Topic

Constitutional

Every decision we've filed under Constitutional.

Related topics

Civil 2084 Criminal 1218 Summary Judgment 466 Sentencing Guidelines 413 Civil Rights - Section 1983 395 Immigration (Civil) 354 Supervised Release 285 Drug Trafficking 272 Firearms 213 Civil Rights - Employment 204 Intellectual Property 159 Qualified Immunity 151
May 1 2026
4th Cir. 25-6798 Per Curiam

JOHN ANTHONY MICHAEL WILLIAMS v. DIRECTOR OF THE SPARTANBURG COUNTY DETENTION CENTER

The Fourth Circuit dismissed John Anthony Michael Williams's appeal for lack of jurisdiction because he filed his notice of appeal more than two years after the deadline. The court held that the 30-day filing requirement for civil appeals is a strict jurisdictional limit that cannot be extended without a specific district court order.

Constitutional Habeas Corpus - General (28 USC 2241)
Read summary →
May 1 2026
4th Cir. 25-6625 Per Curiam

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA v. XAVIER MILTON EARQUHART

The Fourth Circuit dismissed Xavier Milton Earquhart's federal habeas appeal because he failed to make the requisite substantial showing that reasonable jurists could debate the district court's denial of constitutional relief. The court independently reviewed the record and found no debatable constitutional claims or procedural errors warranting further review.

Constitutional Habeas Corpus - Federal Prisoner (28 USC 2255)
Read summary →
May 1 2026
4th Cir. 25-6600 Per Curiam

TIMOTHY O'NEIL BULLOCK v. JOSEPH WALTERS, Director of the Virginia Department of Corrections; COMMONWEALTH ATTORNEY GENERAL

The Fourth Circuit denied a certificate of appealability and dismissed Timothy Bullock's appeal of his dismissed habeas petition because he failed to make a substantial showing that reasonable jurists could debate the district court's procedural ruling. The court held that Bullock's informal brief was insufficient to preserve any issues for review, resulting in the immediate termination of the appellate proceeding.

Constitutional Habeas Corpus - State Prisoner (28 USC 2254)
Read summary →
May 1 2026
4th Cir. 25-6168 Per Curiam

NATHAN DAVIS v. JOSEPH WALTERS, Dir. of Virginia Department of Correction

The Fourth Circuit remanded a habeas case to determine if a late notice of appeal should be excused because the petitioner claimed he never received notice of the district court's judgment. The court treated the petitioner's letter as a motion to reopen the appeal period under Federal Rule of Appellate Procedure 4(a)(6).

Constitutional Habeas Corpus - State Prisoner (28 USC 2254)
Read summary →
Apr 30 2026
11th Cir. 4:22-cr-00017-WMR-WEJ-1 Per Curiam

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA v. WILFORT FOSTER, III

The Eleventh Circuit dismissed Wilfort Foster's appeal of his drug conspiracy and money laundering convictions because he signed a valid plea agreement waiving his right to appeal. The court found the record clearly showed Foster knowingly and voluntarily understood the waiver's terms, which barred his specific challenges to the sentence.

Constitutional Guidelines Departure Habeas Corpus - Federal Prisoner (28 USC 2255) Sentencing Guidelines
Read summary →
Apr 30 2026
5th Cir. 24-10633 10 to 7

United States of America v. Jamaion Wilson

The Fifth Circuit denied the petition for rehearing en banc in Jamaion Wilson's machinegun possession case, leaving the panel's conviction intact. While nine judges acknowledged that existing circuit precedent may conflict with the Second Amendment, they ruled that the specific arguments raised in this appeal were procedurally insufficient to warrant a full court review.

Constitutional First Amendment - Speech
Read summary →
Apr 30 2026
4th Cir. 25-6594 Per Curiam

LAWRENCE E. THOMPSON, JR v. NELSON SMITH, Commissioner

The Fourth Circuit dismissed an appeal because the petitioner failed to file specific objections to a magistrate judge's recommendation, waiving his right to appellate review of the underlying merits. The court applied the waiver standard from Thomas v. Arn, denying a certificate of appealability without addressing the exhaustion of state remedies.

Constitutional Habeas Corpus - General (28 USC 2241)
Read summary →
Apr 30 2026
11th Cir. 1:25-cr-00010-LAG-ALS-1 Per Curiam

United States v. Stuckett

The Eleventh Circuit affirmed Jasper Jermaine Stuckett's conviction for possessing a machinegun, rejecting his facial Second Amendment challenge. The court held that binding precedent establishes the Second Amendment does not protect the possession of machineguns.

Constitutional Second Amendment
Read summary →