Apr 1 2026
10th Cir. 2:21-CR-00878-KG-JFR-1) Panel Decision

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA v. JOHN BENJAMIN THORNTON

The Tenth Circuit affirmed the revocation of John Benjamin Thornton's supervised release after he failed to report to his probation office in New Mexico as ordered. The court held that unverified gang threats do not excuse a defendant's non-compliance with mandatory reporting conditions when the probation officer has already investigated and rejected the allegations.

Apr 1 2026
9th Cir. 4:22-cr-01661-SHR-LCK-1 Unpublished

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA v. JORGE OLIVERIO MORAN-CAN

The Ninth Circuit affirmed Jorge Oliverio Moran-Can's conviction for assaulting a federal officer, rejecting his claims regarding jury selection, expert testimony, and prosecutorial misconduct. The court held that the defendant failed to prove the prosecutor's strike of a Latino juror was pretextual and that the district court correctly excluded unreliable expert testimony.

Apr 1 2026
6th Cir. 25-5257 Published

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA v. MICHAEL WILLIAMS

The Sixth Circuit affirmed Michael Williams's within-Guidelines sentence for violating his supervised release, rejecting his claim that the district court impermissibly relied on retributive factors. The court held that the district court properly considered the breach of trust and the need for deterrence when imposing consecutive sentences for the new offense and the revocation.

Apr 1 2026
10th Cir. 5:24-CV-00743-J Panel Decision

DERRICK DEWAYNE PARKER v. JUDGE PERRY HUDSON; BENJAMIN HARTMAN; TIARA MCMINN; PHILLIP MARTIN; ELIAS RIVERA; TANNER FERRELL; JUSTIN HATCHER; TYLER HEAD; JERMAINE MCCULLUM; CHARLE...

The Tenth Circuit affirmed the dismissal of Derrick Dewayne Parker's civil rights lawsuit, ruling that his claims challenging his criminal conviction were barred because the conviction remained valid. The court further held that judges and prosecutors were protected by absolute immunity, and other allegations failed to state a plausible constitutional violation.

Apr 1 2026
5th Cir. 24-60277 Per Curiam

United States of America Plaintiff— v. Toshemie Wilson Defendant—

The Fifth Circuit affirmed Toshemie Wilson's conviction for sexually exploiting children, rejecting arguments that a lay witness improperly offered expert testimony and that the evidence was insufficient. The court held that Agent Blythe's testimony regarding device origins and data extraction fell within permissible lay knowledge under Federal Rule of Evidence 701.

Apr 1 2026
11th Cir. 8:18-cr-00064-SDM-TGW-1 Per Curiam

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA v. JOSHUA WILLIAMS

The Eleventh Circuit affirmed the revocation of Joshua Williams's supervised release, ruling that the district court properly admitted hearsay evidence and that the record contained sufficient proof of the alleged violations. The court held that the defense's failure to object to the evidence waived the right to challenge the admission under the *Frazier* balancing test.

Apr 1 2026
11th Cir. 2:24-cr-00005-LGW-BWC-1 Per Curiam

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA v. ANDRE J. TWITTY

The Eleventh Circuit dismissed the defendant's appeal sua sponte because the district court's order denying his motion to dismiss was not a final judgment. The court held that the ruling did not qualify for the collateral order doctrine since the issue could be effectively challenged after sentencing.

Apr 1 2026
6th Cir. 25-1629 Published

LATOYA AARON, as Legal Guardian of Derek Aaron an Incompetent Individual v. DARREN KING; EDWARD PAWLOWSKI; EUGENE FIELDER, Officers

The Sixth Circuit reversed the denial of qualified immunity for officers who used force to handcuff a large suspect actively resisting arrest for violent felonies. The court held that no clearly established law prohibited the officers' actions because the suspect's physical defiance created a unique factual context not covered by prior precedent.