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Oct 20 2023
United States Court… 22-3062 Panel Decision

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA v. THOMAS ROBERTSON

The D.C. Circuit affirmed Thomas Robertson's conviction for obstructing the Electoral College vote certification, ruling that his participation in the January 6 riot constituted acting "corruptly" through independently felonious means. The court further rejected Robertson's sentencing challenges, upholding an 87-month prison term based on the substantial interference caused to the administration of justice.

Criminal Robbery & Extortion Sentencing Guidelines
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Sep 14 2023
9th Cir. 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.

Civil Immigration (Civil)
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Sep 5 2023
9th Cir. 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.

Constitutional Habeas Corpus - Federal Prisoner (28 USC 2255) Habeas Corpus - State Prisoner (28 USC 2254)
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Aug 11 2023
2nd Cir. 20-1666 Panel Decision

ABDERRAHMANE FARHANE v. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

The Second Circuit affirmed the denial of Abderrahmane Farhane's habeas petition, holding that his counsel was not ineffective for failing to warn him about denaturalization risks. The court ruled that civil denaturalization is a collateral consequence of a guilty plea, meaning the Sixth Amendment does not require defense attorneys to advise on such immigration consequences.

Constitutional Habeas Corpus - Federal Prisoner (28 USC 2255) Sixth Amendment - Ineffective Assistance of Counsel Supervised Release
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Jun 7 2023
9th Cir. 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.

Civil Immigration (Civil)
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Jun 7 2023
9th Cir. 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.

Civil Immigration (Civil) Sixth Amendment - Ineffective Assistance of Counsel
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Jun 5 2023
2nd Cir. 22-1711-cv Panel Decision

GIVAUDAN SA PHYTO TECH CORP., DBA BLUE CALIFORNIA v. CONAGEN INC

The Second Circuit affirmed a district court judgment holding that Conagen was not liable for breach of contract after negotiations for an exclusivity arrangement failed. The court ruled that the executed Term Sheet created a binding duty to negotiate in good faith but did not bind the parties to the specific exclusivity terms sought by Givaudan.

Civil Securities
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Aug 5 2022
2nd Cir. 21-56 Panel Decision

Murray v. UBS Securities, LLC

The Second Circuit held that the Sarbanes-Oxley Act requires a whistleblower to prove an employer acted with retaliatory intent to discriminate against them. Because the district court failed to instruct the jury on this essential element, the verdict is vacated and the case is remanded for a new trial.

Civil Civil Rights - Employment
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Aug 5 2022
2nd Cir. 20-4202 Panel Decision

Murray v. UBS Securities, LLC

The Second Circuit held that the Sarbanes-Oxley Act requires a whistleblower to prove an employer acted with specific retaliatory intent to establish an adverse employment action claim. Because the district court failed to instruct the jury on this essential element, the court vacated the verdict and remanded for a new trial.

Civil Civil Rights - Employment
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Sep 8 2021
2nd Cir. 18-3710 Panel Decision

United States v. Percoco

The Second Circuit affirmed the convictions of Joseph Percoco and Steven Aiello for honest-services wire fraud, ruling that while a jury instruction regarding 'as opportunities arise' was technically flawed, the error was harmless given the overwhelming evidence of specific quid pro quos. The court further reaffirmed that non-officials who dominate and control government business owe a fiduciary duty to the public, rejecting arguments that Percoco's status as an unaffiliated advisor shielded him from liability.

Criminal Fraud
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