Topic

Constitutional

Every decision we've filed under Constitutional.

David Hirsch v. Federal Prison Camp (FPC); Bill Eischen, Duluth Warden or current acting Warden

The Eighth Circuit affirmed the denial of a habeas petition challenging the Bureau of Prisons' calculation of First Step Act time credits. The court held that the Bureau correctly treated the petitioner's sentences as a single aggregate term due to a conviction under Section nineteen eighty-three of Title eighteen of the United States Code.

Constitutional Habeas Corpus - General (28 USC 2241)

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Jul 10 2026

8th Cir. 26-1155 Panel Decision

United States of America v. Garnell August Carter

The Eighth Circuit affirmed in part and dismissed the remainder of an appeal by a defendant challenging his firearm and drug sentence. The court held that an enforceable appeal waiver barred most arguments, while ineffective assistance claims must be raised in a separate motion.

Constitutional Habeas Corpus - Federal Prisoner (28 USC 2255) Sentencing Guidelines

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Jul 9 2026

5th Cir. 25-20383 Panel Decision

Searles v. City of Houston

The Fifth Circuit affirmed summary judgment for a Houston police officer who fatally shot a suspect during a warrant execution. The court held that the officer was entitled to qualified immunity because no clearly established law prohibited his actions under the specific, split-second circumstances.

Constitutional Fourth Amendment - Search & Seizure Qualified Immunity Summary Judgment

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Jul 9 2026

6th Cir. 25-1606 Published

Millis v. Rewerts

The Sixth Circuit reversed a district court's dismissal of a federal habeas petition as untimely. The court held that conflicting communications from the Michigan Supreme Court created a factual dispute regarding equitable tolling that precluded summary dismissal.

Constitutional Habeas Corpus - State Prisoner (28 USC 2254)

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Jul 9 2026

9th Cir. 3:24-cr-08016-SMB-1 Unpublished

United States v. Johnson

The Ninth Circuit affirmed a federal sentence for a defendant convicted of child sex abuse conspiracy. The court held that challenges to supervised release conditions were not yet ripe and that ineffective assistance claims were inappropriate for direct appeal.

Constitutional Habeas Corpus - Federal Prisoner (28 USC 2255) Habeas Corpus - General (28 USC 2241) Supervised Release

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Jul 8 2026

4th Cir. 24-6409 Panel Decision

Steen v. Dismukes

The Fourth Circuit clarified that federal habeas courts must defer only to the last state court decision that provides reasoned analysis on the merits. In this ineffective assistance of counsel claim, the court affirmed the denial of relief because the state appellate court's finding of no prejudice was reasonable.

Constitutional Habeas Corpus - State Prisoner (28 USC 2254)

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Jul 8 2026

8th Cir. 25-1768 Panel Decision

United States of America v. Alhaji Kundu Aly

The Eighth Circuit affirmed a wire fraud sentence and dismissed an appeal based on a valid plea agreement waiver. The court rejected an ineffective assistance claim because the record was not developed for direct review.

Compassionate Release Constitutional Habeas Corpus - Federal Prisoner (28 USC 2255) Habeas Corpus - General (28 USC 2241)

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Jul 7 2026

10th Cir. 25-6108 Panel Decision

Harjo v. Drummond

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 held that the petitioner failed to demonstrate that reasonable jurists would debate the district court's procedural ruling that his claim was time-barred under the Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act.

Constitutional Habeas Corpus - State Prisoner (28 USC 2254) Statute of Limitations

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Jul 7 2026

11th Cir. 1:05-cr-20777-JEM-1 Per Curiam

United States v. Monteith

The Eleventh Circuit affirmed the conviction and sentence of Michael Monteith for conspiring to import cocaine. The court held that Monteith voluntarily waived his right to be present at trial and that his mid-trial absence warranted a sentencing enhancement for obstruction of justice.

Constitutional Habeas Corpus - General (28 USC 2241) Sentencing Guidelines

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Jul 6 2026

1st Cir. 24-1524 Panel Decision

UNITED STATES v. REY DAVID FULCAR

The First Circuit affirmed the defendant's federal convictions but found error in applying a career offender sentencing enhancement. The court held that the enhancement was inapplicable because the prior state conviction did not involve a substance controlled under federal law at the time of federal sentencing.

Constitutional Habeas Corpus - Federal Prisoner (28 USC 2255) Sentencing Guidelines

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