Every decision we've summarized — searchable, filterable, neutral.
The Fifth Circuit affirmed Sandra Iribhogbe Popnen's 325-month sentence for fraud and money laundering, rejecting her challenges to loss calculations and sentencing guidelines reductions. The court held that the district court properly attributed co-conspirator losses and correctly denied a reduction for acceptance of responsibility.
The Federal Circuit denied a petition for a writ of mandamus seeking to overturn a district court order disqualifying patent counsel. The appellate court upheld the disqualification, finding that a third-party payment arrangement created an impermissible conflict of interest that materially limited the lawyers' independent judgment.
The Tenth Circuit affirmed the district court's decision in a case involving the death of Terral Ellis in pretrial custody, where the jury awarded $33 million in compensatory damages for violation of constitutional rights under 42 U.S.C. § 1983.
The Fifth Circuit affirmed the denial of a federal prisoner's motion to reduce his sentence, holding that Amendment 821 to the Sentencing Guidelines provided no relief because no status points were assessed at his original sentencing. The court further determined that the defendant abandoned arguments regarding Part B of the amendment and procedural errors, leaving only a claim subject to plain error review which failed.
The Federal Circuit summarily affirmed the dismissal of a lawsuit seeking damages for alleged due process and ADA violations, ruling that the Court of Federal Claims lacks jurisdiction over claims against state actors. The court held that the Tucker Act does not authorize the Court of Federal Claims to adjudicate suits against non-federal entities or to review the decisions of other federal circuits.
The Tenth Circuit affirmed summary judgment on a prisoner's claim regarding inadequate nutrition but reversed the ruling on unsanitary toilet and shower conditions. The court held that a reasonable jury could find prison officials acted with deliberate indifference to the Eighth Amendment regarding the facilities, remanding the case for trial on that specific claim.
The Fifth Circuit affirmed a sentence for illegal reentry after the appellant conceded his legal argument was foreclosed by Supreme Court precedent. The court granted the Government's motion for summary affirmance, rejecting the challenge to the sentence enhancement.
The United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit affirmed a district court ruling denying a motion to dismiss a civil forfeiture action against crude oil seized from two tankers. The court held that the government adequately pleaded that the oil belonged to an entity that materially supported a foreign terrorist organization.
The Tenth Circuit affirmed Adam Joseph King's conviction for sexual offenses in Indian Country, ruling that the evidence was sufficient to prove the victim's Indian status and the defendant's non-Indian status. The court further held that the district court did not abuse its discretion by allowing alternate charges under two different federal statutes, provided the jury was instructed to convict on only one theory.
The Fifth Circuit affirmed a twenty-one-month sentence for illegal reentry after reviewing the district court's reasoning. The court found the district court provided sufficient reasons for its within-guidelines sentence choice.
