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Habeas Corpus - Federal Prisoner (28 USC 2255)

Every decision we've filed under Habeas Corpus - Federal Prisoner (28 USC 2255).

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Civil 3399 Criminal 1956 Summary Judgment 806 Sentencing Guidelines 718 Civil Rights - Section 1983 647 Immigration (Civil) 646 Constitutional 536 Supervised Release 473 Drug Trafficking 443 Civil Rights - Employment 367 Firearms 319 Qualified Immunity 251
Jan 30 2026
4th Cir. 24-7186 Panel Decision

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA v. GARY LEE HODGES

The Fourth Circuit affirmed Gary Lee Hodges's sentence for attempted enticement of a minor, rejecting his argument that sentencing enhancements do not apply when the victim is a fictitious person created by law enforcement. The court held that the term 'minor' in the Sentencing Guidelines is ambiguous and that the Guidelines' commentary defining 'minor' to include fictitious persons is entitled to deference.

Constitutional Habeas Corpus - Federal Prisoner (28 USC 2255) Plain Error Review Sentencing Guidelines
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Jan 29 2026
United States Court… 25-3090 Panel Decision

United States of America v. Joseph Smith

The D.C. Circuit affirmed the district court's denial of a prisoner's motion for free case files, ruling that the argument was waived because it was not raised in the lower court. The court clarified that while there is no constitutional right to free transcripts for preparing § 2255 motions, statutory avenues remain available for indigent prisoners.

Constitutional Habeas Corpus - Federal Prisoner (28 USC 2255)
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Jan 28 2026
4th Cir. 24-6996 Per Curiam

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA v. MARCUS ROOSEVELT TAYLOR

The Fourth Circuit affirmed the denial of Marcus Taylor's federal post-conviction relief motion, ruling that his challenges to the sufficiency of evidence were procedurally barred. The court further held that Taylor failed to demonstrate ineffective assistance of counsel or the need for an evidentiary hearing regarding his trial strategy claims.

Constitutional Habeas Corpus - Federal Prisoner (28 USC 2255) Sixth Amendment - Ineffective Assistance of Counsel Summary Judgment
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Dec 3 2025
11th Cir. 24-10001 Published

Cecil Dante Buckner v. United States of America

The Eleventh Circuit affirmed the denial of Cecil Buckner's § 2255 motion alleging ineffective assistance of counsel for failing to object to his career-offender classification. The court held that Buckner failed to show prejudice because his actual sentence was below the guideline range he would have received without the classification.

Constitutional Habeas Corpus - Federal Prisoner (28 USC 2255) Sentencing Guidelines Sixth Amendment - Ineffective Assistance of Counsel
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Jun 24 2025
9th Cir. 23-55617 Published

HECTOR MANUEL CERVANTES- TORRES v. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

The Ninth Circuit affirmed the denial of a writ of error coram nobis for a petitioner convicted of possessing a firearm as an alien unlawfully present. The court held that the failure to give a Rehaif instruction was not fundamental error because the evidence of the petitioner's knowledge of his status was overwhelming.

Constitutional Habeas Corpus - Federal Prisoner (28 USC 2255) Habeas Corpus - General (28 USC 2241) Sentencing Guidelines
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Nov 26 2024
2nd Cir. 22-639 Per Curiam

United States v. Davis

The Second Circuit affirmed Andrew Davis's conviction for conspiracy to commit money laundering, ruling that circumstantial evidence sufficiently linked his girlfriend's cash deposits to his drug trafficking proceeds. The court also rejected ten pro se arguments regarding ineffective assistance, double jeopardy, and sentencing enhancements as meritless, forfeited, or premature.

Constitutional Fifth Amendment - Double Jeopardy Habeas Corpus - Federal Prisoner (28 USC 2255) Habeas Corpus - General (28 USC 2241)
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Sep 5 2023
9th Cir. 23-48 Published

CHUN MEI TONG v. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

The Ninth Circuit held that dismissing a prisoner's first habeas motion because the claims were legally non-cognizable constitutes an adjudication on the merits, barring any later-filed motion on those same grounds as successive. However, the court transferred a claim of ineffective assistance of counsel regarding the first motion to the district court, as that specific claim could not have been raised previously.

Constitutional Habeas Corpus - Federal Prisoner (28 USC 2255) Habeas Corpus - State Prisoner (28 USC 2254)
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Aug 11 2023
2nd Cir. 20-1666 Panel Decision

ABDERRAHMANE FARHANE v. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

The Second Circuit affirmed the denial of Abderrahmane Farhane's habeas petition, holding that his counsel was not ineffective for failing to warn him about denaturalization risks. The court ruled that civil denaturalization is a collateral consequence of a guilty plea, meaning the Sixth Amendment does not require defense attorneys to advise on such immigration consequences.

Constitutional Habeas Corpus - Federal Prisoner (28 USC 2255) Sixth Amendment - Ineffective Assistance of Counsel Supervised Release
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