Every decision we've summarized from United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit.
The Eleventh Circuit affirmed a 128-month sentence for drug trafficking, rejecting arguments that the drug mixture was not marketable as fentanyl. The court also found the sentence substantively reasonable given the defendant's guideline range and criminal history.
The Eleventh Circuit affirmed a 264-month sentence for Hobbs Act robbery, holding that the defendant's 2011 Florida aggravated assault conviction properly qualified as a violent felony under the Armed Career Criminal Act. The court rejected the defendant's argument that a recent Supreme Court decision undermined the binding precedent establishing that Florida assault statutes require a knowing mens rea.
The Eleventh Circuit affirmed Stephen Daniel Leonard's conviction for felon in possession of a firearm, rejecting all arguments regarding his self-representation and the necessity defense. The court also granted Leonard's counsel's motion to withdraw, citing incompatibility and compliance with withdrawal rules.
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.
The Eleventh Circuit denied Henkels & McCoy's petition for review, upholding the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission's finding that the company violated the Occupational Safety and Health Act's general duty clause. The court ruled that the Commission's decision was supported by substantial evidence and was not arbitrary or capricious.
The Eleventh Circuit vacated the district court's dismissal of a pro se plaintiff's Title VII discrimination and retaliation claims. The appellate court held that the amended complaint related back to the original filing and that the district court applied the wrong legal standard by requiring a prima facie case at the motion to dismiss stage.
The Eleventh Circuit affirmed Gerard Eric Beasley's conviction for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, ruling that the Second Amendment does not protect felons from such bans. The court also held that any error in admitting a second confession was harmless because the firearm would have been inevitably discovered through lawful means.
The Eleventh Circuit dismissed the State of Georgia's appeal for lack of jurisdiction, declining to rule on whether a federal district court can grant a limited remand to allow a state to seek a superseding indictment. The court held that the district court's denial of the motion was not a final, appealable order under the collateral order doctrine or the injunction statute.
The Eleventh Circuit vacated a Benefits Review Board decision, clarifying that the Black Lung Benefits Act does not require a miner to prove employment for a full 365-day calendar year to count as a year of service. Instead, the court held that working 125 days in coal mines during a calendar year is sufficient to establish a year of employment for benefit eligibility.