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Constitutional

Every decision we've filed under Constitutional.

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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
Mar 30 2026
7th Cir. 24-3346 Panel Decision

MAURICE J. HOLT v. GARY BOUGHTON

The Seventh Circuit reversed a district court's grant of habeas relief, holding that the Wisconsin Court of Appeals reasonably applied federal standards in rejecting a defendant's claims regarding excluded evidence and ineffective assistance of counsel. The appellate court found that the state court's decision was not an unreasonable application of Supreme Court precedent under the Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act.

Constitutional Habeas Corpus - State Prisoner (28 USC 2254) Sixth Amendment - Confrontation Clause Sixth Amendment - Ineffective Assistance of Counsel
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Mar 30 2026
4th Cir. 25-6295 Panel Decision

DANIEL NEIL JACKSON v. D. DAMERON, RN; DR. K. SMITH

The Fourth Circuit affirmed the dismissal of a pro se prisoner's complaint, holding that district courts must construe pleadings liberally but are not required to act as legal advocates. The court determined the plaintiff's essential grievance was an Eighth Amendment claim for deliberate indifference, not an Americans with Disabilities Act claim.

Civil Rights - PLRA / Prisoner Civil Rights - Section 1983 Constitutional Habeas Corpus - Federal Prisoner (28 USC 2255)
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Mar 30 2026
9th Cir. 3:20-cr-03419-TWR-1 Unpublished

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA v. KEVIN ANDRE BARNES

The Ninth Circuit affirmed the denial of a motion to suppress text messages, ruling that the government's one-year retention of a defendant's cellphone was reasonable under the Fourth Amendment. The court held that the prompt initial seizure, pandemic-related delays, and the defendant's failure to request the device's return outweighed the duration of the hold.

Constitutional Fourth Amendment - Search & Seizure
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Mar 27 2026
10th Cir. 25-5169 Panel Decision

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA v. LANCE DOUGLAS ROARK

The Tenth Circuit denied Lance Roark a certificate of appealability, ruling that he failed to make a substantial showing that reasonable jurists could debate the denial of his constitutional rights. The court affirmed that the federal government possesses Article III standing to prosecute criminal violations of its laws, regardless of the specific injury to a private victim.

Constitutional Habeas Corpus - Federal Prisoner (28 USC 2255) Standing
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Mar 27 2026
10th Cir. 4:08-CR-00022-GKF-1) Panel Decision

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA v. KIMBERLY CHANCELLOR

The Tenth Circuit denied Kimberly Chancellor's request for a certificate of appealability because he failed to show that reasonable jurists would find the district court's procedural ruling debatable. The court held that his Rule 60(b)(6) motion was substantively an unauthorized second or successive § 2255 claim, which the district court correctly dismissed for lack of jurisdiction.

Constitutional Habeas Corpus - Federal Prisoner (28 USC 2255) Habeas Corpus - State Prisoner (28 USC 2254)
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Mar 27 2026
4th Cir. 25-6219 Per Curiam

TODD GIFFEN v. WARDEN FMC ROCHESTER; USDC/EASTERN DISTRICT OF NORTH CAROLINA; UNITED STATES ATTORNEY GENERAL

The Fourth Circuit affirmed the dismissal of Todd Giffen's habeas petition because his informal brief failed to challenge the district court's reasoning. This ruling reinforces that appellate review in the Fourth Circuit is strictly limited to issues preserved in the informal brief.

Constitutional Habeas Corpus - General (28 USC 2241)
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Mar 30 2026
4th Cir. 24-6985 Per Curiam

CLAUDE MORDECIA STEVENS v. STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA

The Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals dismissed Claude Mordecia Stevens' appeal from a district court's denial of his habeas corpus petition. The court found Stevens failed to make a substantial showing that the district court's decision involved debatable constitutional claims, a requirement necessary to obtain a certificate of appealability.

Constitutional Habeas Corpus - State Prisoner (28 USC 2254)
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