing a motion by his appointed counsel to withdraw. The court found no nonfrivolous issues for appellate review and granted the attorney's request to be excused from further responsibilities.
