Every decision we've summarized from United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit.
The First Circuit affirmed the sex trafficking and obstruction convictions of Ricardo Middleton, rejecting challenges to expert testimony on trauma and memory. The court dismissed an ineffective assistance of counsel claim as premature, directing the defendant to raise it in a collateral proceeding.
The First Circuit affirmed in part and remanded in part the convictions and sentence of a defendant charged with producing, possessing, and receiving child pornography and coercing minors, addressing claims of trial error and double jeopardy.
The First Circuit reversed a district court dismissal of an indictment against an unlawfully present alien charged with firearm possession, holding that the statute aligns with the nation's historical tradition of firearm regulation.
The First Circuit affirmed a conviction for illegal firearm possession by an alien unlawfully in the United States. The court held that the statute is consistent with the nation's historical tradition of firearm regulation under the second step of the Bruen framework.
The First Circuit affirmed the removal of a petitioner who assumed a false identity after fleeing Colombia for murdering his wife and daughter, dismissing his appeal for lack of jurisdiction on most claims.
The First Circuit affirmed the dismissal of a Federal Tort Claims Act claim against the Coast Guard, holding that the Suits in Admiralty Act provides the exclusive remedy for maritime torts involving government vessels. Because the plaintiff's proposed amendment to add a claim under the Suits in Admiralty Act was time-barred, the court ruled that no federal subject matter jurisdiction existed over the tort claim.
The First Circuit vacated a defendant's sentence for firearm possession by a prohibited person due to reliance on an invalid rationale. The court affirmed the defendant's supervised release revocation sentence because he waived his challenges to that ruling.
The First Circuit vacated a defendant's sentence for firearm possession by a prohibited person due to reliance on an invalid rationale. The court affirmed the defendant's supervised release revocation sentence because he waived his challenges to that ruling.
The First Circuit held that the New England Fishery Management Council's role in developing Framework Adjustment 65 was purely advisory and did not violate the Appointments Clause. Consequently, the court affirmed the denial of injunctive relief and reversed the district court's severance of unrelated statutory provisions.
The First Circuit held that the New England Fishery Management Council functions solely as an advisory body and does not exercise final executive authority under the Magnuson-Stevens Act. Consequently, the Council's involvement in developing Framework Adjustment 65 does not violate the Appointments Clause, and the reduced catch limits for the Northeast Multispecies Fishery Management Plan remain in full effect.