James Taylor

Correspondent

James Taylor

Capitol Hill correspondent, covers legislative and political stories.

Criminal Justice

Decisions covered by James Taylor

1,506 decisions
Mar 25 2026
5th Cir. 24-40825 Per Curiam

United States v. Lacandreal Shokitra Jackson

The Fifth Circuit affirmed the sentence and restitution order for a defendant convicted of PPP wire fraud conspiracy, rejecting her challenges to the loss calculation and mass-marketing enhancement. The court held that the district court acted within its discretion by relying on conservative estimates from the Presentence Report that the defendant failed to rebut with evidence.

Criminal Fraud Plain Error Review Sentencing Guidelines
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Mar 25 2026
9th Cir. 3:22-cr-00426- Published

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA v. DAVID WAYNE DEPAPE

The Ninth Circuit held that a district court may correct its failure to afford a defendant the right to allocute under Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 32 as an 'other clear error' under Rule 35(a). The panel affirmed the defendant's sentence after the district court properly vacated and re-sentenced him within the rule's ten-day window.

Compassionate Release Criminal
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Mar 25 2026
4th Cir. 22-1724 Panel Decision

OSCAR RENE PERDOMO ULLOA v. PAMELA JO BONDI, Attorney General

The Fourth Circuit held that a criminal offense carrying a maximum sentence of twelve months qualifies as a crime for which a sentence of one year or longer may be imposed under federal immigration law. Consequently, the petitioner's Virginia Class 1 misdemeanor conviction renders him ineligible for cancellation of removal.

Criminal Firearms
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Mar 25 2026
9th Cir. 3:23-cr-00144- Published

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA v. JESSIE CHAVEZ-ECHEVERRIA

The Ninth Circuit affirmed a defendant's enhanced sentence, holding that an Oregon conviction for attempted first-degree assault qualifies as a crime of violence under the Sentencing Guidelines. The court clarified that the force clause requires only a substantial step toward the use of physical force, distinct from the stricter probable desistance test used in other contexts.

Criminal Firearms Sentencing Guidelines
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Mar 25 2026
9th Cir. 3:22-cr-00426-JSC-1 Unpublished

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA v. DAVID WAYNE DEPAPE

The Ninth Circuit affirmed David Wayne DePape's convictions for attempting to kidnap a federal officer and assaulting a family member of a federal official. The court held that sufficient evidence supported the finding that the crimes were committed on account of the victims' performance of official duties.

Criminal Other Criminal
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Mar 25 2026
5th Cir. 25-50303 Per Curiam

United States of America v. Gilbert Gomez, Jr.

The Fifth Circuit affirmed the sentences of a defendant convicted of drug conspiracy and supervised release violations, rejecting his claim that the district court relied on impermissible self-serving statements. The court held that the probation officer's conservative drug quantity calculation was supported by corroborating evidence and that the district court did not violate the Supreme Court's recent Esteras ruling.

Criminal Sentencing Guidelines
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Mar 25 2026
11th Cir. 1:18-cr-20580-RS-1 Per Curiam

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA v. ISRAEL ROJAS

The Eleventh Circuit vacated and remanded a district court's denial of a compassionate release motion because the lower court incorrectly ruled that the defendant failed to exhaust administrative remedies. Although the government conceded on appeal that exhaustion was satisfied, the appellate court declined to affirm on the merits since the district court never addressed the substantive arguments regarding the defendant's cancer diagnosis.

Compassionate Release Criminal Sentencing Guidelines
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