James Taylor

Correspondent

James Taylor

Capitol Hill correspondent, covers legislative and political stories.

Criminal Justice

Decisions covered by James Taylor

1,523 decisions
Apr 10 2026
11th Cir. 6:23-cr-00207-CEM-LHP-1 Per Curiam

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA v. CHARLES BERNARD LONG

The Eleventh Circuit affirmed Charles Long's 78-month sentence for child pornography possession, ruling that while the district court erred in applying a 75-image-per-video rule, the mistake did not affect Long's substantial rights. The court held that applying the correct one-frame-one-image standard would likely result in a significantly higher image count, meaning no reasonable probability exists that a lower sentence would have been imposed.

Child Sexual Abuse Material Criminal Sentencing Guidelines
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Apr 9 2026
11th Cir. 6:24-cr-00192-GAP-LHP-1 Per Curiam

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA v. EDWIN RIVERA

The Eleventh Circuit affirmed Edwin Rivera's 48-month sentence for theft of government property, ruling that the district court properly considered his lack of remorse and the seriousness of the offense. The court held that the district court did not commit procedural or substantive errors in its sentencing analysis.

Criminal Sentencing Guidelines
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Apr 9 2026
11th Cir. 1:23-cr-20382-MD-1 Per Curiam

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA v. BRENT MICHAEL JONES

The Eleventh Circuit affirmed Brent Michael Jones's conviction for felon in possession of a firearm, rejecting his constitutional challenges to the statute and his claims of involuntary confession. The court held that the firearm's interstate origin satisfied Commerce Clause requirements and that the defendant's post-Miranda waiver was voluntary.

Criminal Drug Trafficking Fifth Amendment - Self-Incrimination Supervised Release
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Apr 9 2026
11th Cir. 8:20-cr-00257-JSM-UAM-1 Per Curiam

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA v. LORI ANN NADEMUS

The Eleventh Circuit affirmed Lori Ann Nademus's fraud convictions and 110-month sentence, ruling that the district court did not abuse its discretion regarding competency or sentencing delays. The court held that Nademus's own statements during the hearing confirmed her competence and that her plea agreement waived her right to appeal the sentence.

Criminal Fraud
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Apr 9 2026
9th Cir. 4:22-cr-00766-JGZ-AMM-1 Unpublished

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA v. SANTOS NAUL MASS-SOTO

The Ninth Circuit affirmed the conviction of a defendant charged with illegal reentry, ruling that the district court did not commit plain error by failing to order a competency exam sua sponte. The court further held that the district court acted properly in removing the defendant from the courtroom after he repeatedly disrupted proceedings despite warnings.

Criminal Immigration (Criminal)
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Apr 8 2026
11th Cir. 0:19-cr-60129-RAR-1 Unpublished

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA v. NIGEL RICHSON

The Eleventh Circuit affirmed Nigel Richardson's convictions for Hobbs Act robbery and firearm offenses, rejecting challenges to the sufficiency of evidence and the indictment's Grand Jury Clause compliance. The court held that Hobbs Act robbery remains a crime of violence under the elements clause and that the indictment's language adequately alleged knowledge of Richardson's felon status.

Criminal Firearms
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