Every decision we've summarized from United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit.
The Fourth Circuit affirmed the district court's denial of Michael Jerome Orr's motion for compassionate release, finding no abuse of discretion. The appellate court upheld the lower court's decision to deny relief after weighing the statutory sentencing factors, even though it previously acknowledged Orr met the threshold for extraordinary and compelling reasons.
The Fourth Circuit affirmed the district court's dismissal of a pro se civil complaint alleging a First Amendment Free Exercise violation. The appellate court held that the appellants forfeited their right to appeal because their informal brief failed to challenge the specific legal basis for the dismissal.
The Fourth Circuit vacated a district court's denial of a Rule 60(b) motion because the lower court raised the timeliness issue on its own without giving the plaintiff notice. While the court agreed that the one-year deadline applied, it held that timeliness is an affirmative defense that must be raised by the opposing party.
The Fourth Circuit dismissed Arkeem H. Nellon's appeal from a district court's procedural dismissal of his habeas petition because he failed to obtain a certificate of appealability. The court independently reviewed the record and found Nellon did not make the requisite substantial showing that the procedural ruling was debatable or that his underlying claim involved a constitutional right.
The Fourth Circuit dismissed an appeal challenging a district court's venue transfer order because the order was not a final, appealable judgment. The court also ruled that the appellant's notice of appeal was filed one day late, failing to meet the mandatory 60-day deadline for cases involving government parties.
The Fourth Circuit affirmed the district court's denial of relief in a pro se prisoner's lawsuit against federal correctional staff. The court found no reversible error in the dismissal of claims brought under Bivens and the Federal Tort Claims Act.
The Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals dismissed Bennie Mitchell's appeal from a denial of habeas relief because he failed to obtain a certificate of appealability. The court independently reviewed the record and found that Mitchell did not make a substantial showing of the denial of a constitutional right.
The Fourth Circuit affirmed the denial of Alvis Damon Williams's third motion for compassionate release and his request for a sentence reduction under Amendment 821. The court found no abuse of discretion in the district court's determination that Williams failed to demonstrate extraordinary and compelling reasons for release and that statutory mandatory minimums precluded a sentence reduction.
The Fourth Circuit affirmed the district court's dismissal of Jose Martin Argueta's pro se civil rights complaint without prejudice. The court found no reversible error in the lower court's decision to dismiss the case without issuing or serving process under the in forma pauperis statutes.
The Fourth Circuit affirmed the district court's dismissal of Mengyang Li's pro se Title VII discrimination and retaliation claims against Shepherd University. The appellate court found no reversible error in the lower court's ruling and dispensed with oral argument.