Topic

Constitutional

Every decision we've filed under Constitutional.

Related topics

Civil 3414 Criminal 1968 Summary Judgment 812 Sentencing Guidelines 723 Civil Rights - Section 1983 653 Immigration (Civil) 649 Supervised Release 475 Drug Trafficking 445 Civil Rights - Employment 370 Firearms 323 Qualified Immunity 252 Anders Brief 243
Apr 6 2026
9th Cir. 2:23-cv-10018-SPG-RAO Unpublished

DAVID A. DIAZ v. MICHEL REY MOORE, RICHARD ALARCON; RICHARD ALATORRE; LAURA CHICK; RUTH GALANTER; MIKE HERNANDEZ; MARK RIDLEY THOMAS; JOEL WACHS; MICHAEL WOO; ZEV YAROLSLAVSKY;...

The Ninth Circuit affirmed the dismissal of David Diaz's civil rights lawsuit, ruling that his claims are barred because they would imply the invalidity of his 1999 conviction. The court further held that the doctrine of res judicata prevents Diaz from relitigating claims he previously brought in a 2001 suit.

Civil Rights - Section 1983 Constitutional Habeas Corpus - General (28 USC 2241)
Read summary →
Apr 3 2026
11th Cir. 1:07-cv-01276-KOB Published

MARCUS BERNARD WILLIAMS v. STATE OF ALABAMA

The Eleventh Circuit reversed the district court's grant of habeas relief, holding that Marcus Bernard Williams failed to demonstrate prejudice under Strickland v. Washington. The court concluded that Alabama courts would likely have weighed Williams's severe aggravating circumstances more heavily than his new mitigation evidence regarding childhood trauma.

Constitutional Habeas Corpus - General (28 USC 2241) Habeas Corpus - State Prisoner (28 USC 2254) Sixth Amendment - Ineffective Assistance of Counsel
Read summary →
Apr 3 2026
5th Cir. 25-50222 Per Curiam

United States v. Swift

The Fifth Circuit affirmed the denial of a motion to suppress evidence found on a microSD card, ruling that the subsequent warrant search was constitutional under the good faith exception. The court held that an officer's reliance on the warrant was objectively reasonable because the legality of the school district's initial search was unclear.

Constitutional Fourth Amendment - Search & Seizure
Read summary →
Apr 2 2026
10th Cir. 23-3175 Panel Decision

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA v. EBUBE OTUONYE

The Tenth Circuit affirmed the district court's partial denial of a habeas motion, holding that ineffective assistance of counsel regarding jury instructions on controlled substances did not prejudice a defendant's separate healthcare fraud convictions. The court reasoned that the fraud charges relied on distinct evidence and legal elements unrelated to the intent required for distributing controlled substances.

Constitutional Habeas Corpus - Federal Prisoner (28 USC 2255) Sixth Amendment - Confrontation Clause Sixth Amendment - Ineffective Assistance of Counsel
Read summary →
Apr 2 2026
11th Cir. 8:08-cr-00027-RAL-TGW-1 Per Curiam

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA v. CHEDDIE LAMAR GRIFFIN

The Eleventh Circuit dismissed Cheddie Lamar Griffin's appeal from his § 2255 motion denial because his notice of appeal was filed after the statutory deadline. Although the prison mailbox rule applied, the filing date of March 10 missed the 60-day window that expired on March 4.

Constitutional Habeas Corpus - Federal Prisoner (28 USC 2255) Habeas Corpus - General (28 USC 2241)
Read summary →
Apr 2 2026
6th Cir. 24-1751 Published

BARBARA JEAN MERCER v. ANTHONY STEWART, Warden

The Sixth Circuit reversed the district court's grant of habeas relief, holding that the state court's refusal to provide a defense-of-others jury instruction was not objectively unreasonable under AEDPA standards. The court concluded that the evidence did not support a reasonable inference that the petitioner acted to protect others from imminent harm, rendering the instructional error harmless beyond a reasonable doubt.

Constitutional Habeas Corpus - State Prisoner (28 USC 2254) Sixth Amendment - Ineffective Assistance of Counsel
Read summary →
Apr 2 2026
6th Cir. 24-1707 Published

BARBARA JEAN MERCER v. ANTHONY STEWART, Warden

The Sixth Circuit reversed the district court's grant of habeas relief, holding that the state court's refusal to provide a defense-of-others jury instruction was not objectively unreasonable under AEDPA standards. The court found no constitutional violation in the trial proceedings regarding the jury instructions or other claims, thereby reinstating Mercer's conviction and denying her federal relief.

Constitutional Habeas Corpus - State Prisoner (28 USC 2254) Sixth Amendment - Ineffective Assistance of Counsel
Read summary →
Apr 2 2026
4th Cir. 25-6067 Per Curiam

James Benjamin Charles v. Eddie M. Buffaloe, Jr.

The Fourth Circuit dismissed an appeal from a district court's denial of a habeas corpus petition because the petitioner failed to meet the statutory threshold for appellate review. The court held that the prisoner did not make a substantial showing that reasonable jurists could find the lower court's assessment of his constitutional claims debatable or wrong.

Constitutional Habeas Corpus - State Prisoner (28 USC 2254)
Read summary →
Apr 1 2026
7th Cir. 24-2320 Panel Decision

MOHAMED M. MUTHANA v. MARKWAYNE MULLIN Secretary of Homeland Security, et al

The Seventh Circuit affirmed the dismissal of Mohamed Muthana's due process and administrative claims because his own immigration petition proved he listed the address where the government sent notice. By failing to meaningfully contest this dispositive evidence in the lower court or on appeal, Muthana waived his right to challenge the denial of his request to reopen immigration proceedings.

Constitutional Fifth Amendment - Due Process Summary Judgment
Read summary →