Every decision we've summarized from United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit.
The United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit denied a certificate of appealability to a state prisoner challenging the timeliness of his federal habeas petition. The court found the petitioner failed to demonstrate that reasonable jurists would debate the district court's procedural ruling that his claim was time-barred.
The Tenth Circuit reversed a district court's dismissal of a prisoner's Eighth Amendment claim, holding that the lower court erred by relying on a Martinez Report to resolve factual disputes during the screening stage. The appellate court clarified that while such reports may help identify frivolous claims, they cannot be used to dismiss a complaint for failure to state a claim when the report conflicts with the plaintiff's pleadings.
The Tenth Circuit affirmed the district court's grant of summary judgment to Netflix, ruling that the use of a funeral video clip in the documentary Tiger King constituted fair use. The court also held that the plaintiffs waived their argument regarding the scope of employment for seven other videos, leaving the lower court's work-for-hire determination intact.
The United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit dismissed an appeal filed by Kaci Anne-Rene Lima following her bank fraud conviction. The court enforced an appeal waiver contained in Lima's plea agreement, finding that her sentence did not exceed the statutory maximum and that the waiver was entered knowingly and voluntarily.
The Tenth Circuit affirmed Jerry Lana Freeman's 224-month sentence, ruling that the district court did not clearly err in relying on co-conspirator statements to calculate drug quantity. The court held that the Presentence Report's eight-kilogram estimate was supported by sufficient evidence, including the defendant's own admissions and corroborating testimony.
The Tenth Circuit affirmed the denial of a motion to dismiss a felon-in-possession indictment, holding that prior circuit precedent mandates upholding the statute against Second Amendment challenges. A panel court cannot overrule binding precedent, even if the defendant argues the prior felony was non-violent.
The Tenth Circuit reversed the dismissal of a prisoner's Eighth Amendment claims against prison officials and medical providers. The court held that the district court erred by failing to consider tolling of the statute of limitations and by denying the plaintiff leave to amend his complaint without addressing futility.
The Tenth Circuit affirmed a drug trafficking conviction after determining that the defendant's appeal raised no non-frivolous issues. The panel upheld the district court's denial of a motion to suppress, finding the traffic stop was justified by observed violations and the dog sniff did not unlawfully extend the detention.
The Tenth Circuit affirmed the remand of civil and criminal cases to state court because the appellant failed to prove he acted under color of federal office. The court held that without satisfying the statutory requirements for federal officer removal, the federal district court lacked jurisdiction to retain the matters.
The Tenth Circuit affirmed the denial of Gregory Crosby's motion for compassionate release because he failed to adequately challenge the district court's finding that he did not exhaust administrative remedies. The court also held that the district court lacked jurisdiction to order a transfer to a residential re-entry facility.