Topic
Every decision we've filed under Drug Trafficking.
The Seventh Circuit reversed a district court's ruling that invalidated 18 U.S.C. §922(g)(1) on its face under the Second Amendment. The appellate court held that Supreme Court precedent does not categorically prohibit disarming all felons, particularly those with histories of dangerous conduct.
The Seventh Circuit affirmed Edlando Watson's conviction for possessing a firearm as a felon, holding that disarming individuals convicted of dangerous drug-dealing felonies aligns with the nation's historical tradition. The court applied the Supreme Court's two-step *Bruen* test to find the statute constitutional as applied to Watson, while explicitly declining to rule on whether non-dangerous felons may be similarly restricted.
The Seventh Circuit affirmed the denial of a concealed-carry permit to a former soldier with a military drug conviction, holding that the Full Faith and Credit Clause does not restrict states from imposing firearm disabilities based on federal military judgments. The court further ruled that Wisconsin's prohibition on firearm possession for individuals convicted of distributing drugs is constitutional both on its face and as applied to the appellant.
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.
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.
The Sixth Circuit vacated the district court's denial of early termination of supervised release, ruling that a rigid fifty-percent completion custom violates statutory requirements. The court held that judges must conduct an individualized assessment of statutory factors rather than relying on a blanket time-served rule.
The Sixth Circuit vacated the district court's denial of early termination of supervised release, ruling that a rigid fifty-percent completion rule constitutes an abuse of discretion. The court held that 18 U.S.C. § 3583(e)(1) requires an individualized assessment of statutory factors rather than a mechanical time threshold.
The Tenth Circuit affirmed Christian Cole's 240-month prison sentence, rejecting his challenges to a sentencing enhancement and the reasonableness of the term. The court held that the district court properly applied the firearm enhancement and that the downward variance was justified by Cole's specific circumstances.
The Seventh Circuit affirmed the conviction and sentence of a defendant who sought to withdraw his guilty plea on direct appeal. The court held that the defendant failed to demonstrate his plea was involuntary or unintelligent despite his complaints about time pressure and counsel.
The Eleventh Circuit affirmed Antonio Bell's 165-month sentence, ruling that the district court correctly applied a four-level sentencing enhancement for possessing a firearm in connection with methamphetamine distribution. The court further held that the sentence was substantively reasonable because the district court properly weighed the statutory factors under 18 U.S.C. § 3553(a).