Topic
Every decision we've filed under Criminal.
The Fifth Circuit affirmed a consecutive sentence imposed on a defendant who threatened a federal officer. The court held that the district court did not abuse its discretion in balancing sentencing factors under the Guidelines.
The Tenth Circuit affirmed a conviction for sexual abuse after the defendant conceded he could not prove the jury instruction was clearly erroneous. The court held that the district court's use of a modified Allen charge did not constitute plain error under the applicable standard.
The Eleventh Circuit affirmed convictions under the Maritime Drug Law Enforcement Act for three defendants arrested on a vessel without nationality. The court held that a State Department certification confirming a lack of nationality is conclusive proof of jurisdiction.
The Sixth Circuit affirmed a district court's revocation sentences for supervised release violations. The court held that the district judge did not plainly err by considering retributive purposes when sentencing the defendant.
The Eighth Circuit affirmed the conviction and sentence of Michelle Lee Marr for second-degree murder and tampering with proceedings. The court found that the defendant was not in custody during police interviews and voluntarily consented to a search of her cell phone.
The Eleventh Circuit affirmed the convictions of three defendants under the Maritime Drug Law Enforcement Act. The court held that the vessel was subject to United States jurisdiction because the claimed nation of registry failed to affirmatively assert the vessel's nationality.
The United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit affirmed the district court's denial of a motion for compassionate release. The appellate court found no abuse of discretion in the lower court's determination that the defendant failed to demonstrate extraordinary and compelling reasons for early release.
The Eleventh Circuit affirmed one defendant's sentence while vacating and remanding another's in a consolidated appeal involving unemployment fraud. The court found sufficient evidence for a sophisticated-means enhancement against the leader of the scheme but not against her codefendant.
The Eleventh Circuit dismissed an appeal regarding a sentence reduction motion because the underlying issue became moot. The district court had already granted the government's motion to reduce the defendant's sentence after the appeal was filed.
The Fourth Circuit vacated and remanded the defendant's sentence because the district court failed to make sufficient factual findings to support the application of a sentencing guideline enhancement.