Every decision we've summarized from United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit.
The Seventh Circuit affirmed a 48-month above-guidelines sentence for a defendant who facilitated a straw purchase of a firearm that was subsequently used to kill a police officer. The court held that the district court did not abuse its discretion in rejecting the standard sentencing guidelines for straw purchasers due to the severe consequences of the defendant's conduct.
The Seventh Circuit affirmed the federal corruption convictions of former Illinois House Speaker Michael J. Madigan. The court found sufficient evidence that Madigan exchanged legislative influence for financial benefits funneled to his political allies.
The Seventh Circuit affirmed a 48-month above-guidelines sentence for a defendant who facilitated a straw purchase that led to the death of a police officer. The court held that the district court acted within its discretion to reject the standard sentencing guidelines for straw purchasers based on the specific, violent consequences of the defendant's conduct.
The Seventh Circuit affirmed an above-guidelines sentence for a defendant convicted of conspiring to illegally purchase and transfer a firearm. The court held that the district court did not abuse its discretion in rejecting the standard sentencing guideline for straw purchasers due to the unique and violent consequences of the defendant's actions.
The Seventh Circuit affirmed a 324-month sentence for drug trafficking, ruling that defense counsel's explicit agreement with the Presentence Report's drug quantity constituted a deliberate waiver of any challenge to those facts. The court held that strategic choices made during sentencing cannot be undone on appeal simply because they later appear unwise.
The Seventh Circuit affirmed a thirty-two hundred and twenty-four month sentence for drug trafficking and reentry offenses. The court held that the defendant waived any challenge to the drug quantity finding by accepting the corresponding sentencing guideline level.
The Seventh Circuit affirmed Michael Madigan's federal bribery convictions, ruling that wiretap recordings and circumstantial evidence sufficiently proved a quid pro quo exchange between the former Illinois Speaker and utility company ComEd. The court further held that jury instructions regarding the definition of official acts and corrupt intent were legally sound and not prejudicial.
The Seventh Circuit affirmed a 75-month federal sentence for a bank fraud scheme, rejecting the defendant's challenges to two sentencing enhancements. The court found sufficient evidence that the defendant knowingly used sophisticated means and supervised other participants in the fraud.
The Seventh Circuit clarified that the Supreme Court's decision in Department of the Navy v. Egan imposes a rule of mandatory judicial deference rather than a limit on subject-matter jurisdiction. The court affirmed the dismissal of a federal employee's retaliation claim because adjudicating it would require second-guessing the Executive Branch's security clearance decisions.
The Seventh Circuit affirmed the denial of Social Security disability benefits, ruling that substantial evidence supported the ALJ's assessment of the claimant's residual functional capacity. The court held that the ALJ properly weighed the claimant's subjective complaints of fatigue and cane use against inconsistent medical records and daily activities.