9th Cir.

United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit

Every decision we've summarized from United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.

Dec 27 2023
21-456 Published

Rodriguez-Hernandez v. Garland

The Ninth Circuit held that a Washington state harassment conviction categorically qualifies as a crime of violence, barring the petitioner from cancellation of removal and other discretionary relief. The court also affirmed the denial of Convention Against Torture relief due to insufficient evidence of a specific threat of torture upon return to Mexico.

Nov 17 2023
21-352 Published

JOSE MARIA ZUNIGA DE LA CRUZ v. MERRICK B. GARLAND, Attorney General

The Ninth Circuit affirmed the denial of a petition for review, holding that Miranda warnings and the exclusionary rule do not apply in civil immigration removal proceedings. The court rejected the petitioner's argument that an administrative arrest warrant transformed the civil nature of the proceeding into a criminal one.

Sep 14 2023
21-1098 Published

PETR VASILYEVICH RUDNITSKYY v. MERRICK GARLAND, Attorney General

The Ninth Circuit denied a petition for review, holding that the stop-time rule for cancellation of removal is triggered by the date a criminal offense is committed, not the date of conviction. This ruling confirms that a lawful permanent resident is ineligible for relief if the offense occurred within seven years of admission, even if the conviction finalizes after that period.

Sep 5 2023
23-48 Published

CHUN MEI TONG v. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

The Ninth Circuit held that dismissing a prisoner's first habeas motion because the claims were legally non-cognizable constitutes an adjudication on the merits, barring any later-filed motion on those same grounds as successive. However, the court transferred a claim of ineffective assistance of counsel regarding the first motion to the district court, as that specific claim could not have been raised previously.

Jun 7 2023
21-584 Published

SERGEY NIKO ZHOVTONIZHKO v. MERRICK B. GARLAND, Attorney General

The Ninth Circuit held that the Board of Immigration Appeals erred by relying on outdated precedent to classify Washington's current reckless driving statute as a crime involving moral turpitude. The court found that the statute's 'reckless manner' element reflects a lower mental state than the 'wanton or willful disregard' standard required by prior BIA rulings.

Jun 7 2023
21-298 Published

ANDRES ARIZMENDI-MEDINA v. MERRICK B. GARLAND, Attorney General

The Ninth Circuit reversed the Board of Immigration Appeals, holding that an immigration judge violated due process by rigidly enforcing a filing deadline without allowing a window filing. The court found the proceedings fundamentally unfair because the deadline was ambiguous and the judge refused to accept the application while still on the bench.