Every decision we've summarized from United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit.
The Eleventh Circuit affirmed the denial of Jonathon Howard Beck's habeas motion, ruling that the record conclusively showed he received effective assistance of counsel. The court held that Beck's sworn statements during his plea colloquy created a formidable barrier to his claim that he did not understand his mandatory minimum sentences.
The Eleventh Circuit affirmed the denial of a motion for sentence reduction after determining the appeal raised no non-frivolous issues. The court granted counsel's motion to withdraw under Anders v. California, leaving the original 96-month sentence in effect.
The Eleventh Circuit affirmed the denial of a preliminary injunction against the DEA's show cause proceedings. The court held that the pharmacy's constitutional challenge to the removal protections of administrative law judges was foreclosed by binding prior precedent.
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 a pro se appeal filed by Jutaurio Clemons as duplicative of a previously pending appeal regarding his conviction and sentencing. The court held that Clemons lacks standing to challenge a post-judgment forfeiture order because his interest in the property was extinguished by the earlier preliminary order.
The Eleventh Circuit granted the Government's motion to dismiss an appeal because the defendant signed a valid plea agreement containing a sentence appeal waiver. The court held that such waivers are enforceable even when they cover debatable legal issues or procedural due process challenges, provided they were made knowingly and voluntarily.
The Eleventh Circuit dismissed a defendant's direct appeal challenging his sentence for ineffective assistance of counsel because his plea agreement contained an enforceable waiver of that right. The court held that the waiver was entered into knowingly and voluntarily after the district court specifically questioned the defendant about it during the plea colloquy.
The Eleventh Circuit dismissed Edward Lee Brown's appeal sua sponte because he filed his notice of appeal prematurely. The court held that a magistrate judge's report and recommendation is not a final judgment, and the district court's later adoption of that report cannot cure the defect of a premature filing.
The Eleventh Circuit dismissed a petition for review of a Board of Veterans' Appeals decision because Congress has granted exclusive jurisdiction over such cases to the Court of Appeals for Veteran Claims. The court also noted the petitioner failed to specifically designate the appealable order as required by federal rules.