Topic
Every decision we've filed under Constitutional.
The United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit affirmed the dismissal of a civil rights complaint filed by Erwin Eugene Semien. The court held that the plaintiff failed to adequately allege claims for conspiracy to deny due process or equal protection under the Fourteenth Amendment.
The First Circuit vacated and remanded a district court dismissal of a habeas petition challenging the Bureau of Prisons' refusal to award First Step Act time credits for work performed while the petitioner was housed in a county jail prior to transfer to a federal facility.
The United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit dismissed an appeal filed by Olee Wonzo Robinson because the underlying order was not final. The court held that it lacks jurisdiction to review non-final orders under federal law.
The Fifth Circuit affirmed the dismissal of Erwin Eugene Semien's civil rights complaint, ruling that he abandoned several claims and failed to adequately allege constitutional violations. The court held that Semien did not state a claim for due process or equal protection because he lacked a protected property interest and failed to identify specific comparators.
The Eleventh Circuit affirmed the denial of a motion for compassionate release filed by a federal prisoner serving consecutive sentences. The court held that the district court lacked authority to reduce the sentence because the defendant had already completed the term imposed by that specific court.
The Eleventh Circuit affirmed the denial of Patrick Hall's § 2255 motion, ruling that the district court did not violate the *Clisby* mandate by resolving his ineffective assistance claim in a single sentence. The appellate court found that the district court's reliance on credibility findings and the lack of prejudice established a sufficient record for meaningful review.
The Tenth Circuit denied a certificate of appealability because the petitioner failed to allege specific, credible constitutional violations in his habeas petition. The court dismissed the appeal, finding the petitioner's claims were delusional and factually frivolous under the Rules Governing Section 2254 Cases.
The Ninth Circuit affirmed the denial of a writ of error coram nobis, holding that the defendant failed to prove prejudice from his counsel's alleged failure to warn him of immigration consequences. The court ruled that without contemporaneous evidence showing the defendant would have rationally rejected the plea to proceed to trial, the fundamental error standard was not met.
The Tenth Circuit affirmed the denial of Hilde Favela's motion for compassionate release, ruling that sentencing disparities and presentence report disputes do not constitute extraordinary and compelling reasons. The court held that challenges to sentencing calculations must be pursued through a habeas motion rather than a compassionate release proceeding.
The Ninth Circuit affirmed Kendall Anagal's conviction for aggravated sexual abuse, ruling that the district court properly admitted expert testimony regarding child abuse myths and prior bad acts evidence. The court further held that the admission of peephole and video evidence was harmless error and that an inquiry into a juror's internal motivations was barred by Federal Rule of Evidence 606(b).