Correspondent
Capitol Hill correspondent, covers legislative and political stories.
The Fifth Circuit affirmed a district court ruling that an insurance policy did not cover a fatal car accident involving a high school basketball team. The court held that a school email asking parents to coordinate rides did not constitute a formal request for parents to drive their own children.
The Fifth Circuit affirmed the sentence imposed on a defendant convicted of illegal reentry. The court held that the defendant's constitutional challenge to the statutory sentencing enhancement was foreclosed by existing Supreme Court precedent.
The United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit affirmed a district court judgment regarding a supervised release revocation sentence. The appellate court found no plain error in the district court's explanation of the imposed sentence.
The United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit affirmed a within-guidelines sentence of one hundred eighty months imposed on a defendant convicted of methamphetamine distribution. The court held that the defendant failed to demonstrate that the district court committed a clear error of judgment in balancing sentencing factors.
The Ninth Circuit affirmed a district court's decision to order a federal sentence to run consecutively to an anticipated state sentence. The court held that federal judges retain discretion to make this determination regardless of whether the defendant is currently in state or federal custody.
The Fifth Circuit affirmed the conviction and sentence of a defendant challenging the constitutionality of a sentencing enhancement for illegal reentry. The court held that the defendant's argument was foreclosed by existing Supreme Court precedent regarding prior convictions.
The Eighth Circuit affirmed the convictions and sentences of four defendants involved in a Kansas City drug-trafficking conspiracy. The court rejected challenges to search warrants, wiretaps, and the admission of rap lyrics as evidence of the group's criminal activities.
The Eleventh Circuit reversed a district court injunction that had halted a Florida statute requiring bond money to pay criminal fines. The appellate court held that the nonprofit bail fund lacked third-party standing to assert the Eighth Amendment excessive bail rights of its future clients.
The Eighth Circuit affirmed a revocation sentence for supervised release, finding no abuse of discretion in the district court's application of sentencing factors. The court also granted the defendant's counsel's motion to withdraw from the appeal.
The Eleventh Circuit affirmed a conviction for escape from federal custody where state officials erroneously released the defendant. The court held that the evidence was sufficient to prove the defendant knew he was leaving confinement without permission.
