federal-criminal-law

199 cases — ← All topics

Case Title Lower Court Docketed Status Flags Tags Question Presented
25-6955 Mark Alan Deakins v. United States Sixth Circuit 2026-03-04 Pending Response WaivedIFP child-sexual-abuse-material enhanced-penalties federal-criminal-law interstate-commerce prior-conviction statutory-interpretation 1. For the purposes of the enhanced penalties of 18 U.S.C. § 2251 (e), when does a prior conviction "relat[e] to the sexual exploitation of children"?…
25-863 G'Ante Butler v. United States Tenth Circuit 2026-01-20 Denied Response Waived assault-definition circuit-split criminal-procedure federal-criminal-law officer-safety statutory-interpretation Whether 18 U.S.C. § 111(b) is violated only by forcibly assaulting a federal officer, or may be violated by forcibly resisting, opposing, impeding, in…
25-619 Zhe Zhang, aka Zack v. United States Second Circuit 2025-12-01 Denied Response Waived criminal-penalty disjunctive-language federal-criminal-law murder-for-hire sentencing statutory-interpretation Whether the disjunctive language at 18 U.S.C. § 1958(a) providing "if death results, [the offender] shall be punished by death or life imprisonment, o…
25-6250 Richard Ruston v. United States Tenth Circuit 2025-11-26 Pending Response RequestedResponse WaivedIFP circuit-split federal-criminal-law sentencing-conditions statutory-construction statutory-interpretation supervised-release Whether the "and" in 18 U.S.C. § 3583(d)(1), as well as the "and" in 18 U.S.C. § 3553(a)(1), as cross-referenced in section 3583(d)(1), means "and," o…
25A484 Ralph Kevin Tovar v. United States Eleventh Circuit 2025-10-28 Presumed Complete circuit-split federal-criminal-law interstate-commerce jurisdictional-element sex-trafficking statutory-interpretation Question not identified.
25-5781 Michael Cobbs v. United States Seventh Circuit 2025-10-02 Denied Response WaivedIFP appellate-review circuit-split crime-of-violence federal-criminal-law sentencing-enhancement statutory-interpretation 1.) Whether the Seventh Circuit errored in holding that Petitioner's conviction under 18 U.S.C. § 924 (c) remains valid despite the court's decision i…
25-5577 Brandon Grunwaldt v. United States Fourth Circuit 2025-09-08 Denied Response WaivedIFP circuit-split criminal-statute federal-criminal-law minor-protection statutory-interpretation video-evidence Does a video of a minor in a bathroom engaged in ordinary grooming activities depict "the lascivious exhibition of the anus, genitals, or pubic area" …
25-5063 John Armstrong, Jr. v. United States Eleventh Circuit 2025-07-09 Denied Relisted (2)IFP aiding-and-abetting bank-robbery crime-of-violence federal-criminal-law sentencing-enhancement statutory-interpretation I. Under 18 U.S.C. § 924(c) and United States v. Taylor, 596 U.S. 845 (2022), is a conviction for federal bank robbery under Section 2113(a) categoric…
24-1183 Antonio Lamont Lightfoot v. United States Fourth Circuit 2025-05-19 Denied Response RequestedResponse WaivedRelisted (2) categorical-approach circuit-split federal-criminal-law predicate-offense sentencing-enhancement three-strikes-law Whether there is a categorical mis match whe n the elements of the predicate state offense, by their plain language , criminalize conduct outside the …
24-1172 Robert Sylvester Kelly v. United States Second Circuit 2025-05-15 Denied Response Waived criminal-conspiracy enterprise-definition federal-criminal-law racketeering rico-statute statutory-interpretation Should this Court grant certiorari to make explicit that under 18 U.S.C. § 1962(c), the members of an "enterprise" must share a common illegal or frau…
24-7148 Julia Greenberg v. United States Second Circuit 2025-05-07 Denied Response WaivedIFP criminal-statute document-fraud false-statement federal-criminal-law immigration-law statutory-interpretation Whether the first paragraph of 18 U.S.C.A. §1546(a) reaches "authentic" immigration documents that are generated following a false statement (as oppos…
24-6971 D. R. v. T. R. Hawaii 2025-04-11 Denied IFP civil-rights constitutional-law family-court-dispute federal-criminal-law judicial-corruption mental-incompetence Question not identified.
24-6922 Lorenzo Vazquez-Alba v. United States Fifth Circuit 2025-04-03 Denied Response WaivedIFP federal-criminal-law illegal-entry immigration-law judicial-procedure sentencing statutory-interpretation Did the district court properly enter judgment under both 8 U.S.C. § 1326(a) and (b)(2)?
24-6913 Johnson Saint-Louis v. United States Eleventh Circuit 2025-04-01 Denied Response WaivedIFP bank-robbery crime-of-violence federal-criminal-law sentencing-enhancement statutory-construction statutory-interpretation (1) Whether the federal bank robbery statute, 18 USC §2113(a) is indivisible and thus not a qualifying "Crime of violence" under 18 USC §924(c)?
24-735 Raymond Liddy v. United States Ninth Circuit 2025-01-13 Denied circuit-split federal-criminal-law internet-crime interstate-commerce jurisdictional-element statutory-interpretation This case raises a fundamental question that has split the Circuits regarding the intersection between the use of the Internet and federal criminal la…
24-6126 Joel S. Elliott v. United States Tenth Circuit 2024-12-11 Pending Response RequestedResponse WaivedRelisted (3)IFP circuit-split discretionary-sentence extraordinary-compelling-reasons federal-criminal-law sentencing-reduction statutory-interpretation Whether a combination of "extraordinary and compelling reasons" that may warrant a discretionary sentence reduction under 18 U.S.C. § 3582(¢)(1)(A) ca…
24-6000 Rafael Antonio Bracero-Navas v. United States Eleventh Circuit 2024-11-19 Denied Response WaivedIFP child-pornography circuit-split federal-criminal-law lascivious-exhibition minor-protection statutory-interpretation Does a defendant produce a depiction of a minor engaging in "lascivious exhibition," and thus "sexually explicit conduct" under 18 U.S.C. 2251(a), by …
24-5752 Norman Thurber v. United States Eighth Circuit 2024-10-11 Denied IFP criminal-responsibility federal-criminal-law intent mens-rea scienter statutory-interpretation Is there a mens rea requirement for Scienter in 18 U.S.C. Section 2251, since "... criminal responsibility may not be imposed without some element of …
24-404 Ji Chaoqun v. United States Seventh Circuit 2024-10-10 Denied Response Waived criminal-statute federal-criminal-law foreign-agent jury-unanimity prosecutorial-discretion statutory-interpretation 18 U.S.C. § 951 provides that "[w]hoever, other than a diplomatic or consular officer or attaché, acts in the United States as an agent of a foreign g…
24A310 Rafael Antonio Bracero-Navas v. United States Eleventh Circuit 2024-10-01 Presumed Complete appellate-review criminal-conviction eleventh-circuit federal-criminal-law standard-of-review statutory-interpretation Question not identified.
24-286 Peter Bolos v. United States Sixth Circuit 2024-09-12 Denied Relisted (2) deception federal-criminal-law mail-fraud property-interest statutory-interpretation transaction-scheme Does a scheme to induce a transaction through deception, but which contemplates no harm to any property interest, constitute a scheme to defraud under…
24-5421 In Re Tiran R. Casteel 2024-08-29 Denied Relisted (2)IFP congressional-quorum constitutional-validity federal-criminal-law jurisdictional-challenge legislative-procedure statutory-enactment QUESTION #1, Public Law 80-772, Act of June 25,1948,Chapter 645,62 Stat. 683,the statute which created the current Title 18,United States Code-the Cri…
24-170 Jake Delahney Taylor v. United States Fifth Circuit 2024-08-16 Denied Response Waived child-pornography circuit-split federal-criminal-law lascivious-exhibition statutory-interpretation visual-depiction Do the statutory terms "visual depiction" and "lascivious exhibition" refer to the same, or different things?
24-5330 Xavier Daughtry v. United States Eleventh Circuit 2024-08-15 Denied Response WaivedIFP carjacking crime-of-violence elements-clause federal-criminal-law sentencing-enhancement statutory-interpretation Whether a conviction for federal carjacking, pursuant to 18 U.S.C. § 2119, qualifies as a "crime of violence" under § 924(c)(8)(A) post-Borden.
24-5329 Timothy Scott Hardin v. United States Fourth Circuit 2024-08-15 Denied Response WaivedIFP age-of-consent categorical-approach circuit-split federal-criminal-law sentencing-enhancement statutory-interpretation Under federal law, the Model Penal Code, and the laws of 39 states and the District of Columbia, consensual sex between a 21-year-old and a 17-year-ol…
24-5261 Miguel Tejada-Cruz v. United States Fifth Circuit 2024-08-07 Denied Response WaivedIFP 2nd-amendment commerce-clause constitutional-challenge criminal-statute due-process federal-criminal-law federal-law firearm-possession firearms interstate-commerce second-amendment L Whether 18 U.S.C. § 922(g) permits conviction for the possession of any firearm that has ever crossed state lines at any time in the indefinite past…
24-5131 John William Thomas Flechs v. United States Tenth Circuit 2024-07-23 Denied Response WaivedIFP attempt-crime criminal-statute federal-criminal-law sexual-enticement statutory-interpretation substantial-step When proving a violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2422(b) (attempted sexual enticement of a minor), must the government establish that the defendant either made…
24-5112 Austin Wayne Massey v. United States Fifth Circuit 2024-07-18 Denied Response WaivedIFP 2nd-amendment commerce-clause constitutional-challenge criminal-statute due-process federal-criminal-law federal-law firearm-possession firearms interstate-commerce second-amendment L. Whether 18 U.S.C. § 922(g) permits conviction for the possession of any firearm that has ever crossed state lines at any time in the indefinite pas…
24-5042 Carlos Emanuel Kinard v. United States Fourth Circuit 2024-07-10 Denied IFP 18-usc-1959 18-usc-924 assault-definition circuit-split crime-of-violence federal-criminal-law mens-rea racketeering-enterprise vicar-statute If the state or federal crime incorporated into an 18 U.S.C. § 1959(a)(3) conviction categorially does not meet the 18 U.S.C. § 924(c) definition of a…
24-5031 Keith White v. United States Seventh Circuit 2024-07-09 Denied Response WaivedIFP 21-u.s.c.-§-846 career-offender controlled-substance controlled-substance-offenses criminal-procedure drug-offense federal-criminal-law sentencing sentencing-guidelines statutory-interpretation u.s.s.g.-§-4b1.2 Whether an offense under 21 U.S.C. § 846 may be included in the U.S.S.G. § 4B1.2 definition of "controlled substance offenses" for purposes of sentenc…
23-7836 Thomas Joseph Brewer v. United States Eighth Circuit 2024-07-01 Denied Response WaivedIFP 18-usc-924c criminal-law criminal-statute federal-criminal-law force-clause sentencing sentencing-enhancement statutory-interpretation violent-crime Whether federal voluntary manslaughter in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1112(a) qualifies as a "crime of violence" under the force clause in 18 U.S.C. § 92…
23A1167 Jay A. Liestman v. United States Seventh Circuit 2024-06-27 Presumed Complete child-pornography federal-criminal-law mandatory-minimum predicate-offense sentencing-enhancement statutory-interpretation Question not identified.
23-7693 Jonathan Jamal Bangash v. United States Fifth Circuit 2024-06-12 Denied Response WaivedIFP 2nd-amendment commerce-clause constitutional-law criminal-statute due-process federal-criminal-law firearm-possession firearms interstate-commerce second-amendment statutory-interpretation Whether 18 U.S.C. §922(n) comports with the Second Amendment? Whether 18 U.S.C. §922(n) permits conviction for the receipt of any firearm that has ev…
23-1288 Nicholas Newman v. United States Tenth Circuit 2024-06-10 Denied actual-innocence assault-federal-officer collateral-attack-waiver criminal-law-procedure criminal-procedure federal-criminal-law habeas-corpus plea-agreement statutory-interpretation tenth-circuit 1. Whether reasonable jurists could debate whether assault on a federal officer under 18 U.S.C. § 111 can be committed by reckless contact with anothe…
23-7660 Michael Steven Smith v. United States Fifth Circuit 2024-06-07 Denied Response WaivedIFP 2nd-amendment commerce-clause constitutional-challenge criminal-law due-process federal-criminal-law federalism firearm-possession interstate-commerce standing statutory-interpretation Whether 18 U.S.C. §922(g) permits conviction for the possession of any firearm that has ever crossed state lines at any time in the indefinite past, a…
23-7653 Tayron Deshawn Thomas v. United States Fifth Circuit 2024-06-06 Denied Response WaivedIFP 2nd-amendment civil-rights commerce-clause constitutional-challenge criminal-law due-process federal-criminal-law firearm-possession interstate-commerce second-amendment standing statutory-interpretation Whether 18 U.S.C. §922(g) permits conviction for the possession of any firearm that has ever crossed state lines at any time in the indefinite past, a…
23-7439 Basil Loud Hawk v. United States Eighth Circuit 2024-05-09 Denied Response WaivedIFP criminal-law criminal-statute federal-crimes federal-criminal-law force-clause sentencing sentencing-enhancement statutory-interpretation violent-crime violent-crimes Whether federal second-degree murder in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1(a) qualifies as a "crime of violence" under the force clause in 18 U.S.C. § 924(c)(…
23-7401 Kristopher Lee Rocco v. United States Fifth Circuit 2024-05-07 Denied Response WaivedIFP 2nd-amendment civil-rights constitutional-challenge criminal-statute due-process federal-criminal-law federal-law firearm-possession interstate-commerce second-amendment standing takings L Whether 18 U.S.C. § 922(g) permits conviction for the possession of any firearm that has ever crossed state lines at any time in the indefinite past…
23-7354 Warren Baker v. United States Fourth Circuit 2024-05-02 Denied Response WaivedIFP 18-usc-1951(b) 18-usc-924(c) crime-of-violence criminal-procedure federal-criminal-law hobbs-act predicate-offense sentencing-enhancement statutory-interpretation Whether Hobbs Act Robbery in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1951(b) is a predicate "crime of violence" for purposes of 18 U.S.C. § 924(c).
23-7305 Ronald Jerome Davis, Jr. v. United States Fifth Circuit 2024-04-25 Denied Response WaivedIFP 2nd-amendment commerce-clause constitutional-challenge criminal-law due-process federal-criminal-law firearm-possession firearms interstate-commerce second-amendment standing statutory-interpretation L Whether 18 U.S.C. § 922(g) permits conviction for the possession of any firearm that has ever crossed state lines at any time in the indefinite past…
23-7293 Shawn Thomas Borne v. United States Tenth Circuit 2024-04-23 GVR IFP 2nd-amendment constitutional-challenge criminal-law due-process federal-criminal-law firearm firearm-possession interstate-commerce second-amendment standing statutory-interpretation 1. Whether 18 U.S.C. § 922(¢)(1) is unconstitutional under the Second Amendment, both facially and as applied to Mr. Borne, in light of New York State…
23-7235 Troy Dontae Williams v. United States Fifth Circuit 2024-04-15 Denied Response WaivedIFP 2nd-amendment commerce-clause constitutional-challenge criminal-law due-process federal-criminal-law firearm-possession interstate-commerce second-amendment statutory-interpretation Whether 18 U.S.C. §922(g) permits conviction for the possession of any firearm that has ever crossed state lines at any time in the indefinite past, a…
23-7160 John Michael Carrasco v. United States Fifth Circuit 2024-04-08 Denied Response WaivedIFP 2nd-amendment constitutional-challenge criminal-statute due-process federal-criminal-law firearm-possession interstate-commerce second-amendment standing statutory-interpretation 1. Whether 18 U.S.C. § 922(g) permits conviction for the possession of any firearm that has ever crossed state lines at any time in the indefinite pas…
23-7001 Todd Andre Whitfield v. United States Fifth Circuit 2024-03-15 Denied Response WaivedIFP 2nd-amendment civil-rights constitutional-challenge criminal-statute due-process federal-criminal-law federal-law firearm-possession interstate-commerce second-amendment standing takings L Whether 18 U.S.C. § 922(g) permits conviction for the possession of any firearm that has ever crossed state lines at any time in the indefinite past…
23-7002 Ayoob Wali v. United States Fifth Circuit 2024-03-15 Denied Response WaivedIFP appellate-review criminal-procedure federal-courts federal-criminal-law miscarriage-of-justice plea-agreement plea-bargaining sentencing waiver-of-appeal Should the court of appeals below recognize a fundamental-miscarriage of-justice exception to a waiver-of-appeal provision of a federal criminal defen…
23-6973 Oren Javentay Pichon v. United States Fifth Circuit 2024-03-13 Denied Response WaivedIFP 2nd-amendment civil-rights constitutional-challenge criminal-statute due-process federal-criminal-law federal-law firearm-possession interstate-commerce second-amendment standing takings L Whether 18 U.S.C. § 922(g) permits conviction for the possession of any firearm that has ever crossed state lines at any time in the indefinite past…
23-6770 Juan Carlos Burns v. United States Ninth Circuit 2024-02-16 Denied Response WaivedIFP 18-usc-1 18-usc-924 crime-of-violence criminal-law federal-criminal-law federal-sentencing second-degree-murder sentencing-enhancement statutory-definition statutory-interpretation violent-crime Does second-degree murder in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1 categorically qualify as a "crime of violence" within the meaning of 18 U.S.C. § 924(c)(8)(A)?
23-6744 Darrel R. Fisher v. Robert E. Larsen, Magistrate Judge, United States District Court for the Western District of Missouri Eighth Circuit 2024-02-14 Denied IFP 18-usc-1519 bodily-injury civil-rights constitutional-rights due-process false-imprisonment federal-criminal-law jurisdictional-challenge mireles-v-waco 1) In this matter before the Court, in the WD of MO WD at Kansas City, Mo 64106, in that Federal District Court, did the government ever then in 1999 …
23-6753 Michael Avenatti v. United States Second Circuit 2024-02-14 Denied Relisted (2)IFP 18-usc-1343 18-usc-1346 civil-litigation criminal-extortion federal-criminal-law honest-services-fraud legal-ethics settlement-negotiations statutory-vagueness void-for-vagueness Petitioner, an attorney representing a plaintiff with potential contract and tort claims, was convicted of honest services fraud, in violation of 18 U…
23-6686 Clarence Lee Davis v. United States Tenth Circuit 2024-02-07 Denied Response WaivedIFP 18-usc-924(c) 28-usc-2255(f)(3) armed-career-criminal attempted-bank-robbery bank-robbery crime-of-violence criminal-violence davis-v-united-states federal-criminal-law sentencing-enhancement statutory-interpretation taylor-v-united-states In a proceeding timely filed under 28 U.S.C. 2255(f)(3) does Attempted Armed Bank Robbery qualify as a crime of violence under 924(c)'s residual claus…
23-6665 Ole Hougen v. United States Ninth Circuit 2024-02-05 Denied Response WaivedIFP badges-of-slavery bodily-injury civil-rights congressional-power criminal-law federal-criminal-law federalism hate-crimes race-discrimination thirteenth-amendment Whether Congress's power to enforce the Thirteenth Amendment's prohibition on slavery and involuntary servitude authorizes Congress to criminalize ass…
23-832 Moshe Porat v. United States Third Circuit 2024-02-02 Denied Relisted (5) 18-usc-1341 18-usc-1343 circuit-split commercial-deception commercial-exchange economic-harm federal-criminal-law mail-fraud statutory-interpretation wire-fraud Whether deception to induce a commercial exchange can constitute mail or wire fraud under 18 U.S.C. §§ 1341 and 1343, even if the defendant does not i…
23-6520 Gary Von Bennett v. United States Fifth Circuit 2024-01-22 Denied Response WaivedIFP commerce-clause congressional-power federal-authority federal-criminal-law firearm-regulation firearms-regulation interstate-commerce scarborough-v-united-states statutory-interpretation united-states-v-lopez Whether 18 U.S.C. §922(g) should be construed to require a more substantial connection to interstate commerce than the mere passage of a firearm acros…
23-6514 Tiffany Janis v. United States Eighth Circuit 2024-01-18 Denied Response WaivedIFP 18-usc-1 18-usc-924 criminal-law criminal-procedure federal-criminal-law federal-murder-statute force-clause sentencing-enhancement statutory-interpretation violent-crime Whether federal second-degree murder in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1(a) qualifies as a "crime of violence" under the force clause in 18 U.S.C. § 924(c)(…
23A601 Shannon Donoho v. United States Seventh Circuit 2024-01-02 Presumed Complete child-pornography federal-criminal-law photographic-evidence sentencing-guidelines sexually-explicit-conduct statutory-interpretation Whether surreptitiously recorded videos and images of minors in a bathroom depict those minors engaging in "sexually explicit conduct"—namely, the "la…
23-6285 Kenneth Paiva v. United States Fifth Circuit 2023-12-18 Denied Response WaivedIFP 2nd-amendment commerce-clause constitutional-limits criminal-law federal-criminal-law federal-jurisdiction firearms firearms-regulation legislative-power statutory-interpretation Whether 18 U.S.C. § 922(g) (1), which criminalizes possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, exceed s Congress's power under the Commerce Clause .
23-6263 Freddy Abad v. United States Second Circuit 2023-12-14 Denied Response WaivedIFP 924(c) 924(j) criminal-charging criminal-procedure double-jeopardy federal-criminal-law lora-v-united-states robbery-conspiracy sentencing-enhancement statutory-interpretation unit-of-prosecution united-states-v-davis 1). Whether the two §§ 924(C), 924(J) Counts Five and Six, were based on a single "unit of prosectution ," this court should hold that they were; un…
23A541 Carl Ray McNeil, Jr. v. United States Fourth Circuit 2023-12-13 Presumed Complete appellate-rights constitutional-review criminal-procedure due-process federal-criminal-law fourth-circuit Whether the ACCA's different-occasions element must be found by a jury rather than a sentencing judge.
23-6219 Manuel Rodrigues-Barios v. United States Ninth Circuit 2023-12-11 Denied Response WaivedIFP civil-rights constitutional-law due-process equal-protection federal-criminal-law immigration legislative-intent mass-incarceration racial-discrimination statutory-interpretation Whether a legislature can cleanse the taint of a racially discriminatory law by silent reenactment or amendment when the law was originally adopted fo…
23-6096 Thomas Oliver v. Joseph Leonard Michaud, et al. First Circuit 2023-11-22 Denied IFP civil-litigation civil-procedure constitutional-rights criminal-activity criminal-procedure due-process federal-criminal-law judicial-misconduct legal-ethics standing Can a party to civil litigation in the United States —no matter who the party is—commit crimes in order to win its case, all the while have judges at …
23A414 Monterial Wesley v. United States Tenth Circuit 2023-11-08 Presumed Complete appellate-review discretionary-authority extraordinary-circumstances federal-criminal-law sentence-reduction sentencing-guidelines Question not identified.
23-5954 Arthur Picklo v. United States Eleventh Circuit 2023-11-06 Denied Response WaivedIFP 924(c) consecutive-sentences consecutive-sentencing criminal-procedure federal-criminal-law rule-of-lenity sentencing sentencing-guidelines statutory-interpretation Whether the rule of lenity requires a sentencing court to impose a § 924(c) sentence consecutive to only the predicate crime of violence or drug offen…
23-5934 Walter Leonard Jenkins v. United States Fifth Circuit 2023-11-01 Denied Response WaivedRelisted (2)IFP 2nd-amendment commerce-clause constitutional-challenge criminal-law due-process federal-criminal-law firearm-possession interstate-commerce second-amendment statutory-interpretation Whether 18 U.S.C. §922(g) permits conviction for the possession of any firearm that has ever crossed state lines at any time in the indefinite past, a…
23-5876 Christian Lamar Porter v. United States Fifth Circuit 2023-10-26 Denied Response WaivedRelisted (2)IFP 2nd-amendment civil-rights commerce-clause constitutional-challenge criminal-law due-process federal-criminal-law firearm-possession interstate-commerce second-amendment standing statutory-interpretation Whether 18 U.S.C. §922(g) permits conviction for the possession of any firearm that has ever crossed state lines at any time in the indefinite past, a…
23-5742 Joseph Michael Easton v. United States Fifth Circuit 2023-10-10 Denied Response WaivedIFP 2nd-amendment commerce-clause constitutional-challenge criminal-law due-process federal-criminal-law firearm-possession interstate-commerce second-amendment standing statutory-interpretation Whether 18 U.S.C. §922(g) permits conviction for the possession of any firearm that has ever crossed state lines at any time in the indefinite past, a…
23-354 Wolfgang Von Vader v. United States Seventh Circuit 2023-10-03 Denied Response Waived 18-usc-3582 changes-in-law criminal-sentencing extraordinary-and-compelling-reasons extraordinary-circumstances federal-criminal-law judicial-discretion sentence-modification sentence-reduction sentencing-reduction statutory-interpretation Whether courts may consider changes in the law in assessing whether "extraordinary and compelling reasons" warrant a sentence reduction under section …
23-5623 Patrick Medearis v. United States Eighth Circuit 2023-09-21 Denied Response WaivedIFP 21-usc-846 conspiracy controlled-substance-offense crime-of-violence federal-criminal-law overt-act sentence-enhancement sentencing-guidelines ussg-4b1.2 I. Does conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 846 qualify as a "controlled substance offense" under USSG § 4B1.2…
23-5602 Curtis Morris Hartsfield, Jr. v. United States Fourth Circuit 2023-09-15 Denied Response WaivedRelisted (2)IFP attempted-crime attempted-distribution attempted-transfer circuit-split controlled-substances criminal-law drug-distribution drug-trafficking drug-transfer federal-criminal-law statutory-interpretation Whether an "attempted transfer" of drugs under 21 U.S.C. § 802(8) includes any conduct that would also constitute an "attempted distribution" of drugs…
23-5566 Scott A. Anthony v. United States Third Circuit 2023-09-13 Denied Response RequestedResponse WaivedRelisted (2)IFP 3rd-circuit 4th-circuit 8th-circuit child-abuse circuit-split criminal-procedure federal-criminal-law interstate-commerce sexually-explicit-conduct statutory-interpretation visual-depiction The Child Abuse Victims Right Act of 1986 led to the passage of 18 USC § 2251(a) which prohibits the knowing possession of videos and any other matter…
23-64 Bennie Charles Phillips, Jr. v. United States, et al. Fifth Circuit 2023-07-24 Denied Response Waived attempted-robbery criminal-attempt criminal-law federal-criminal-law hobbs-act mens-rea mere-preparation substantial-step uniform-test 1. What particularized standard should be adopted to create a uniform test for when conduct surpasses "mere preparation" and constitutes a "substantia…
23-5168 Isaac Silversmith v. United States Ninth Circuit 2023-07-21 Denied Response WaivedIFP 18-usc-924 8-usc-1 certificate-of-appealability crime-of-violence criminal-law federal-criminal-law ninth-circuit second-degree-murder statutory-interpretation violent-crime 1. By denying Petitioner's Petition For Certificate of Appealability, did the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals err in holding that Second-degree Murder,…
23-5139 Jacinto Alvarez v. United States Ninth Circuit 2023-07-19 Denied Response WaivedIFP attempted-crime circuit-split crime-of-violence criminal-law due-process federal-criminal-law intent-element mens-rea statutory-interpretation Does the "attempted use of force" clause in the crime of violence definition at 18 U.S.C. § 16(a) require an "intent" to use force against another?
22-7855 Edgar Dawson v. United States Eleventh Circuit 2023-06-23 Denied IFP child-pornography civil-rights criminal-law criminal-statute due-process federal-criminal-law free-speech minor-exploitation sexually-explicit-conduct statutory-interpretation visual-depiction Section 2251(a) of Title 18 to the U.S. Code, known as the production of child pornography statute, makes it a crime punishable by at least fifteen ye…
22-7818 Marshall M. Cohen v. United States Fourth Circuit 2023-06-20 Denied Response WaivedIFP 18-usc-2256 child-pornography circuit-split creator's-intent federal-criminal-law four-corners-of-image intent-context lascivious-exhibition statutory-interpretation Whether lasciviousness under 18 U.S.C. § 2256(2)(A)(v) may be found by examining the context in which the image was produced or the creator's intent, …
22-6829 Quinton Birdinground, Jr. v. United States Ninth Circuit 2023-02-22 Denied Response WaivedIFP crime-of-violence criminal-law due-process federal-criminal-law mens-rea recklessness second-degree-murder sentencing sentencing-enhancement statutory-interpretation violent-crimes In Borden v. United States, 141 S.Ct. 1817, 1825 (2021), this Court held that, in order to qualify as a crime of violence, an offense must require pro…
22-6418 Christopher Brian Cosimano v. United States Eleventh Circuit 2022-12-29 Denied Response WaivedIFP appeals crime-of-violence criminal-law due-process eleventh-circuit federal-criminal-law federal-sentencing first-degree-murder omission-liability statutory-interpretation violent-crime Whether the Eleventh Circuit erred by finding that Florida's First-Degree Premeditated Murder Statute is categorically a crime of violence for purpose…
22-6132 Michael Dominick Mencher v. United States Eleventh Circuit 2022-11-22 Denied Response WaivedIFP 8th-amendment categorical-approach crime-of-violence criminal-law due-process federal-criminal-law federal-sentencing first-degree-murder sentencing-enhancement statutory-interpretation violent-crime Whether Florida's First-Degree Premeditated Murder Statute is categorically a crime of violence for purposes of 18 U.S.C.§ 924(C)?
22-6039 Jonathan Francis Kimbrell v. United States Fifth Circuit 2022-11-10 Denied Response WaivedIFP criminal-law criminal-solicitation due-process entrapment entrapment-defense federal-criminal-law internet-crimes law-enforcement-conduct predisposition sexual-offense sexual-offenses undercover-operations Two FBI agents, posing as two parents and their unrealistically precocious 11-year-old child, convinced Kimbrell that the child was desperately wantin…
22-5895 Quinton Deairre Gardner v. United States Eleventh Circuit 2022-10-24 Denied Response WaivedIFP aggravating-facts armed-career-criminal-act circuit-split federal-criminal-law maximum-term maximum-term-of-imprisonment presumptive-sentencing-standards sentencing-standards statutory-interpretation statutory-limits Where a state structured-sentencing regime sets mandatory legal limits on courts' sentencing power, is the upper limit of the structured-sentencing ra…
22-5634 Nelson Jean Dion v. United States First Circuit 2022-09-20 Denied Response WaivedIFP bail bail-condition criminal-law due-process federal-criminal-law federal-law interstate-travel protection-order statutory-interpretation 1. Whether a state bail order/condition of release is a protection order under 18 U.S.C. § 2266(5) for purposes of violating 18 U.S.C. § 2262, which c…
22-5239 Edward Bishop v. Jonathan R. Hemingway, Warden Sixth Circuit 2022-08-01 Denied Response WaivedIFP criminal-law criminal-statute double-jeopardy due-process federal-criminal-law fifth-amendment legal-interpretation offense-definition sentencing statutory-interpretation Whether § 924(c) criminalizes two seperate roffenses to determine if the Petitioner was convicted of an offense § 924(c) does not criminalize?
22-5226 Oyeyemi Olatunji Owagboriaye, aka Prince v. United States Eleventh Circuit 2022-07-29 Denied Response WaivedIFP 18-usc-1343 accomplice-liability circuit-split criminal-law federal-criminal-law procedural-history scheme-to-defraud statutory-interpretation wire-fraud The wire fraud statute—18 U.S.C. § 1343—criminalizes the use of a wire "for the purpose of executing" a scheme to defraud. This Court has interpreted …
22-49 Efrain Lora v. United States Second Circuit 2022-07-19 Judgment Issued Amici (2)Response RequestedResponse WaivedRelisted (3) circuit-split concurrent-sentences consecutive-sentences criminal-law criminal-procedure federal-criminal-law mandatory-minimums sentencing sentencing-discretion statutory-interpretation Whether 18 U.S.C. § 924(c)(1)(D)(ii), which provides that "no term of imprisonment imposed … under this subsection shall run concurrently with any oth…
21-1600 Jian-Yun Dong, aka John Dong v. United States Fourth Circuit 2022-06-28 Denied Response Waived 28-usc-2461c asset-seizure breach-of-contract contract-breach criminal-forfeiture federal-criminal-law honeycutt-precedent honeycutt-v-united-states ownership-interest personal-gain statutory-interpretation 1. Whether a criminal forfeiture judgment against Petitioner Jian-Yun Dong ("Petitioner") under 28 U.S.C. § 2461(c), is permitted under this Court's d…
21-8233 Barkley Gardner v. United States Fourth Circuit 2022-06-24 Denied Response WaivedIFP 18-USC-1959 criminal-law criminal-sentencing due-process federal-criminal-law punishment-alternatives racketeering sentencing sentencing-discretion statutory-interpretation violent-crime Whether a court may punish a violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1959(a) by a fine instead of death or life imprisonment.
21-8217 Herbert Bernard Johnson v. United States Sixth Circuit 2022-06-23 Denied Response WaivedIFP criminal-law criminal-statute due-process federal-criminal-code federal-criminal-law mens-rea prosecutorial-discretion sexual-activity sexual-offense statutory-interpretation statutory-language Should this Court grant the petition for writ of certiorari to resolve whether the statutory language of 18 U.S.C. §2422(b)'s "any sexual activity for…
21-8035 Charlie John Williams v. United States Eleventh Circuit 2022-06-02 Denied Response WaivedIFP 18-usc-924(c) conviction-review criminal-law criminal-statute due-process federal-criminal-law sentencing statutory-interpretation supreme-court-precedent united-states-v-davis Whether Petitioner's conviction under 18 U.S.C. section 924 (c) remains valid under the Supreme Court's holding in United States v. Davis. 139 S. Ct. …
21-7819 Kevin Ray Smith v. United States Eighth Circuit 2022-05-10 Denied Response WaivedIFP abuse-of-discretion article-iii-standing collateral-attack constitutional-challenge criminal-conviction due-process federal-criminal-law habeas-corpus jurisdictional-defect 1. Did Petitioner have Article standing to collaterally attack a federal criminal conviction, assuming 28 U.S.C. §2255, relying on this Court's preced…
21-7259 Keith Prescott Gace v. United States Fifth Circuit 2022-03-02 Denied IFP child-pornography circuit-split d-c-circuit dost-factors federal-criminal-law first-amendment judicial-precedent lascivious-exhibition seventh-circuit statutory-interpretation As a matter of statutory interpretation, should a jury or court consider the so-called Dost factors when determining whether a visual depiction of a m…
21-7195 James Leon Higgins v. United States Fifth Circuit 2022-02-24 Denied Response WaivedIFP 2nd-amendment commerce-clause constitutional-challenge criminal-statute due-process federal-criminal-law firearms firearms-possession interstate-commerce perjury-enhancement sentencing-guidelines statutory-interpretation Whether 18 U.S.C. §922(g) permits conviction for the possession of any firearm that has ever crossed state lines at any time in the indefinite past, a…
21-7069 Javar Dinsdale Clarke v. United States Sixth Circuit 2022-02-07 Denied Response WaivedIFP bank-robbery crime-of-violence criminal-law criminal-statute due-process federal-criminal-law sentencing sentencing-enhancement statutory-interpretation violent-crime May Bank robbery apply as a crime of violence for purposes of 18 U.S.C. 924(c) when Bank robbery does not match the elements of section 924(c)(3)(A).
21-6934 Donnie Barnes, Sr. v. United States Ninth Circuit 2022-01-21 Denied IFP child-pornography circuit-split dost-factors federal-criminal-law lascivious-exhibition model-jury-instructions statutory-interpretation The question presented is whether an instruction on the Dost factors authorizes a conviction for production of child pornography on broader grounds th…
21-6894 Arnoldo Alvarado v. United States Fifth Circuit 2022-01-18 Denied Response WaivedIFP 18-usc-111 18-usc-924c borden-v-united-states constitutional-review criminal-statute due-process federal-criminal-law sentencing-enhancement statutory-interpretation violent-crime WHETHER, IN LIGHT OF THE COURT'S RULING IN BORDEN V. UNITED STATES, 593 U.S. _ (2021), ALVARADO'S CONVICTION UNDER 18 U.S.C. §111 (a) AND (b) QUALIFIE…
21-6762 Karina Lizett Juarez v. United States Fifth Circuit 2022-01-05 Denied Response WaivedIFP administration-of-justice criminal-procedure drug-offense federal-criminal-law federal-law fifth-circuit mitigating-role sentencing-guidelines I. Whether the Fifth Circuit's cursory review of the facts related to a warranted mitigating adjustment under U.S.S.G. § 3B1.2 violated federal law in…
21-6743 Juan Carlos Reyes v. United States Ninth Circuit 2021-12-29 Denied Response WaivedIFP 18-usc-2113(a) 18-usc-924(c) bank-robbery crime-of-violence elements-clause federal-bank-robbery federal-criminal-law intentional-force statutory-interpretation violent-physical-force Can reasonable jurists debate whether federal armed bank robbery by intimidation, under 18 U.S.C. § 2113(a), is a crime of violence under the elements…
21-6503 Pradeep Gupte v. University of Connecticut Second Circuit 2021-12-03 Denied Response WaivedIFP appellate-review child-pornography civil-procedure civil-rights constitutional-challenge criminal-procedure criminal-statute due-process federal-criminal-law federal-jurisdiction standing statutory-interpretation Question not identified.
21-6459 Daniel Lowell v. United States Tenth Circuit 2021-11-30 Denied Response WaivedIFP 18-usc-1(a) carjacking criminal-procedure criminal-statute defendant-burden federal-criminal-law felony-murder-rule legal-standard temporary-safety When applying the felony murder rule under 18 U.S.C. § 1(a) to the crime of carjacking, what must a defendant show to establish that he has reached a …
21-6278 Joseph Fenelon Cooper v. United States Eleventh Circuit 2021-11-15 GVR Relisted (2)IFP attempted-robbery bank-robbery categorical-approach clean-vehicle crime-of-violence federal-criminal-law rule-of-lenity statutory-interpretation use-of-force The question presented is whether an attempted bank robbery under 18 U.S.C. § 2113, which may be completed even if it is abandoned before anyone knows…
21-6232 Jason Stallcup v. United States Eighth Circuit 2021-11-12 Denied Response WaivedIFP 18-usc-924 18-usc-924c crime-of-violence federal-criminal-law hobbs-act sentencing sentencing-enhancement statutory-interpretation Does completed Hobbs Act robbery qualify as a "crime of violence" under 18 U.S.C. § 924(c)(3)(A)?
21-6176 Dwaine Collymore, aka Twin v. United States Second Circuit 2021-11-04 GVR Relisted (2)IFP 18-usc-924(c)(8)(A) attempted-hobbs-act-robbery attempted-robbery crime-of-violence exceptional-importance federal-criminal-law hobbs-act rule-of-lenity sentencing-enhancement statutory-interpretation Whether attempted Hobbs Act robbery, which may be completed through an attempted threat alone, see 18 U.S.C. § 1951(a), falls outside the definition o…
21-5664 Maurice L. Ross v. United States Third Circuit 2021-09-14 Denied IFP 18-usc-924c appellate-review attempted-robbery crime-of-violence criminal-law federal-criminal-law hobbs-act sentencing-enhancement statutory-interpretation Whether Hobbs Act robbery qualifies as a crime of violence for purposes of 18 U.S.C. § 24(c), since the elements of Hobbs Act robbery, especially atte…
21-5650 Carl Richard Samson v. United States Eleventh Circuit 2021-09-13 GVR Relisted (2)IFP 18-usc-1951 18-usc-924 attempted-robbery crime-of-violence criminal-law federal-criminal-law hobbs-act sentencing-enhancement statutory-interpretation Whether attempted Hobbs Act robbery, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1951(a), is a "crime of violence" under 18 U.S.C. § 924(c)(3)(A), meaning that it "ha…
21-5657 Chris Eugene Cosner v. United States Fifth Circuit 2021-09-13 Denied Response RequestedResponse WaivedRelisted (2)IFP armed-bank-robbery armed-robbery career-offender categorical-approach crime-of-violence criminal-law elements-clause federal-criminal-law federal-sentencing statutory-interpretation This petition presents a straightforward case for certiorari review. The question presented is whether, under the categorical approach of the elements…
21-5604 Daniel Chase Harris v. United States Fourth Circuit 2021-09-08 Denied Response WaivedIFP 18-usc-3261 18-usc-7 circuit-split civilian-jurisdiction due-process extraterritorial-jurisdiction federal-criminal-law military-jurisdiction statutory-interpretation 1) Whether U.S. military or civilian courts have exclusive jurisdiction of service members for their overseas conduct on foreign U.S. military install…
21-5586 Tyrone Simmons v. United States Second Circuit 2021-09-07 GVR Relisted (2)IFP 18-usc-924 crime-of-violence criminal-law federal-criminal-law federal-criminal-procedure hobbs-act motion-to-vacate sentencing-enhancement statutory-interpretation Whether attempted Hobbs Act robbery meets the definition of "crime of violence" in 18 U.S.C. §924(c)(3)(A).
21-332 William A. White v. Daniel Sproul, Warden Seventh Circuit 2021-09-01 Denied Response Waived 18-USC-1503 18-USC-373 28-USC-2241 28-USC-2255(e) federal-criminal-law habeas-corpus jurisdictional-challenge non-existent-offense post-conviction-relief sentencing statutory-interpretation When, if ever, is relief available under 28 USC §2241 and 28 USC. §2255 (e), where a person stands convicted and remains in custody for a non-existant…
21-5332 Efrain Hidalgo v. United States Second Circuit 2021-08-11 GVR Relisted (2)IFP 18-usc-924(c) attempted-hobbs-act-robbery certiorari circuit-conflict circuit-split crime-of-violence criminal-law federal-criminal-law hobbs-act statutory-interpretation Whether the Court should grant certiorari to resolve the conflict among the circuits on the question of whether attempted Hobbs Act Robbery constitute…
21-5326 Juan Marquis Holiday v. United States Ninth Circuit 2021-08-09 GVR Relisted (2)IFP 18-usc-924 attempted-crime attempted-robbery crime-of-violence criminal-law federal-criminal-law hobbs-act sentencing-enhancement statutory-interpretation violent-crime Whether 18 U.S.C. § 924(c)(3)(A)'s definition of "crime of violence" excludes attempted Hobbs Act robbery, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1951(a).
21-102 Marcus Walker v. United States Third Circuit 2021-07-26 GVR Relisted (2) 18-usc-1951(a) 18-usc-924(c)(1)(A) attempted-hobbs-act-robbery categorical-approach crime-of-violence federal-criminal-law hobbs-act physical-force sentencing-enhancement statutory-interpretation Whether attempted Hobbs Act robbery, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1951(a), is a "crime of violence" under 18 U.S.C. § 924(c)(1)(A), meaning that it "ha…
21-5132 Michael Curtis Reynolds v. United States Third Circuit 2021-07-19 Denied Response WaivedRelisted (2)IFP arson-statute constitutional-law constitutional-voidness covid-19-risk criminal-law due-process federal-criminal-law federal-statutes predicate-offense statutory-interpretation void-for-vagueness (1) Did Davis render 18 U.S.C. §2332b(a)(l)(B) equal to 18 U.S.C. §924(c)(3)(B)-, and thus equally make void and Unconstitutional both statute subsect…
21-5057 Lance Lamont Lavert v. United States Ninth Circuit 2021-07-09 Denied IFP circuit-split crime-of-violence criminal-law federal-criminal-law federal-jurisdiction hobbs-act property-rights robbery statutory-interpretation violent-crime Should this Court mend the circuit split about whether a Hobbs Act robbery is necessarily violent as the Ninth and eight other circuits have held, or …
21-5028 David Copes, aka David Henderson-Copes v. United States Third Circuit 2021-07-07 Denied IFP 18-usc-924c crime-of-violence criminal-law elements-clause federal-criminal-law hobbs-act predicate-offense sentencing-enhancement statutory-interpretation violent-crime Whether Hobbs Act robbery is a predicate crime of violence under the elements clause of 18 U.S.C. § 924(c).
20-8295 Jose Antonio Martinez v. United States Second Circuit 2021-06-14 Denied Response WaivedIFP 18-usc-924(c) 18-usc-924c crime-of-violence criminal-law federal-criminal-law rico rico-statute sentencing sentencing-enhancement statutory-interpretation Whether substantive RICO is a "crime of violence" under 18 U.S.C. §924(c)?
20-1594 Murray Rojas v. United States Third Circuit 2021-05-18 GVR Amici (1) criminal-statute drug-dispensing drug-regulation fdca federal-criminal-law federal-state-balance federalism lenity medical-practitioner statutory-interpretation young-v-united-states Whether the FDCA's felony prohibitions on "dispensing" drugs reach the administering of drugs by practitioners, which has been left to state and local…
20-7800 Jacqueline Moore v. United States Ninth Circuit 2021-04-19 Denied IFP appellate-review criminal-procedure fairness-standard federal-criminal-law indictment mens-rea plain-error-review rehaif-v-united-states supreme-court-decision trial-record I. When applying plain error review based on an intervening United States Supreme Court decision, may an appellate court consider information outside …
20-1459 United States v. Justin Eugene Taylor Fourth Circuit 2021-04-16 Judgment Issued Amici (5)Relisted (2) attempted-robbery crime-of-violence criminal-law due-process federal-criminal-law federal-jurisdiction hobbs-act sentencing sentencing-enhancement statutory-interpretation violent-crime Whether 18 U.S.C. 924(¢)(3)(A)'s definition of "crime of violence" excludes attempted Hobbs Act robbery, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 1951(a).
20-7610 Jose Hernandez v. United States Ninth Circuit 2021-03-30 GVR Relisted (2)IFP 18-usc-1951 18-usc-924(c)(3) attempted-hobbs-act-robbery categorical-approach circuit-split crime-of-violence federal-criminal-law hobbs-act sentencing-enhancement statutory-interpretation Whether an attempted Hobbs Act robbery (18 U.S.C. § 1951) qualifies as a categorical "crime of violence" for purposes of 18 U.S.C. § 924(c)(3) because…
20-7430 Carlos Torres v. United States Ninth Circuit 2021-03-11 Denied Response WaivedIFP crime-of-violence criminal-law due-process federal-criminal-law federal-jurisdiction hobbs-act predicate-offense robbery-statute sentencing statutory-interpretation violent-crime Whether a completed Hobbs Act robbery under 18 U.S.C. § 1951 categorically qualifies as a predicate "crime of violence" under 18 U.S.C. § 924(c)(3)(A)…
20-7244 Melvin Landry, Jr. v. United States Ninth Circuit 2021-02-25 Denied Response WaivedIFP 18-usc-1951 18-usc-924 appellate-review crime-of-violence criminal-law federal-criminal-law hobbs-act sentencing-enhancement statutory-interpretation violent-crime Whether Hobbs Act robbery as defined by Title 18 U.S.C. §1951(b)(1) is a "crime of violence" within the meaning of Title 18 U.S.C. § 924(c)(3)(a).
20-7235 Michael Alvarez v. United States Ninth Circuit 2021-02-24 Denied Relisted (2)IFP circuit-split criminal-law criminal-sentencing due-process federal-criminal-law intent-standard mens-rea predicate-offense sentencing statutory-interpretation The circuit courts agree that a conviction under 18 U.S.C. § 2113(a) will be sustained even if the defendant was not aware that his conduct would be p…
20-7223 Angelo C. Douglas v. United States Eighth Circuit 2021-02-23 Denied Relisted (2)IFP 18-usc-2113(a) 18-usc-924(c) bank-robbery crime-of-violence davis-precedent federal-criminal-law force-and-violence intimidation sentencing-enhancement statutory-interpretation WHETHER PETITIONER'S ARGUMENT UNDER UNITED STATES V. DAVIS, 139 S.Ct. 2319 (2019), DESERVES CLOSER SCRUTINY, WHERE APPLYING THE SAME STANDARDS IN DAVI…
20-1116 Anthony Seward v. United States First Circuit 2021-02-12 Denied criminal-procedure criminal-venue due-process federal-criminal-law federalism interstate-registration sex-offender-registration statutory-interpretation venue venue-jurisdiction A registered sex offender who changes residence from one state to another must register in the new state within three business days of arrival. 34 U.S…
20-7146 Frank Ray Gallardo v. United States Eighth Circuit 2021-02-12 Denied Response WaivedIFP circuit-conflict circuit-split criminal-law criminal-statute due-process federal-criminal-law jury-instruction jury-instructions mens-rea specific-intent statutory-interpretation Whether a defendant charged with an offense under 18 USC § 2244 is entitled to a specific intent instruction and there is a conflict among Circuits.
20-1092 Brandon Jones v. United States Second Circuit 2021-02-11 Denied circuit-split civil-rights document-fraud due-process federal-criminal-law fraud free-speech government-securities legal-interpretation statutory-interpretation 18 U.S.C. § 514(a) prohibits the use of "any false or fictitious instrument, document, or other item appearing, representing, purporting, or contrivin…
20-7124 George Skylar Cloud v. United States Ninth Circuit 2021-02-11 Denied Response WaivedIFP criminal-procedure district-court-discretion evidence evidence-admission federal-charges federal-criminal-law firearm-discharge guilty-plea sentencing separation-of-powers Did the district court error when it allowed the government to introduce into evidence the Petitioner's guilty plea, in a separate pending matter, to …
20-6964 Dallas Ray Morales v. United States Fifth Circuit 2021-01-28 Denied Response WaivedIFP ammunition-possession commerce-clause constitutional-challenge criminal-law due-process federal-criminal-law federal-jurisdiction firearms firearms-regulation interstate-commerce statutory-interpretation Whether 18 U.S.C. §922(g) permits conviction for the possession of any ammunition that has ever crossed state lines at any time in the indefinite past…
20-1000 Monico Dominguez v. United States Ninth Circuit 2021-01-26 GVR Relisted (4) 18-usc-1951 18-usc-924(c)(8)(A) attempted-robbery crime-of-violence federal-criminal-law hobbs-act physical-force statutory-interpretation Whether attempted robbery under the Hobbs Act, 18 U.S.C. § 1951, qualifies as a "crime of violence," meaning that it "has as an element the use, attem…
20-6742 Edward Davis v. United States Eighth Circuit 2020-12-31 Denied Relisted (2)IFP 18-usc-2113 18-usc-924 bank-robbery crime-of-violence criminal-law federal-criminal-law sentencing-enhancement statutory-interpretation united-states-v-davis violent-crime WHETHER PETITIONER'S ARGUMENT UNDER UNITED STATES V. DAVIS, 139 S.Ct. 2319 (2019), DESERVES CLOSER SCRUTINY, WHERE APPLYING THE SAME STANDARDS IN DAVI…
20-6720 Terek Harper v. United States Fourth Circuit 2020-12-30 Denied Response WaivedIFP consideration contract-law criminal-law criminal-procedure due-process federal-criminal-law plea-agreement plea-bargaining void-agreement void-for-lack-of-consideration Whether A Federal Criminal Plea Agreement is Void and Unenforceable When it Lacks Consideration.
20-6671 Sarah Melisa Cox, aka Sarah Cox, aka Sarah Cunningham v. United States Ninth Circuit 2020-12-21 Denied Response WaivedIFP print or publish the distribution of child pornog child-pornography circuit-split communication communication-standard criminal-law federal-criminal-law notice notice-requirement statutory-interpretation Whether a communication between just two individuals is sufficient contact to satisfy the requirement of giving notice to make, print or publish the d…
20-6640 James David Perryman v. United States Fifth Circuit 2020-12-16 Denied Response RequestedResponse WaivedRelisted (2)IFP 2nd-amendment commerce-clause constitutional-challenge criminal-law due-process federal-criminal-law firearm-possession firearms interstate-commerce sentencing-enhancement standing statutory-interpretation Whether 18 U.S.C. §922(g) permits conviction for the possession of any firearm that has ever crossed state lines at any time in the indefinite past, a…
20-6622 Devon Mitchell v. United States Ninth Circuit 2020-12-15 Denied IFP 18-usc-924 armed-robbery bank-robbery crimes-of-violence criminal-law federal-criminal-law ninth-circuit statutory-interpretation violent-crime 1. By denying Petitioner's Petition For Certificate of Appealability, did the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals err in implicitly holding that Bank Robbe…
20-6447 Michael Anthony Cernak v. United States Ninth Circuit 2020-11-25 Denied Relisted (2)IFP armed-bank-robbery categorical-approach crime-of-violence elements-clause extortion federal-armed-bank-robbery federal-criminal-law intimidation mandatory-sentencing statutory-interpretation Federal armed bank robbery under 18 U.S.C. § 2113(a) and (d) can be committed "by force and violence, or by inti midation . . . or . . . by extortion.…
20-6414 Daniel Ray v. United States Ninth Circuit 2020-11-24 Denied IFP 18-usc-7 adams-v-united-states circuit-split criminal-law criminal-prosecution federal-criminal-law federal-jurisdiction maritime-jurisdiction prison-jurisdiction statutory-interpretation territorial-jurisdiction In an 18 U.S.C. § 113 prosecution, does the Ninth Circuit's rule that prison personnel testimony that they "work at a United States prison" contravene…
20-6359 Andrew Rey Ybaben v. United States Fifth Circuit 2020-11-17 Denied IFP appellate-jurisdiction child-pornography discretionary-conditions due-process federal-criminal-law interstate-commerce sentencing statutory-interpretation supervised-release I. Whether 18 U.S.C. §2251 authorizes conviction upon proof that materials used to produce child pornography once crossed state lines at an unspecifie…
20-6073 Desmond Littlejohn v. United States Fourth Circuit 2020-10-19 Denied Response WaivedIFP 18-usc-924c certiorari-review civil-rights crimes-of-violence criminal-procedure due-process federal-criminal-law fourth-amendment ninth-circuit sentencing statutory-interpretation Whether Hobbs Act robbery is a crime of violence for purposes of 18 U.S.C. § 924(c).
20-5926 Rolando Candia v. United States Ninth Circuit 2020-10-06 Denied Response WaivedIFP 18-usc-2119 18-usc-924(c)(3)(A) carjacking carjacking-statute crime-of-violence elements-clause federal-criminal-law intimidation sentencing-enhancement statutory-interpretation Whether the federal carjacking statute, 18 U.S.C. § 2119, which may be violated by means of "intimidation" through threats of mental or non-corporeal …
20-5861 Alijah Jaquez Mitchell v. United States Fourth Circuit 2020-09-30 Denied Response WaivedIFP appeal crime-of-violence criminal-law federal-criminal-law federal-jurisdiction hobbs-act sentencing sentencing-enhancement statutory-interpretation violent-crime weapons-offense IS A HOBBS ACT ROBBERY A CRIME OF VIOLENCE FOR PURPOSES OF 18 U.S.C. § 924(c)?
20-5595 Joshua Glen Box v. United States Eighth Circuit 2020-09-04 Denied Response WaivedIFP 8th-circuit categorical-approach child-pornography criminal-law eighth-circuit federal-criminal-law predicate-offense predicate-offenses sentencing statutory-interpretation Whether the Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit erred when it failed to properly apply the categorical approach to determine whether Mr. Box's pri…
20-5396 Austin Peterson v. United States Ninth Circuit 2020-08-18 Denied Relisted (2)IFP 18-usc-2113 18-usc-924 bank-robbery crime-of-violence elements-clause federal-armed-bank-robbery federal-criminal-law sentencing-enhancement statutory-interpretation 1. Federal armed bank robbery under 18 U.S.C. § 2113(a) and (d) can be committed "by force and violence, or by intimidation... or... by extortion" and…
19-8899 Michael Wayne Blanche v. United States Ninth Circuit 2020-07-06 Denied Relisted (2)IFP 18-usc-924(c)(3)(a) aiding-and-abetting armed-bank-robbery crime-of-violence federal-criminal-law jury-finding jury-instructions sentencing-enhancement statutory-interpretation Whether aiding and abetting armed bank robbery is a crime of violence under 18 U.S.C. § 924(c)(3)(A). Whether the verdict and 7-year sentence on the …
19-8710 William Frazier v. United States Sixth Circuit 2020-06-15 Denied IFP 18-usc-924c circuit-split crime-of-violence criminal-law criminal-statute federal-criminal-law mens-rea statutory-interpretation 1. Whether the Sixth Circuit is correct that—contrary to every other circuit's application of the plain statutory language—the VICAR statute, 18 U.S.C…
19-8611 Adam Scott v. United States Ninth Circuit 2020-06-05 Denied Response WaivedIFP appellate-circuit-split appellate-review assault crime-of-violence dangerous-weapon due-process federal-criminal-law sentencing statutory-interpretation At least five federal appellate courts, including the Ninth Circuit, have determined the use of a dangerous weapon automatically transforms assault in…
19-8269 Stella Rae James v. United States Sixth Circuit 2020-04-16 Denied Response WaivedIFP 18-usc-1791 conviction criminal-statute due-process federal-correctional-facilities federal-correctional-facility federal-criminal-law inmate-contraband possession possession-law statutory-interpretation Whether due process requires the government to establish actual or constructive possession of a prohibited object in order to sustain a conviction und…
19-8053 Daniel Rodriguez v. United States Eleventh Circuit 2020-03-20 Denied Response WaivedIFP 18-usc-1951 18-usc-924 aiding-and-abetting crime-of-violence economic-harm federal-criminal-law hobbs-act property-rights sentencing-enhancement statutory-interpretation I. Whether Hobbs Act robbery under 18 U.S.C. § 1951 (b) is categorically a "crime of violence" as defined in 18 U.S.C. § 924 (c)(3)(A) , if the plain …
19-8054 Nathan Richard Vineyard v. United States Eleventh Circuit 2020-03-20 Denied Response WaivedIFP criminal-code eleventh-circuit federal-criminal-law federal-registration-requirements notification-requirements sex-offender-registration sex-offender-registration-and-notification-act sexual-contact statutory-interpretation united-states-v-vineyard The Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act ("SORNA"), 34 U.S.C. § 20901 et seq., requires anyone convicted of a sex offense under state law to…
19-8043 Christopher Lamont Steward v. United States Fourth Circuit 2020-03-18 Denied IFP 18-usc-1951 18-usc-924 924(c)-conviction categorical-approach crime-of-violence criminal-law federal-criminal-law hobbs-act predicate-offense statutory-interpretation violent-crime I. Whether Hobbs Act robbery, 18 U.S.C. § 1951(a), is categorically a "crime of violence" that may serve as a predicate offense under 18 U.S.C. § 924(…
19-7999 Christopher Parker v. United States Ninth Circuit 2020-03-16 Denied Response WaivedIFP 18-usc-2113 18-usc-924 bank-robbery constitutional-challenge crime-of-violence elements-clause federal-armed-bank-robbery federal-criminal-law statutory-interpretation vagueness vagueness-doctrine Is federal armed bank robbery under 18 U.S.C. § 2113(a), (d) categorically a crime of violence under the elements clause of 18 U.S.C. § 924(c)(3)(A) w…
19-7661 Redinel Dervishaj, aka Redi, aka Red v. United States Second Circuit 2020-02-19 Denied Response WaivedIFP 924(c)(3)(A) appellate-review crime-of-violence extortion federal-criminal-law force-clause hobbs-act physical-threat second-circuit title-18 title-18-924(c)(3)(a) I. May The Second Circuit Court; Of Appeals Determine That The'Underlying Offense Of Hobbs Act Extortion? Threatening Physical Violence In Furtheranc…
19-7458 Kaleb Jermaine Myers v. United States Tenth Circuit 2020-01-28 Denied Response WaivedIFP 18-usc-1951 18-usc-924 categorical-approach certificate-of-appealability circuit-split crime-of-violence criminal-law federal-courts federal-criminal-law hobbs-act legal-standard statutory-interpretation (1) Whether this Court should grant certiorari to resolve the conflict among the lower federal courts and decide the important legal question of wheth…
19-7337 Kinney Lee Palmer v. United States Fifth Circuit 2020-01-17 Denied Response WaivedRelisted (2)IFP aggravated-assault assault crime-of-violence criminal-law due-process federal-criminal-law federal-sentencing guidelines sentencing sentencing-guidelines statutory-interpretation texas-law threat 1. Whether the Texas offense of aggravated assault by threat is a "crime of violence" under USSG §4B 1.2?
19-7260 Darin Kaufmann v. United States Seventh Circuit 2020-01-13 Denied IFP 18-usc-2252 categorical-approach child-pornography federal-criminal-law first-amendment predicate-offense prior-conviction sentencing-enhancement state-law statutory-interpretation 1. Did the Seventh Circuit err in holding that the categorical approach does not apply when determining whether a state conviction triggers a sentenci…
19-7113 Raynard Gray v. United States Fifth Circuit 2019-12-31 Denied Response RequestedResponse WaivedRelisted (4)IFP 18-usc-924(c)(3)(A) bank-robbery categorical-analysis crime-of-violence criminal-law elements-clause federal-criminal-law intent sentencing-enhancement statutory-interpretation violent-force Whether bank robbery, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 2113(a), qualifies as a "crime of violence" within the meaning of 18 U.S.C. § 924(c)(3)(A), the so cal…
19-6707 Ricky Lee Tyndall v. United States Fourth Circuit 2019-11-21 Denied Response WaivedIFP crime-of-violence criminal-law due-process element-of-force federal-criminal-law force-clause hobbs-act physical-force property-damage property-rights sentencing-enhancement statutory-interpretation vagueness 18 U.S.C. § 924(c)(3)(A)'s FORCE CLAUSE requires the use of "physical force" (i.e: "violence force" meaning "force capable of causing PHYsICAL in Dima…
19-6653 Quinton Omar Jackson v. United States Ninth Circuit 2019-11-18 Denied Response WaivedIFP criminal-law criminal-statutes federal-criminal-law force force-and-violence intimidation legislative-intent mens-rea physical-force statutory-interpretation violence Whether Congress intended the phrase "by force and violence, or by intimidation," that appears in multiple federal criminal statutes to include the us…
19-6466 Eric Johnson v. United States Eighth Circuit 2019-10-31 Denied Relisted (3)IFP 18-usc-924(c)(3)(A) aiding-and-abetting armed-bank-robbery crime-of-violence criminal-law federal-criminal-law sentencing-enhancement statutory-interpretation Does aiding and abetting armed bank robbery —which can be accomplished without the use, attempted use, or threatened use of physical force —qualify as…
19-6315 John David Stahlman v. United States Eleventh Circuit 2019-10-22 Denied Response WaivedIFP 5th-amendment circuit-split constitutional-law criminal-procedure due-process federal-criminal-law fifth-amendment sentencing statutory-interpretation title-18-usc-2422(b) 1.) DID THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE MIDDLE DISTRICT OF FLORIDA, AND SUBSEQUENTLY THE COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE ELEVENTH CIRCUIT, VIOLATE T…
19-6131 Derrick Estell v. United States Eighth Circuit 2019-10-02 Denied Response WaivedIFP 18-usc-924 bodily-harm crime-of-violence criminal-law criminal-offense due-process federal-criminal-law negligence sentencing statutory-interpretation threat-of-bodily-harm unintentional Can a criminal offense that involves as an element an unintentionally or negligently communicated threat of bodily harm qualify as a "crime of violenc…
19-5813 Alejandro Plaza-Montecillo v. United States Fifth Circuit 2019-09-04 Denied Response WaivedIFP 18-usc-16 aggravated-robbery appellate-review crime-of-violence criminal-law federal-criminal-code federal-criminal-law sentencing sentencing-enhancement statutory-interpretation texas-law violent-crime Whether the Texas offense of aggravated robbery constitutes a "crime of violence" under 18 U.S.C. §16?
19-5571 Carlos Eloy Garcia-Garcia v. United States Fifth Circuit 2019-08-14 Denied Response WaivedIFP administrative-law administrative-procedure burden-of-proof criminal-law deportation due-process federal-criminal-law illegal-reentry immigration-law jurisdiction statutory-interpretation Whether an alien may be "found" within the meaning of 8 U.S.C. §1326 before immigration authorities achieve actual knowledge of his or her actual pres…
19-5093 Jason Ellis Smith v. United States Ninth Circuit 2019-07-08 Denied Response WaivedIFP 18-usc-924c3a armed-bank-robbery crime-of-violence elements-clause federal-criminal-law general-intent intent-standard intimidation statutory-interpretation Can reasonable jurists conclude that federal armed bank robbery by intimidation is not a crime of violence under the elements clause of 18 U.S.C. § 92…
18-9522 Renee Lopez-Galvan v. United States Ninth Circuit 2019-06-03 Denied Response WaivedIFP 18-usc-924(c)(3)(a) 18-usc-924c3a armed-bank-robbery categorical-approach crime-of-violence elements-clause federal-criminal-law general-intent intent-standard intimidation statutory-interpretation Can reasonable jurists conclude that federal armed bank robbery under 18 U.S.C. § 2113(a) and (d) qualifies as a "crime of violence" under the force c…
18-9424 Lamar Eady, Jr. v. United States Eleventh Circuit 2019-05-24 Denied Response RequestedResponse WaivedRelisted (3)IFP 18-usc-922 18-usc-924 appellate-review criminal-law due-process federal-criminal-law federal-statute felon-in-possession knowingly legal-elements mens-rea possession rehaif-v-united-states second-amendment status statutory-interpretation 1. Does the "knowingly" provision of 18 U.S.C. § 924(a)(2) apply to both the possession and status elements of a 18 U.S.C. § 922(g) crime ? The Court …
18-1434 United States v. Pablo Lovo and Joel Sorto District of Columbia 2019-05-15 Denied 18-usc-924 constitutional-challenge constitutional-law crime-of-violence criminal-law criminal-statute due-process federal-criminal-law federal-criminal-prosecution federal-jurisdiction firearms hobbs-act statutory-interpretation vagueness vagueness-doctrine void-for-vagueness Whether the subsection-specific definition of "crime of violence" in 18 U.S.C. 924(c)(3)(B), which applies only in the limited context of a federal cr…
18-1338 United States v. Joseph Decore Simms Fourth Circuit 2019-04-24 Denied 18-usc-924(c) constitutional-challenge constitutional-law crime-of-violence criminal-statute due-process federal-criminal-law firearm firearm-offense firearms hobbs-act sentencing statutory-interpretation vagueness vagueness-doctrine void-for-vagueness Whether the subsection-specific definition of "crime of violence" in 18 U.S.C. 924(c)(3)(B), which applies only in the limited context of a federal cr…
18-8956 Jordan M. Jucutan v. United States Ninth Circuit 2019-04-23 Denied Amici (1)Response WaivedIFP criminal-procedure due-process federal-criminal-law fraud global-war-on-terror prosecution-tolling repose statute-of-limitations time-barred-offenses wartime-suspension wartime-suspension-of-limitations wartime-suspension-of-limitations-act Does the Wartime Suspension of Limitations Act permit a prosecution, otherwise time-barred, for offenses not involving fraud against the United States…
18-8536 Elmar K. Scott v. United States Ninth Circuit 2019-03-25 Denied Response WaivedIFP 18-usc-924c3a armed-bank-robbery crime-of-violence elements-clause federal-criminal-law general-intent intent-standard intimidation statutory-interpretation Can reasonable jurists conclude that federal armed bank robbery under 18 U.S.C. § 2113(a) and (d) qualifies as a "crime of violence" under the force c…
18-8537 Daniel Salinas v. United States Ninth Circuit 2019-03-25 Denied Response WaivedIFP 18-usc-924c3a armed-bank-robbery crime-of-violence elements-clause federal-criminal-law general-intent intent-standard intimidation statutory-interpretation Can reasonable jurists conclude that federal armed bank robbery under 18 U.S.C. § 2113(a) and (d) qualifies as a "crime of violence" under the force c…
18-8525 Robert Brian Winston v. United States Ninth Circuit 2019-03-22 Denied Response WaivedIFP 18-usc-924c3a armed-bank-robbery crime-of-violence elements-clause federal-criminal-law general-intent intent-standard intimidation statutory-interpretation Can reasonable jurists conclude that federal armed bank robbery under 18 U.S.C. § 2113(a) and (d) qualifies as a "crime of violence" under the force c…
18-8469 Edwin Oland Andrus v. United States Fifth Circuit 2019-03-19 Denied Response WaivedIFP 18-usc-2422(b) age-of-consent coercion consensual-sexual-activity criminal-attempt criminal-law criminal-law-procedure due-process enticement entrapment federal-criminal-law mens-rea minor sexual-activity statutory-interpretation The plain language of the crime of attempted enticement or coercion, pursuant to 18 U.S.C § 2422(b), requires that a person under the age of 18 must b…
18-8366 Anthony Eudean Woollis v. United States Fifth Circuit 2019-03-11 Denied Response WaivedIFP child-pornography constitutional-limits criminal-sanctions due-process federal-criminal-law interstate-commerce plain-error-review statutory-interpretation sufficiency-of-evidence sullivan-v-louisiana I. Whether 18 U.S.C. § 2251 authorizes conviction upon proof that materials used to produce child pornography once crossed state lines at an unspecifi…
18-8329 Aristides Duartez, Jr., aka Aristedes Duartez, Jr. v. United States Second Circuit 2019-03-07 Denied Response WaivedIFP 18-usc-924 18-usc-924c crime-of-violence criminal-law elements-clause federal-criminal-law hobbs-act sentencing sentencing-enhancement statutory-interpretation Whether Hobbs Act robbery qualifies as a "crime of violence" under the elements cause of 18 U.S.C. § 924(c)(A).
18-8330 Martin Fitzgerald Connors v. United States Ninth Circuit 2019-03-07 Denied Response WaivedIFP 18-usc-924(c)(3)(a) 18-usc-924c3a armed-bank-robbery crime-of-violence elements-clause federal-criminal-law general-intent intent-standard intimidation statutory-interpretation Can reasonable jurists conclude that federal armed bank robbery under 18 U.S.C. § 2113(a) and (d) qualifies as a "crime of violence" under the force c…
18-8076 Elijah Loren Arthur, Sr. v. United States Ninth Circuit 2019-02-22 Denied Response RequestedResponse WaivedRelisted (2)IFP 18-usc-1 18-usc-16 18-usc-924c circuit-split crime-of-violence criminal-law criminal-statute federal-criminal-law sentencing-enhancement statutory-interpretation I. Does 18 U.S.C. § 924(c) define only one crime, as held by the Seventh and Ninth Circuits, or two crimes, as held by the Sixth and Eighth Circuits? …
18-8043 Victor Alanis v. United States Ninth Circuit 2019-02-21 Denied Response WaivedIFP 18-usc-924c3a armed-bank-robbery crime-of-violence elements-clause federal-criminal-law general-intent intent-standard intimidation statutory-interpretation Can reasonable jurists conclude that federal armed bank robbery under 18 U.S.C. § 2113(a) and (d) qualifies as a "crime of violence" under the force c…
18-8050 Alvaun Thompson v. United States Second Circuit 2019-02-21 Denied Response RequestedResponse WaivedRelisted (2)IFP age-requirement aggravated-offense criminal-statute federal-criminal-law mens-rea minors sentencing sex-trafficking strict-liability under-14 A federal criminal statute this Court has not construed, 18 U.S.C. § 1591, prohibits wide-ranging conduct that facilitates, directly or indirectly, th…
18-8026 Sergio Ramirez v. United States Ninth Circuit 2019-02-19 Denied Response WaivedIFP 18-usc-924c3a armed-bank-robbery crime-of-violence elements-clause federal-criminal-law general-intent intent-standard intimidation statutory-interpretation Can reasonable jurists conclude that federal armed bank robbery under 18 U.S.C. § 2113(a) and (d) qualifies as a crime of violence under the force cla…
18-7993 Ronald Bedford v. United States Sixth Circuit 2019-02-15 Denied Response WaivedIFP 18-usc-111 18-usc-1114 contractor criminal-law employee-status federal-criminal-law federal-jurisdiction government-contracts obstruction-of-justice official-duties postal-service statutory-interpretation trucking-contractor Whether an employee of a private trucking contractor that maintains a contract with the United States Postal Service ("USPS") to haul mail is a person…
18-7784 Liston David, aka Liston Oswanio David, aka Smiley, aka Seal A. v. United States Ninth Circuit 2019-02-06 Denied Response WaivedIFP 18-usc-2113 18-usc-924 bank-robbery categorical-approach civil-rights crime-of-violence criminal-law due-process elements-clause federal-bank-robbery federal-criminal-law statutory-interpretation Can federal bank robbery under 18 U.S.C. § 2113(a) and (d) be a crime of violence under the elements clause of 18 U.S.C. § 924(c)(3)(A), where the off…
18-7722 Rodrigo Escobedo-Coronado v. United States Fifth Circuit 2019-02-01 Denied Response WaivedIFP aggravated-assault circuit-split criminal-law federal-criminal-law federal-offense federal-sentencing mens-rea model-penal-code state-survey statutory-interpretation Does the federal generic aggravated assault offense require more than a merely reckless mens rea, as determined by the Fourth, Sixth and Ninth Circuit…
18-7726 Carlton Williams v. United States Third Circuit 2019-02-01 Denied Response WaivedIFP career-offender categorical-approach criminal-law federal-criminal-law pattern-of-racketeering predicate-crime racketeering racketeering-activity rico rico-conviction sentencing sentencing-guidelines Is a sentencing court limited to applying a categorical approach when determining whether a conviction for violating the Federal Racketeer Influence a…
18-7420 Joe Ray Alires v. United States Tenth Circuit 2019-01-15 Denied Response WaivedIFP armed-career-criminal-act burglary criminal-sentencing federal-criminal-law generic-burglary generic-crime residential-burglary sentencing statutory-interpretation violent-felony Whether a conviction for residential burglary under N.M. Stat. Ann. § 30-16-3(A) falls within the generic crime of burglary in the Armed Career Crimin…
18-7176 Jose A. Garcia-Ortiz v. United States First Circuit 2018-12-27 Denied Response WaivedIFP 18-usc-924c3a circuit-split crime-of-violence federal-criminal-law force-clause hobbs-act hobbs-act-robbery intangible-property pattern-jury-instructions statutory-interpretation In three circuits, pattern jury instructions extend Hobbs Act robbery (18 U.S.C. § 1951(b)) to an offense that can be committed by causing fear of har…
18-6798 Elvin Hill v. United States Second Circuit 2018-11-23 Denied Response WaivedIFP 18-usc-924c crime-of-violence criminal-law elements-clause federal-criminal-law hobbs-act-robbery intangible-property physical-force statutory-interpretation violent-force 1. Under the elements clause of 18 U.S.C. § 924(c)(3)(A), an offense qualifies as a "crime of violence" -- required for conviction under § 924(c)(1), …
18-6533 Anthony Lewallyn v. United States Eleventh Circuit 2018-11-01 Denied IFP criminal-procedure criminal-registration-requirements due-process federal-criminal-law interstate-travel nichols-precedent nichols-v-united-states registration sex-offender sex-offender-registration sorna statutory-interpretation After this Court's opinion in Nichols v. United States, can a sex offender be prosecuted for failing to register or update his registration in the dis…
18-6360 Jocelyn Faurisma v. United States Eleventh Circuit 2018-10-18 Denied Response WaivedIFP 18-usc-2113 18-usc-924 armed-bank-robbery constitutional-vagueness crime-of-violence criminal-law due-process federal-criminal-law johnson-v-united-states sentencing-enhancement sessions-v-dimaya statutory-interpretation violent-crime After Johnson v. United States, 576 U.S. __ , 135 S. Ct. 2551 and Sessions v. Dimaya, 138 S. Ct. 1204 (2018), can reasonable jurists debate whether ar…
18-6346 Mark A. Dubarry v. United States Tenth Circuit 2018-10-16 Denied Response WaivedIFP 18-usc-1951(b) 18-usc-924(c)(3)(a) 18-usc-924c circuit-split crime-of-violence economic-harm federal-criminal-law force-clause hobbs-act robbery sentencing-guidelines statutory-interpretation 1. In three circuits, pattern jury instructions extend Hobbs Act robbery (18 U.S.C. § 1951(b)) to an offense committed by causing fear of harm to inta…
18-6292 Anthony Robinson v. United States Third Circuit 2018-10-15 Denied IFP 18-usc-924(c)(3)(A) categorical-approach circuit-split crime-of-violence federal-criminal-law federal-criminal-provisions federal-criminal-statute force-element statutory-interpretation third-circuit united-states Whether the categorical approach applies in determining whether an offense has an element of force and thereby qualifies as a "crime of violence" for …
18-6302 Francisco Melgar-Cabrera v. United States Tenth Circuit 2018-10-12 Denied Response WaivedIFP 18-usc-924c crime-of-violence criminal-procedure federal-criminal-law hobbs-act predicate-felony predicate-offense sentencing-enhancement statutory-interpretation tenth-circuit Whether Hobbs Act robbery as set forth as a predicate felony offense in Count 4 of the Second Superseding Indictment qualifies as a "crime of violence…
18-6303 Jeffrey Joseph Pendleton v. United States Eighth Circuit 2018-10-12 Denied Response WaivedIFP 5th-amendment armed-career-criminal-act circuit-split criminal-law due-process federal-criminal-law fifth-amendment force-clause sentencing statutory-interpretation void-for-vagueness Is the Force Clause of the Armed Career Criminal Act (ACCA) invalid under the Fifth Amendment void-for-vagueness doctrine?
18-6198 Carlos Rafael Acosta-Joaquin v. United States First Circuit 2018-10-04 Denied Response WaivedIFP 42-usc-408(a)(7)(B) criminal-intent criminal-law criminal-procedure due-process false-representation federal-criminal-law identity-theft social-security-fraud social-security-number statutory-interpretation Is a defendant guilty of social security fraud pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 408(a)(7)(B) – which prohibits "falsely represent[ing] a number to be the socia…
18-428 United States v. Clifford Raymond Salas Tenth Circuit 2018-10-03 Denied Relisted (2) constitutional-challenge constitutional-law criminal-procedure criminal-statute due-process federal-criminal-law firearm-offense firearms sentencing statutory-interpretation vagueness vagueness-doctrine void-for-vagueness Whether the subsection-specific definition of "crime of violence" in 18 U.S.C. 924(c)(3)(B), which applies only in the limited context of a federal cr…
18-431 United States v. Maurice Lamont Davis and Andre Levon Glover Fifth Circuit 2018-10-03 Judgment Issued Amici (3) armed-career-criminal-act constitutional-law criminal-procedure criminal-statute due-process federal-criminal-law firearm-offense firearms hobbs-act statutory-interpretation vagueness vagueness-doctrine void-for-vagueness Whether the subsection-specific definition of "crime of violence" in 18 U.S.C. 924(c)(3)(B), which applies only in the limited context of a federal cr…
18-373 Floyd Rose v. United States Second Circuit 2018-09-21 Denied atm atm-robbery circuit-split commerce-clause commerce-element criminal-law federal-criminal-law fifth-circuit hobbs-act interstate-commerce robbery second-circuit Whether the Second Circuit erred by holding, in direct conflict with the Fifth Circuit, that a robbery in which an individual victim is forced to with…
18-5967 Matthew Wade Howard v. United States Tenth Circuit 2018-09-13 Denied Response WaivedIFP circuit-split criminal-law due-process federal-courts federal-criminal-law federal-guideline guideline-application sentencing-guidelines statutory-interpretation tenth-circuit Whether the Tenth Circuit and other circuits have broadened the application of U.S.S.G. 2K2.1(b)(6)(B) beyond the plain language of the guideline's te…
18-5866 Nathan Mosley v. United States Third Circuit 2018-09-04 Denied Response WaivedIFP 18-usc-1951 18-usc-924 categorical-approach crime-of-violence criminal-law elements-clause federal-criminal-law hobbs-act physical-force sentencing-enhancement statutory-interpretation 1. In accord with the categorical approach, rather than the Third Circuit's outlier contemporaneous act approach, should a conviction under the Hobbs …
18-5762 Pedro Garcia v. United States Eleventh Circuit 2018-08-24 Denied Response RequestedResponse WaivedRelisted (2)IFP commerce-clause congressional-authority constitutional-law constitutional-limits criminal-law due-process facial-challenge federal-criminal-law firearm-possession firearms intrastate-possession second-amendment standing statutory-interpretation Whether 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1) is facially unconstitutional because it exceeds Congress's authority under the Commerce Clause, and is unconstitutional …
18-5444 Kenyan Deon Buchanan v. United States Fifth Circuit 2018-08-02 Denied Response WaivedIFP commerce-clause commerce-clause-limits commerce-clause-limits,criminal-law,federal-power, constitutional-limits criminal-law due-process federal-criminal-law federal-power felon-in-possession firearms interstate-commerce mens-rea statutory-interpretation united-states-v-lopez I. This Court and individual Justices have increasingly explained that Congress's power under the Commerce Clause to criminalize conduct otherwise fal…
18-5164 George Adrien Brooks v. United States Eleventh Circuit 2018-07-06 Denied IFP 18-usc-2422(b) attempted-inducement circuit-split criminal-law criminal-statute federal-criminal-law intent intent-requirement mens-rea minor minor-protection minors sexual-abuse sexual-activity sexual-inducement statutory-interpretation 18 U.S.C. § 2242(b) criminalizes, among other things, the attempted inducement of a minor to engage in sexual activity. The question presented by this…