mandatory-minimum
204 cases — ← All topics
| Case | Title | Lower Court | Docketed | Status | Flags | Tags | Question Presented |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25-6678 | Isaac Ramirez Rodriguez v. Virginia | Virginia | 2026-01-30 | Pending | Response WaivedIFP | constitutional-law cruel-and-unusual-punishment eighth-amendment mandatory-minimum proportionality sentencing | Are the mandatory minimum life sentence provisions of Virginia Code §§ 18.2-61(B)(2) and 18.2-67.2(B)(2) unconstitutional as constituting Cruel and Un… |
| 25-6599 | Harry Whitman v. United States | Fifth Circuit | 2026-01-15 | Pending | IFP | criminal-resentencing extraordinary-compelling-reasons first-step-act mandatory-minimum sentencing-reduction statutory-interpretation | Whether the fact that a prisoner is serving a sentence that is significantly longer than the law would now permit, in light of the First Step Act's no… |
| 25-6386 | Gavin Michael Harold v. United States | Eleventh Circuit | 2025-12-16 | Pending | Response RequestedResponse WaivedIFP | child-pornography criminal-punishment jury-trial mandatory-minimum restitution sixth-amendment | In 2018, Congress enacted the Amy, Vicky, and Andy Child Pornography Victim Assistance Act, which established a mandatory minimum restitution amount o… |
| 25-6169 | Elias Xavier Rosario Torres v. United States | Eleventh Circuit | 2025-11-19 | Denied | Response WaivedIFP | circuit-split criminal-procedure firearm-statute mandatory-minimum mens-rea statutory-interpretation | A person who is convicted under 18 U.S.C. § 924(c) of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence or drug trafficking crime, but who… |
| 25A535 | Shawn Russell Sorensen v. United States | Eighth Circuit | 2025-11-07 | Application | controlled-substance drug-possession felony-drug-offense ineffective-assistance mandatory-minimum sentencing-enhancement | This document does not contain a traditional "Question(s) Presented" section. The text contains questions posed within the Background section of an ex… | |
| 25-6010 | Karl Patrick Kluge v. United States | Eleventh Circuit | 2025-10-31 | Pending | Response RequestedResponse WaivedIFP | child-exploitation criminal-punishment jury-finding mandatory-minimum restitution sixth-amendment | In 2018, Congress enacted the Amy, Vicky, and Andy Child Pornography Victim Assistance Act, which established a mandatory minimum restitution amount o… |
| 25-5144 | Gregory Michael Hawes v. Seth Norris, Warden | Wyoming | 2025-07-17 | Denied | Response WaivedIFP | burden-of-proof circuit-split constitutional-rights criminal-procedure due-process mandatory-minimum | Whether this Court should resolve a 9'8 split amongst State Courts of Last Resort, when rulings, influenced by this Courts decisions, unconstitutional… |
| 25-5054 | Eural Black v. United States | Seventh Circuit | 2025-07-08 | Pending | IFP | circuit-split compassionate-release extraordinary-reasons first-step-act mandatory-minimum sentencing-reduction | The compassionate-release statute permits courts to reduce a prisoner's sentence if the court finds that "extraordinary and compelling reasons" warran… |
| 24-6608 | Felix Pusey v. Florida | Florida | 2025-02-21 | Denied | Response WaivedIFP | eighth-amendment firearm-possession juvenile-offender mandatory-minimum second-amendment sixth-amendment | 1. Whether section 790.23(1)(b), Florida Statutes, which criminalizes the possession and ownership of a firearm by people under the age of 24 who have… |
| 24-6387 | Raymond Bradley v. Florida | Florida | 2025-01-24 | Denied | IFP | constitutional-sentencing criminal-procedure juvenile-sentencing mandatory-minimum proportionality-principle youth-consideration | Whether the mandatory penalty scheme at issue here is flawed where it prevents the sentencer from taking account of the central considerations of Grah… |
| 24-6287 | Sean J. Trahan v. United States | First Circuit | 2025-01-13 | Denied | Response WaivedIFP | child-pornography federal-law mandatory-minimum predicate-offense sentencing-enhancement state-conviction | Whether a district court may impose an enhanced mandatory minimum sentence under 18 U.S.C. 2252A(b)(2) based on a prior state conviction "relating to"… |
| 24-6192 | Ladonta A. Tucker v. United States | Seventh Circuit | 2024-12-23 | Denied | Response WaivedIFP | criminal-statute firearm-use mandatory-minimum predicate-offense sentencing-enhancement statutory-interpretation | Whether a person uses or carries a firearm "during and in relation to" a predicate offense anytime the firearm has "the potential to facilitate" the c… |
| 24-6114 | Davis Ennis v. United States | Fifth Circuit | 2024-12-10 | Denied | Response WaivedIFP | conspiracy-statute drug-quantity judicial-fact-finding mandatory-minimum rule-of-lenity sixth-amendment | This case presents a question whether judicial fact-finding of a greater type and quantity of a controlled substance, an element of the offense, requi… |
| 24-5972 | Alex N. Morales-Velez v. United States | First Circuit | 2024-11-14 | Denied | Response WaivedIFP | criminal-procedure ineffective-assistance mandatory-minimum plea-agreement sentencing-recommendation strickland-standard | 1. Whether defense counsel's failure to object to the government's high-end sentencing recommendation —contrary to the terms of the plea agreement fol… |
| 24-5905 | Huosheng Xian v. United States | Tenth Circuit | 2024-11-04 | Denied | Response WaivedIFP | circuit-split criminal-procedure jury-verdict mandatory-minimum safety-valve sentencing | Do the findings embodied in a jury's verdict constrain a sentencing judge's ability to find that a defendant has provided full and truthful informatio… |
| 24A423 | Sean J. Trahan v. United States | First Circuit | 2024-10-30 | Presumed Complete | categorical-approach child-pornography circuit-split mandatory-minimum sentencing-enhancement statutory-interpretation | Whether, under the "categorical approach," the Massachusetts child pornography statute is "overbroad" such that a prior conviction under that statute … | |
| 24-5366 | Marquise Thomas v. United States | Eleventh Circuit | 2024-08-22 | Denied | IFP | child-exploitation criminal-punishment jury-determination mandatory-minimum restitution-order sixth-amendment | Does the Sixth Amendment require a jury to find the facts needed to justify a restitution order meeting or exceeding § 2259(b)(2)(B)'s $3,000 mandator… |
| 24-5060 | Bert Hudson v. Pennsylvania Board of Probation and Parole | Pennsylvania | 2024-07-12 | Denied | Response WaivedIFP | constitutional-interpretation cruel-and-unusual-punishment cruel-punishment eighth-amendment furman-v-georgia mandatory-minimum parole parole-review second-degree-murder sentencing-guidelines sentencing-statutes | After being rebuked for forbidden cruelty by this Court's own landmark 1972 Furman decision, Pennsylvania's sentencing statutes enacted in response to… |
| 24-5016 | Michael Medina v. United States | Fifth Circuit | 2024-07-08 | GVR | Relisted (2)IFP | circuit-split criminal-justice-reform first-step-act mandatory-minimum post-conviction-relief resentencing retroactivity sentencing-reduction sentencing-reform statutory-interpretation | The First Step Act (FSA) significantly reduced the mandatory minimum sentences for several federal drug and firearm offenses. First Step Act of 2018, … |
| 24-5014 | Aweis Haji-Mohamed v. United States | Sixth Circuit | 2024-07-08 | Denied | Response WaivedIFP | circuit-split due-process ineffective-assistance mandatory-minimum plea-bargaining prejudice prejudice-analysis sixth-amendment sixth-circuit-error strickland-standard strickland-v-washington | The Sixth Circuit deliberately applied a more demanding standard for showing prejudice for ineffective assistance of counsel than the standard establi… |
| 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. | |
| 23-7650 | Samuel Cuellar v. Jeff Tanner, Warden | Sixth Circuit | 2024-06-06 | Denied | Response WaivedIFP | appellate-procedure constitutional-violation criminal-procedure ineffective-assistance ineffective-assistance-of-counsel informed-decision mandatory-minimum mandatory-minimum-sentences plea-bargaining plea-negotiations sentencing | I. PETITIONER IS ENTITLED TO REINSTATEMENT OF PLEA OFFER WHERE COUNSEL FAILED TO INFORM HIM DURING PLEA NEGOTIATIONS THAT IF HE WAS CONVICTED UNDER MC… |
| 23-7643 | Thomas Antonio Stuart v. United States | Eleventh Circuit | 2024-06-05 | Denied | Response WaivedIFP | alien-smuggling criminal-penalty criminal-procedure legislative-history mandatory-minimum sentencing statutory-interpretation textualism | Whether the five-year mandatory minimum penalty of 8 U.S.C. § 1324(a)(2), which applies to a defendant's third "violation" of subsection (a)(2)(B)(Gi)… |
| 23-7453 | William Garrido v. Florida | Florida | 2024-05-10 | Denied | IFP | 10-20-life-statute criminal-sentencing due-process judicial-discretion mandatory-minimum sentencing sentencing-authority statutory-interpretation trial-court-authority | What authority does the trial court have to sentence beyond the selected mandatory minimum of 25 years under § 775.087 (2), (the 10-20-life Statute)? |
| 23-7283 | Hector Manuel Gomez Rodriguez v. United States | Ninth Circuit | 2024-04-22 | Denied | Response WaivedRelisted (2)IFP | 21-usc-841 constitutional-scrutiny criminal-procedure cruel-and-unusual-punishment eighth-amendment mandatory-minimum mandatory-minimum-sentences non-capital-sentences proportionality-review sentencing | Did the Ninth Circuit contravene Harmelin's plurality and Ewing by essentially exempting all sentences that a district court imposes under 21 U.S.C. §… |
| 23-7061 | Cody Dillon Hogan v. United States | Eleventh Circuit | 2024-03-22 | Denied | Response WaivedRelisted (2)IFP | 8th-amendment child-pornography civil-rights criminal-law due-process eighth-amendment mandatory-minimum restitution statutory-interpretation | 1. Proximate causation. This Court has opined that holding possessors of illegal pornography liable for the conduct of many other independent actors m… |
| 23A850 | Benjamin F. Whiteman v. Kathy Jennings, Attorney General of Delaware, et al. | Third Circuit | 2024-03-20 | Presumed Complete | constitutional-challenge cruel-and-unusual due-process habitual-offender mandatory-minimum sentencing-statute | Question not identified. | |
| 23-7014 | Stanley Ford v. United States | Ninth Circuit | 2024-03-18 | Denied | Response WaivedIFP | 18-usc-1951 18-usc-924 aiding-and-abetting crime-of-violence elements-clause hobbs-act mandatory-minimum physical-force statutory-interpretation | Whether Hobbs Act robbery and aiding and abetting Hobbs Act robbery, 18 U.S.C. § 1951(a), are categorically crimes of violence under the elements clau… |
| 23-1002 | Tony R. Hewitt v. United States | Fifth Circuit | 2024-03-12 | Judgment Issued | Amici (2)Response RequestedResponse WaivedRelisted (3) | circuit-split criminal-law first-step-act judicial-vacatur mandatory-minimum post-enactment-sentencing retroactivity sentencing sentencing-reduction statutory-interpretation | Whether the First Step Act's sentencing reduction provisions apply to a defendant originally sentenced before the FSA's enactment when that original s… |
| 23-6953 | Anthony Lamont Mason, II v. United States | Tenth Circuit | 2024-03-11 | Denied | Response WaivedIFP | federal-court federal-sentencing indian-major-crimes-act mandatory-minimum mcgirt-v-oklahoma sentencing-guidelines state-court state-sentencing statutory-interpretation | This case presents a legal question under the Indian Major Crimes Act (IMCA), 18 U.S.C. § 1153, that is increasingly important in the wake of McGirt v… |
| 23-6942 | Paulino Granda v. United States | Eleventh Circuit | 2024-03-08 | Denied | Response WaivedIFP | certificate-of-appealability constitutional-rights criminal-procedure due-process habeas-corpus johnson-precedent johnson-v-united-states mandatory-life-sentence mandatory-minimum predicate-conviction sentencing statutory-interpretation | Whether a Petitioner demonstrates that he has made "a substantial showing of the denial of a constitutional right " warranting the issuance of a certi… |
| 23-6879 | Christopher Sean Burrus v. Washington | Washington | 2024-03-01 | Denied | IFP | 6th-amendment civil-rights constitutional-challenge cruel-and-unusual-punishment drug-offense due-process eighth-amendment evidentiary-requirements ineffective-assistance-of-counsel mandatory-minimum mental-health sentencing-law | 1. Washington's personal identity petition hon eastern powers Conviction proceedings Who Are loucden & pcoa? a boty Sed +o Nhe. Setidioned oN ise.) Be… |
| 23-6590 | Johnny Eugene Holton v. Georgia | Georgia | 2024-01-29 | Denied | Response WaivedIFP | due-process equal-protection fourteenth-amendment jurisdiction mandatory-minimum res-judicata sentencing statutory-interpretation void-sentence | 1) Was Petitioner Deprived of His Due Process Clause of His Fourteenth Amendment fights and Equal Protection of the Law in Violation of His Rights Pro… |
| 23-6424 | Taquarius Kaream Ford v. United States | Ninth Circuit | 2024-01-05 | Denied | Response WaivedIFP | 18-usc-1591 18-usc-1594 circuit-split criminal-sentencing double-jeopardy mandatory-minimum sex-trafficking statutory-interpretation | When two Sex Trafficking statutes combine into a single Count, does the penalty for Sex Trafficking Conspiracy under 18 U.S.C. Section 1594(c) which h… |
| 23-6399 | Michael Salinas v. United States | Ninth Circuit | 2023-12-29 | Denied | Response WaivedIFP | conspiracy controlled-substance controlled-substances criminal-intent criminal-law drug-conspiracy mandatory-minimum mens-rea sentencing sentencing-enhancement | Whether, to prove conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance triggering mandatory-minimum and increased-maximum penalties, the government must pr… |
| 23-6323 | Ryan F. Duncan v. Florida | Florida | 2023-12-21 | Denied | IFP | constitutional-rights criminal-procedure due-process identification-evidence mandatory-minimum parole photo-array plea-bargaining sentencing witness-testimony | I. Does (x. \t\&\ CUjurV c\. c*\<nvrwOi &&£erAdn\r cP di/ve. process ujWexA (\tde^Mf\c^ (x. o^aAVm pk^ u)^<mV v^ftAin^ -\h(y*\ dootxV (k. vmc,d{*Wu ■V… |
| 23-6091 | Valentino Bernard Lee v. Ricky D. Dixon, Secretary, Florida Department of Corrections | Florida | 2023-11-22 | Denied | IFP | criminal-procedure double-jeopardy due-process firearm-possession jury-instructions legal-principles mandatory-minimum mandatory-minimum-sentence possession-of-firearm sentencing statutory-interpretation | Whether the trial court erred in sentencing defendant to a mandatory 11 year sentence under the 10-20-Life statute for possession of a firearm when th… |
| 23-6087 | Ronell Whitehead v. United States | Third Circuit | 2023-11-21 | Denied | IFP | 21-usc-841 21-usc-846 circuit-split conspiracy-law controlled-substances drug-conspiracy drug-distribution mandatory-minimum sentencing sentencing-guidelines statutory-interpretation | 1. Section 846 of title 21 provides that the available penalties for a controlled substances conspiracy violation are "the same ... as those prescribe… |
| 23-531 | Timothy I. Carpenter v. United States | Sixth Circuit | 2023-11-17 | Denied | Amici (2) | criminal-procedure drug-offense federal-firearm-offense first-step-act mandatory-minimum mandatory-minimums retroactivity sentencing-reform statutory-interpretation | Do the sentencing reforms in Section 403 of the First Step Act apply when a district court sentences an individual whose offense was committed before … |
| 23-6014 | Curtis Conway Bailey v. Bryan Morrison, Warden | Sixth Circuit | 2023-11-15 | Denied | Response WaivedIFP | criminal-sexual-conduct direct-appeal due-process immutable-fact ineffective-assistance-counsel judicial-notice mandatory-minimum mandatory-minimum-sentence michigan-law sentencing | 1. Whether a trial court can find the fact of a defendant's age as an element of the offense of first-degree criminal sexual conduct under Michigan la… |
| 23-5868 | Nicky S. Keo v. Massachusetts | Massachusetts | 2023-10-24 | Denied | Response WaivedIFP | 2nd-amendment civil-rights constitutional-rights criminal-penalty due-process felony firearm-licensing licensing mandatory-minimum second-amendment self-defense | The Commonwealth of Massachusetts requires its citizens to get permission from their local police departments before they can exercise their right to … |
| 23-5691 | Ricardo Garcia, Jr. v. United States | Fifth Circuit | 2023-10-02 | Denied | Relisted (3)IFP | circuit-split criminal-history due-process mandatory-minimum safety-valve sentencing-guidelines statutory-interpretation | Pursuant to the "safety-valve" provision of the federal sentencing statute, a defendant convicted of certain nonviolent drug crimes can obtain relief … |
| 23-5627 | Ronald Rene Deleon, Jr. v. United States | Fifth Circuit | 2023-09-20 | Denied | Response WaivedIFP | appellate-review criminal-procedure mandatory-minimum plain-error revocation sentencing sentencing-procedure supervised-release | Whether application of a mandatory minimum term of supervised release following a revocation amounts to plain error? |
| 23-5619 | Jordan Winczuk v. United States | First Circuit | 2023-09-20 | Denied | IFP | circuit-split criminal-law criminal-sentencing mandatory-minimum rule-of-lenity sentencing sexual-exploitation statutory-interpretation | The federal criminal statute entitled Sexual Exploitation of Children provides a series of mandatory-minimum penalties. 18 U.S.C. §2251(e). The penalt… |
| 23-5419 | Seth Williams v. United States | Third Circuit | 2023-08-23 | Denied | Response WaivedIFP | career-offender constitutional-challenge criminal-procedure due-process jurisdiction jurisdictional-authority mandatory-minimum rehaif-doctrine sentencing sentencing-modification | Does the District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania have the authority and jurisdiction to change a sentence after 12 years that was ORALL… |
| 23-5304 | Jaquantious Hutchison v. United States | Fifth Circuit | 2023-08-09 | Denied | Relisted (2)IFP | criminal-history federal-sentencing mandatory-minimum safety-valve sentencing-guidelines statutory-construction statutory-interpretation | The Safety Valve provision, 18 U.S.C. § 3553(f), instructs district courts to sentence under the guidelines without regard to any statutory mandatory … |
| 23-5298 | Edgar Sandoval Catarino v. California | California | 2023-08-08 | Denied | Response WaivedIFP | criminal-procedure fourteenth-amendment jury-trial mandatory-minimum sentencing sixth-amendment | 1. Do the Sixth and Fourteenth Amendments confer a right to a jury trial with respect to a fact that has the dual effect of (1) increasing the mandato… |
| 23-88 | Jerry L. Brown v. United States | Seventh Circuit | 2023-07-31 | Denied | Response Waived | circuit-split compassionate-release extraordinary-compelling-reasons first-step-act mandatory-minimum mandatory-minimum-sentence resentencing sentencing-commission sentencing-reduction | Whether non-retroactive changes in law can be "extraordinary and compelling reasons" warranting resentencing under 18 U.S.C. § 3582(c)(1)(A). |
| 23-5149 | Javier Escalera, Jr. v. United States | Fifth Circuit | 2023-07-20 | Denied | Relisted (2)IFP | circuit-split criminal-history fifth-circuit mandatory-minimum safety-valve sentencing-guidelines statutory-interpretation | Pursuant to the "safety-valve" provision of the federal sentencing statute, a defendant convicted of certain nonviolent drug crimes can obtain relief … |
| 23-2 | Gerald Spruell v. United States | Third Circuit | 2023-06-30 | Denied | Response Waived | appellate-review conspiracy criminal-procedure drug-conspiracy drug-quantities evidence evidence-sufficiency jury-verdict mandatory-minimum sentencing sentencing-guidelines | 1. Whether the Court of Appeals erred in concluding there was sufficient evidence to support the jury's verdict and drug quantities attributed to the … |
| 22-7650 | Nolan Washington v. United States | Fifth Circuit | 2023-05-26 | Denied | Relisted (2)IFP | circuit-split criminal-procedure mandatory-minimum safety-valve sentencing sentencing-guidelines statutory-interpretation supreme-court | Whether the Di strict Court erred when i t (1) fel t constrai ned to i mpose the mandatory mi nimum sentence, 120 months of i mpri sonment; (2) di d … |
| 22-7630 | Daniel Nathaniel McCall v. United States | Eleventh Circuit | 2023-05-24 | GVR | Relisted (3)IFP | armed-career-criminal-act categorical-approach federal-drug-schedules federal-firearm-offense mandatory-minimum prior-state-drug-offense sentencing sentencing-enhancement serious-drug-offense | 1. This Court has granted certiorari in Jackson v. United States, No. 22-6640, and Brown v. United States, No. 22-6389, and consolidated the cases. Th… |
| 22-7436 | Chad Robert Kolkman v. United States | Tenth Circuit | 2023-05-02 | Denied | Relisted (2)IFP | circuit-split criminal-history criminal-sentencing legal-interpretation mandatory-minimum sentencing statutory-construction statutory-interpretation statutory-text | When the terms of a statute are unambiguous, "it's no contest" what a court should do—apply the law as written. Bostock v. Clayton County, 140 S. Ct. … |
| 22-7303 | Patrick Dewayne Smith v. United States | Sixth Circuit | 2023-04-17 | Denied | Response WaivedIFP | compassionate-release extraordinary-and-compelling extraordinary-circumstances federal-law-change first-step-act mandatory-life-sentence mandatory-minimum retroactivity sentencing-reduction sentencing-reform | Whether non-retroactive changes in federal law can serve as "extraordinary and compelling reasons" warranting a sentence reduction under 18 U.S.C. § 3… |
| 22-7059 | Aaron M. Haynes v. United States | Sixth Circuit | 2023-03-21 | Denied | Relisted (2)IFP | circuit-split criminal-history-points criminal-justice federal-sentencing first-step-act mandatory-minimum safety-valve sentencing-guidelines sentencing-reform statutory-interpretation | The "safety valve" provision of the federal sentencing statute requires a district court to ignore any statutory mandatory minimum and instead follow … |
| 22-828 | Roger E. Pace v. United States | Seventh Circuit | 2023-03-01 | Denied | Relisted (2) | circuit-split criminal-history federal-sentencing mandatory-minimum safety-valve sentencing-guidelines statutory-interpretation | Courts interpret statutes by applying Congress's plain language. In the First Step Act, Congress modified the federal sentencing statute to say that a… |
| 22-6843 | Edgar Barrera v. United States | Ninth Circuit | 2023-02-22 | Denied | Response WaivedIFP | criminal-procedure due-process federal-jurisdiction mandatory-minimum mens-rea non-elemental-facts plea-bargaining preponderance-standard sentencing sentencing-enhancement statutory-interpretation | 1) Whether the Constitution permits a sentencing judge to find non-elemental facts by a preponderance of the evidence and then rely on those facts to … |
| 22-6803 | Mario C. Thomas v. United States | Eighth Circuit | 2023-02-16 | Denied | Relisted (2)IFP | criminal-history criminal-history-points criminal-procedure federal-sentencing mandatory-minimum safety-valve sentencing sentencing-guidelines statutory-interpretation | Section 3553(f) of Title 18, U.S. Code, is the "safety valve" which can allow a defendant to receive a sentence less than the statutory mandatory mini… |
| 22-6682 | Ricky Douglas Haynes, Jr. v. United States | Eleventh Circuit | 2023-02-01 | Denied | Response WaivedIFP | armed-career-criminal-act criminal-occasions due-process jury-trial mandatory-minimum non-elemental-facts sentencing sentencing-enhancement statutory-interpretation violent-felony | 1. Whether a sentencing judge may rely on non-elemental facts to conclude that a defendant's prior offenses were "committed on occasions different fro… |
| 22-6391 | Nonami Palomares v. United States | Fifth Circuit | 2022-12-23 | Denied | Amici (1)Relisted (3)IFP | criminal-history drug-crimes drug-offense federal-sentencing mandatory-minimum safety-valve sentencing-guidelines statutory-interpretation | Pursuant to the "safety-valve" provision of the federal sentencing statute, a defendant convicted of certain nonviolent drug crimes can obtain relief … |
| 22-6076 | Joseph Rauber v. United States | Eighth Circuit | 2022-11-16 | Denied | Relisted (3)IFP | circuit-split criminal-procedure criminal-sentencing drug-offenses mandatory-minimum safety-valve sentencing-statute statutory-interpretation | The federal sentencing statute contains a "safety valve" that protects defendants from mandatory minimum sentences if they meet certain criteria. 18 U… |
| 22-5902 | Monica Rodriguez v. United States | Ninth Circuit | 2022-10-25 | Denied | Response WaivedIFP | 21-usc-841 circuit-split controlled-substance drug-conspiracy mandatory-minimum mens-rea sentencing sentencing-enhancement | To prove conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance triggering mandatory-minimum and increased-maximum penalties, does the government need to est… |
| 22-5836 | Laquan Kyle Duane Shakespeare v. United States | Tenth Circuit | 2022-10-14 | Denied | Response WaivedIFP | 18-usc-3583k consecutive-sentences constitutional-challenge double-jeopardy due-process mandatory-minimum marks-doctrine marks-v-united-states sentencing-enhancement statutory-interpretation united-states-v-haymond | 1. Whether Mr. Shakespeare's five-year mandatory minimum revocation term of imprisonment imposed pursuant to 18 U.S.C. § 3583(k) is valid in light of … |
| 22-340 | Mark E. Pulsifer v. United States | Eighth Circuit | 2022-10-12 | Judgment Issued | Amici (4)Relisted (3) | circuit-conflict circuit-split criminal-history criminal-justice-reform first-step-act mandatory-minimum rule-of-lenity safety-valve sentencing-guidelines statutory-interpretation | The "safety valve" provision of the federal sentencing statute requires a district court to ignore any statutory mandatory minimum and instead follow … |
| 22-5680 | Wigberto Viera v. United States | Second Circuit | 2022-09-26 | Denied | Response WaivedIFP | drug-sting due-process judicial-authority mandatory-minimum reverse-sting sentencing-manipulation separation-of-powers stash-house | Whether this Court should recognize the defense of sentencing manipulation, in accordance with the majority of Courts of Appeals, and rule that senten… |
| 22-5584 | Emru Kebede v. Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania | 2022-09-15 | Denied | IFP | 8th-amendment age-discrimination due-process eighth-amendment equal-protection juvenile-offenders juvenile-sentencing mandatory-minimum mandatory-minimum-sentences roper-v-simmons | 1.) DO THE DECISIONS OF THIS COURT IN ROPER V. SIMMONS AND MILLER V. ALABAMA ESTABLISH A FUNDAMENTAL RIGHT FOR OFFENDERS UNDER 18 YEARS OF AGE AS IT R… |
| 22-5458 | Kenneth Lainell Davis v. Florida | Florida | 2022-08-29 | Denied | IFP | criminal-defendant criminal-procedure criminal-trial due-process eighth-amendment felony jury jury-composition juvenile-sentencing mandatory-minimum sixth-amendment | 1. Whether the Sixth Amendment requires a twelve-person jury to try a criminal defendant accused of a felony offense. 2. Whether the imposition of a … |
| 22-5378 | Robert Collazo, Lino Delgado-Vidaca, Julio Rodriguez, and Steven Amador v. United States | Ninth Circuit | 2022-08-17 | Denied | Response WaivedIFP | conspiracy controlled-substance controlled-substances criminal-law criminal-penalties drug-distribution due-process mandatory-minimum mens-rea sentencing | Whether, to prove conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance triggering mandatory-minimum and increased-maximum penalties, the Government must sh… |
| 22-5365 | David Steve Elias v. United States | Fifth Circuit | 2022-08-17 | Denied | Response WaivedIFP | criminal-procedure mandatory-minimum plain-error retroactivity rule-11 sentencing | I. After Mr. Elias's plea but before his sentencing, the First Step Act amended § 924(c)(1) to clarify that the consecutive mandatory minimum sentence… |
| 22-5147 | Ortavious Devon Wilson v. Ricky D. Dixon, Secretary, Florida Department of Corrections | Eleventh Circuit | 2022-07-21 | Denied | Response WaivedIFP | almendarez-torres-v-united-states certificate-of-appealability constitutional-rights criminal-procedure jury-trial mandatory-minimum mandatory-sentencing prison-releasee-reoffender sixth-amendment | 1. Whether the Petitioner's sentence violated his Sixth Amendment right to a jury trial when the trial court imposed a minimum mandatory sentence of l… |
| 22-5043 | Romeo Valentin Sanchez v. United States | Eleventh Circuit | 2022-07-06 | Denied | Response WaivedIFP | appellate-review criminal-law enhanced-sentencing indecent-acts mandatory-minimum military-justice sentencing-enhancement statutory-interpretation uniform-code-of-military-justice | Article 120 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice (10 U.S.C. § 920) was broadened in 2006 to include crimes of "indecent acts." Article 120 was ream… |
| 22-5023 | Sam Jones, Jr. v. United States | Eleventh Circuit | 2022-07-05 | Denied | Response WaivedIFP | abuse-of-discretion constitutional-rights criminal-procedure due-process eleventh-circuit judicial-discretion less-culpable-defendant mandatory-minimum sentencing-entrapment supervisory-jurisdiction | Whether in the exercise of its supervisory jurisdiction over the United States Courts, this Court should correct the correctable injustice, and violat… |
| 21-8201 | Judel Espinoza-Gonzalez v. United States | Ninth Circuit | 2022-06-22 | Denied | Response RequestedResponse WaivedRelisted (2)IFP | appellate-waiver constitutional-violation conviction-review criminal-procedure district-court-authority due-process jurisdictional-challenge mandatory-minimum mandatory-sentence sentencing unconstitutional-conviction | L. A guilty plea that includes an appellate waiver does not bar jurisdictional challenges on appeal. Class v. United States, 138 S. Ct. 798 (2018). Th… |
| 21-7975 | Amir Karim Beigali v. United States | Sixth Circuit | 2022-05-26 | Denied | Response WaivedIFP | 924-c consecutive-sentences constitutional-interpretation criminal-sentencing double-jeopardy due-process fifth-amendment mandatory-minimum section-924c sixth-amendment supervised-release | DOES THE FIFTH AND SIXTH AMENDMENT UNDER THE U.S. CONSTITUTION PROHIBIT SECOND OR SUBSEQUENTLY SECTION 924 (c) (1) (C)(i) AND ITS CONSECUTIVE MANDATOR… |
| 21-7867 | Jasper B. Mackey, Jr. v. United States | Fourth Circuit | 2022-05-13 | Denied | Response WaivedIFP | criminal-sentencing due-process fourth-circuit government-discretion mandatory-minimum plea-agreement sentencing substantial-assistance | I. The United States Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals erred in affirming the district court's judgment which did not depart below the mandatory minimum… |
| 21-7773 | Eric Middlebrook v. United States | Seventh Circuit | 2022-05-05 | Denied | Response WaivedIFP | consecutive-sentences constitutional-challenge constitutional-law double-jeopardy drug-crimes drug-offense guideline-range mandatory-consecutive-term mandatory-minimum sentencing-enhancement sentencing-guidelines | 1. Does punishing an individual with both a statutory penalty that requires a mandatory consecutive prison term and a Guideline Range enhancement for… |
| 21-7414 | Gregory M. Hawes v. Michael Pacheco, Warden, et al. | Tenth Circuit | 2022-03-18 | Denied | Response WaivedIFP | burden-of-proof criminal-procedure due-process mandatory-minimum sentencing statutory-maximum | I. Whether this Court's decision in Patterson v. New York (1977), which permitted placing the burden on a criminal defendant to establish mitigating f… |
| 21-7086 | William L. Whitefield v. United States | Seventh Circuit | 2022-02-09 | Denied | Response WaivedIFP | 18-usc-3582c1a 18-usc-924c compassionate-release criminal-law criminal-sentencing district-court-discretion extraordinary-and-compelling-reasons mandatory-minimum sentencing-reduction statutory-interpretation | Whether a district court may consider the 2018 amendment to the sentences mandated by 18 U.S.C. § 924(c) in determining whether a defendant has shown … |
| 21-940 | Kentucky v. Jared McCarthy | Kentucky | 2021-12-27 | Denied | Amici (1)Response Waived | blood-test criminal-procedure due-process evidence evidence-admission fourth-amendment impaired-driving mandatory-minimum search-and-seizure | 1. Whether the Fourth Amendment prohibits the admission of a defendant's refusal of a blood test in an impaired-driving prosecution. 2. Whether the F… |
| 21-6685 | Christopher Dominguez v. United States | Tenth Circuit | 2021-12-21 | Denied | IFP | criminal-procedure due-process ineffective-assistance-of-counsel informed-consent mandatory-minimum plea-agreement plea-bargaining prosecutorial-misconduct right-to-trial sentencing sentencing-guidelines | The prosecutor, defense counsel, and the district court all informed Mr. Dominguez that if he went to trial he would face a mandatory minimum sentence… |
| 21-6592 | Donald Stanley v. United States | Ninth Circuit | 2021-12-14 | Denied | Response WaivedIFP | criminal-law drug-statute mandatory-minimum mandatory-minimums mens-rea ninth-circuit-precedent rehaif-v-united-states sentencing-enhancement sentencing-guidelines statutory-construction statutory-interpretation | Whether the knowingly mens rea in 21 U.S.C. § 841 applies to the elements of drug type and quantity that establish mandatory minimum and enhanced maxi… |
| 21-6397 | Viengxay Chantharath, aka OG v. United States | Eighth Circuit | 2021-11-23 | Denied | IFP | 18-usc-3582 circuit-split extraordinary-and-compelling-reasons extraordinary-reasons first-step-act mandatory-minimum retroactivity sentence-reduction sentencing-law | Under 18 U.S.C. § 3582(c)(1)(A)(i), district courts have the authority to reduce a sentence based on "extraordinary and compelling reasons." In the F… |
| 21-6332 | Daeron Johnson Merrett, aka Reez v. United States | Eighth Circuit | 2021-11-18 | Denied | Response WaivedIFP | appeals-court-split buyer-seller-instruction circuit-split conspiracy-distribution controlled-substance drug-conspiracy federal-drug-offenses mandatory-minimum mandatory-minimum-sentence sentencing-enhancement serious-drug-felony | A SPLIT EXISTS IN THE COURTS OF APPEALS REGARDING THE GRANTING BUYER-SELLER INSTRUCTION IN THE TRIAL OF FEDERAL CONSPIRACY AND DISTRIBUTION CASES. PE… |
| 21-6282 | Tannous Fazah v. United States | Ninth Circuit | 2021-11-15 | Denied | IFP | circuit-split criminal-sentencing drug-conspiracy due-process federal-sentencing mandatory-minimum misdemeanor-reclassification prior-conviction prior-convictions retroactive-reclassification sentence-enhancement | I. In August 2013, petitioner was indicted in federal court, in part, on charges of conspiring to distribute controlled substances. Petitioner was all… |
| 21-6253 | Baltazar Aguirre-Rivera v. United States | Fifth Circuit | 2021-11-12 | Denied | Response WaivedIFP | criminal-procedure due-process fifth-amendment jury-trial mandatory-minimum sentencing sixth-amendment special-interrogatory | When a jury's answer to a special interrogatory negates an element of the charged offense, must a district court enter a judgment of acquittal when th… |
| 21-6010 | Robert D. Sutton v. United States | Seventh Circuit | 2021-10-20 | Denied | Amici (1)IFP | circuit-split compassionate-release criminal-justice criminal-sentencing judicial-discretion mandatory-minimum mandatory-minimums retroactivity sentence-reduction sentencing statutory-interpretation | Under 18 U.S.C. § 3582(c)(1)(A), a defendant may seek a sentence reduction based, in part, on "extraordinary and compelling reasons." In 2018, Congres… |
| 21-5825 | Raqib Abdul Al-Amin v. South Carolina | South Carolina | 2021-09-29 | Denied | IFP | compulsory-process constitutional-law constitutional-rights criminal-procedure cruel-and-unusual-punishment drug-offense due-process eighth-amendment evidence expert-witness mandatory-minimum sentencing-guidelines | Whether the South Carolina Supreme Court error to akfirm the trial Coust's suling where the trial Court was convinced by the Sthte's 'thired-party gui… |
| 21-347 | Michael Jackson v. Donald Hudson, Warden | Tenth Circuit | 2021-09-03 | Dismissed | circuit-precedent federal-prisoner habeas-corpus mandatory-minimum saving-clause section-2255 statutory-maximum | Whether a federal prisoner is entitled to bring a habeas claim under the saving clause of Section 2255(e) to challenge the unlawful application of a m… | |
| 21-5503 | Eric Henry Woodberry and Bradford Marselas Johnson v. United States | Ninth Circuit | 2021-08-26 | Denied | Response WaivedIFP | criminal-law criminal-statute firearm-length firearms mandatory-minimum mandatory-minimums mens-rea prosecutorial-burden sentencing sentencing-enhancement statutory-interpretation | Whether 18 U.S.C. § 924(c)(1)(B)(i) requires the government to prove that a defendant knew of the length of the firearm carried during the commission … |
| 21-5480 | Charles Bryant v. United States | Second Circuit | 2021-08-25 | GVR | Response RequestedResponse WaivedRelisted (3)IFP | circuit-split crack-cocaine fair-sentencing-act first-step-act judicial-discretion mandatory-minimum sentencing-guidelines statutory-interpretation | The Fair Sentencing Act of 2010 increased the threshold amounts of crack cocaine – from 5 and 50 grams to 28 and 280 grams – needed to trigger two man… |
| 21-5302 | Roosevelt Rico Dahda v. United States | Tenth Circuit | 2021-08-05 | Denied | Response WaivedIFP | alleyne-v-united-states criminal-sentencing drug-quantity jury-determination mandatory-minimum mandatory-minimum-sentence sixth-amendment statutory-maximum statutory-maximum-sentence | 1. Whether a finding on the issue of drug quantity that increases the statutory maximum sentence requires the jury to make an individualized determina… |
| 21-5100 | Matthew James Haymond, Sr. v. United States | Eighth Circuit | 2021-07-14 | Denied | Response WaivedIFP | crack-cocaine criminal-sentencing drug-offenses fair-sentencing-act first-step-act mandatory-life-sentence mandatory-minimum plea-bargaining retroactive-application sentencing-reduction statutory-interpretation | Whether Mr. Haymond was improperly denied First Step Act § 404 relief from his mandatory life sentence under 21 U.S.C. § 841(b)(1)(A), where the distr… |
| 20-8354 | Lewis Wesley Hickman, III v. United States | Fourth Circuit | 2021-06-22 | Denied | Response WaivedIFP | criminal-history criminal-procedure due-process evidence-challenge felony-conviction judicial-review mandatory-minimum plea-bargaining sentencing-disparities sentencing-enhancements sentencing-guidelines | why was my 3 points for accepting responsibility taken for a fight in jail. I Know I didnt say} "Cooperator"; I didnt Know him at all. why was I give… |
| 20-8383 | Franklin Antonio Rios v. United States | Fourth Circuit | 2021-06-22 | Denied | Response WaivedIFP | criminal-history criminal-history-category drug-conspiracy firearm-charges first-step-act fourth-amendment mandatory-minimum mandatory-minimum-sentences offense-level sentencing-guidelines | I. WHETHER, AFTER THE PETITIONER PLED GUILTY TO A DRUG CONSPIRACY AND TWO FIREARM CHARGES UNDER 18 U.S.C. § 924(0), RESULTING IN MANDATORY MINIMUM SEN… |
| 20-8330 | Ilmane Charone Campas Strong v. United States | Fifth Circuit | 2021-06-16 | Denied | Response WaivedIFP | commerce-clause constitutional-law criminal-law criminal-procedure due-process federal-jurisdiction firearms judicial-fact-finding mandatory-minimum sixth-amendment supervised-release | 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… |
| 20-8285 | Enrique Hurtado v. United States | Ninth Circuit | 2021-06-11 | Denied | Response WaivedIFP | bank-robbery crime-of-violence federal-armed-bank-robbery hobbs-act hobbs-act-robbery mandatory-minimum mandatory-minimum-sentences physical-force statutory-interpretation | L. By its plain language, Hobbs Act robbery does not require as an element the use, attempted use, or threatened use, of violent physical force. The p… |
| 20-8217 | Donald R. Turner, Jr. v. United States | Eighth Circuit | 2021-06-03 | Denied | Response WaivedIFP | civil-rights constitutional-claim due-process fifth-amendment ineffective-assistance just-compensation mandatory-minimum private-property procedural-error sentencing-enhancement takings | 1. WHETHER DEFENDANTS RECEIVED EFFECTIVE ASSISTANCE OF COUNSEL DURING SENTENCING IN WHICH COUNSEL FAILED TO BRIEF OR PRESERVE THE SUPREME COURT'S RULI… |
| 20-8039 | Matthew J. O'Neal v. United States | Sixth Circuit | 2021-05-17 | Denied | Response WaivedRelisted (2)IFP | child-pornography criminal-law eighth-amendment mandatory-minimum sentencing sentencing-enhancement sexual-abuse statutory-interpretation | Whether the Sixth Circuit erred by expanding the scope of the "relating to" language in 18 U.S.C. §2252A(b)(2) to include conduct under a state statut… |
| 20-1586 | Artavis Desmond McGowan v. United States | Eleventh Circuit | 2021-05-14 | Denied | Response Waived | conspiracy constructive-amendment criminal-procedure drug-conviction evidence first-step-act mandatory-minimum sentencing sentencing-relief wiretap wiretap-evidence | I. WHETHER THE DISTRICT COURT ERR IN DENYING McGOWAN'S MOTION FOR NEW TRIAL BASED ON CONSTRUCTIVE AMENDMENT OF THE INDICTMENT WHEN IT ALLOWED THE GOVE… |
| 20-7851 | Luis Noel Cruz, aka Noel v. United States | Second Circuit | 2021-04-26 | Denied | Response WaivedIFP | 8th-amendment contemporary-standards-of-decency criminal-procedure due-process individualized-sentencing juvenile-sentencing legislative-trends life-sentence mandatory-minimum miller-rule sentencing-discretion | Should the protections of Miller v. Alabama, 567 U.S. 460, 132 S. Ct. 2455, 183 L. Ed. 2d 407 (2012), which prohibits mandatory life sentences and req… |
| 20-7575 | In Re Ivory Lee Robinson | 2021-03-26 | Denied | IFP | 14th-amendment 5th-amendment due-process equal-protection mandatory-minimum sentencing | Question not identified. | |
| 20-7581 | Michael Hernandez v. Florida | Florida | 2021-03-26 | Denied | IFP | constitutional-rights fact-finding first-amendment judicial-discretion juvenile-sentencing life-sentence mandatory-minimum sentencing-factors sixth-amendment trial-judge | 1. Whether Florida's juvenile sentencing statute - which mandates a life sentence if a certain finding is made and prohibits that sentence when that f… |
| 20-7465 | Johnny Andres Asuncion, III v. United States | Ninth Circuit | 2021-03-16 | Denied | Response WaivedIFP | carachuri-rosendo-v-holder criminal-sentencing felony-drug-offense mandatory-minimum ninth-circuit-precedent predicate-offense recidivism sentencing-factors sentencing-guidelines statutory-interpretation | The District Court Judge sentenced the Petitioner to life in prison for Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine , 21 U.S.C. Sect. 841(a)(… |
| 20-7405 | Jorge Rangel v. United States | Ninth Circuit | 2021-03-10 | Denied | Relisted (2)IFP | direct-appeal drug-cases first-step-act mandatory-minimum plain-error rehaif | 1. Does the provision of the First Step Act, Pub. L. 115-391, 132 Stat. 5194 (Dec. 21, 2018), that amended 21 U.S.C. § 841(b)(1) to reduce mandatory-m… |
| 20-7296 | Dane Schrank v. United States | Sixth Circuit | 2021-03-02 | Denied | Response RequestedResponse WaivedRelisted (3)IFP | appellate-procedure due-process federal-rules-of-appellate-procedure judicial-discretion mandatory-minimum oral-argument reasoned-decision sentencing-guidelines standing | I. Must Circuit Courts provide reasoned decisions to deny parties oral argument under Federal Rule of Appellate Procedure 34(a)(2)? II. Does a policy… |
| 20-7253 | Nancy Cole v. United States | Ninth Circuit | 2021-02-25 | Denied | IFP | constitutional-limits criminal-law criminal-procedure drug-statutes due-process fifth-amendment mandatory-minimum mens-rea sentencing statutory-interpretation strict-liability | 1. Whether the knowingly mens rea in the federal drug statutes, 21 U.S.C. §§ 841, 960, applies to the elements of drug type and quantity that establis… |
| 20-7024 | Randy Macario Ancheta v. United States | Ninth Circuit | 2021-02-04 | Denied | Response WaivedIFP | 18-usc-924c certificate-of-appealability circuit-split crime-of-violence criminal-sentencing due-process hobbs-act mandatory-minimum statutory-interpretation | By its plain language, Hobbs Act robbery does not have as an element the use, attempted use, or threatened use, of violent force. Hobs Act robbery's p… |
| 20-6943 | Ronald Lewis Coleman, Jr. v. United States | Sixth Circuit | 2021-01-26 | Denied | Response WaivedIFP | 18-usc-3582 circuit-split compassionate-release criminal-sentencing extraordinary-and-compelling-reasons first-step-act mandatory-minimum mandatory-minimum-sentences sentence-reduction sentencing | Whether the changes in applicable mandatory minimum sentences worked by the First Step Act can provide extraordinary and compelling reasons to support… |
| 20-6910 | El-Asad Alsaedi v. Florida | Florida | 2021-01-15 | Denied | Response WaivedIFP | civil-procedure civil-rights criminal-procedure due-process equal-protection federal-jurisdiction judicial-discretion mandatory-minimum sentencing-authority sentencing-guidelines standing statutory-interpretation | Question not identified. |
| 20-6870 | Antonio Harris v. United States | Eighth Circuit | 2021-01-13 | Denied | Response WaivedIFP | crack-cocaine criminal-justice-reform first-step-act judicial-discretion mandatory-minimum mandatory-minimums retroactive-sentencing sentence-reduction sentencing-guidelines | Can federal judges ignore the current United States Sentencing Guidelines calculation when considering whether to reduce a sentence for a "covered off… |
| 20-6832 | Shannon Keith Harris v. United States | Fifth Circuit | 2021-01-11 | Denied | IFP | cocaine-sentencing criminal-sentencing drug-trafficking fair-sentencing-act first-step-act mandatory-minimum mandatory-minimums resentencing retroactivity sentencing-guidelines | When deciding whether to impose a reduced sentence under Section 404 of the First Step Act, are district courts required to apply the current, legally… |
| 20-6571 | Antonio W. Smith v. M. Brecken, Warden | Fourth Circuit | 2020-12-08 | Denied | Response WaivedIFP | 28-usc-2255 career-offender habeas-corpus judicial-discretion mandatory-minimum miscarriage-of-justice sentencing-guidelines statutory-interpretation | Did the Fourth Circuit Appeals Court err by not hearing Petitioner's 28 U.S.C. §2241 petition on the merits where his misclassification as a career of… |
| 20-5887 | Charles Kunta Lewis, Jr. v. Michigan | Michigan | 2020-10-02 | Denied | IFP | age-consideration brain-development constitutional-rights cruel-and-unusual-punishment cruel-unusual-punishment eighth-amendment individualized-sentencing juvenile-offender juvenile-sentencing mandatory-minimum sentencing | I. The Constitution prohibits punishments that are cruel and unusual. In addition to the crime committed, the juvenile offender's age must also be tak… |
| 20-5407 | Dominique Mack v. United States | Second Circuit | 2020-08-19 | Denied | Relisted (4)IFP | confrontation-clause criminal-procedure cruel-and-unusual-punishment due-process evidence jailhouse-informant mandatory-minimum mandatory-sentencing plain-error sentencing statements-against-interest | 1. Should the Court should grant certiorari in order to consider whether this Court's jurisprudence concerning the admission of statements against int… |
| 20-5349 | In Re Daryl L. Zimmer | 2020-08-13 | Denied | Response WaivedIFP | appellate-counsel due-process equal-protection ineffective-assistance ineffective-assistance-of-counsel mandatory-minimum plea-agreement plea-bargain sentencing-guidelines | THE TRIAL COURT DENIED PETITIONER DUE PROCESS AND EQUAL PROTECTION OF THE LAW RIGHTS WHEN THE TRIAL COURT HAVING FULL KNOWLEDGE THAT PETITIONER PLED G… | |
| 20-5264 | Lakento Brian Smith v. United States | Sixth Circuit | 2020-08-05 | Denied | Response RequestedResponse WaivedRelisted (2)IFP | crack-cocaine criminal-sentencing first-step-act guideline-range mandatory-minimum post-sentencing-conduct resentencing sentence-reduction sixth-amendment statutory-interpretation | The First Step Act changed the penalty for petitioner's crack cocaine crimes from life in prison to 10 years to life and changed petitioner's guidelin… |
| 20-5041 | Justin L. Sain v. United States | Sixth Circuit | 2020-07-13 | Denied | Response WaivedIFP | alleyne-standard Alleyne-v-United-States burden-of-proof criminal-sentencing drug-statute federal-drug-statute mandatory-minimum Mullaney-v-Wilbur safety-valve | The "safety valve," 18 U.S.C. § 3553(f) is a federal statute that, in combination with the federal drug statute, 21 U.S.C. § 841, determines whether a… |
| 20-5015 | James Latron Sumter v. United States | Fourth Circuit | 2020-07-09 | Denied | Response WaivedIFP | appellate-review criminal-procedure criminal-sentencing cruel-and-unusual-punishment eighth-amendment first-step-act guilty-plea mandatory-minimum plea-bargaining sentencing | 1. WHETHER THE APPELLATE COURT ERRED IN AFFIRMING THE DISTRICT COURT'S RULING NOT ALLOWING SUMTER TO WITHDRAW HIS GUILTY PLEA? 2. WHETHER THE APPELLA… |
| 19-1365 | Ramon Hueso v. J. A. Barnhart, Warden | Sixth Circuit | 2020-06-12 | Denied | Relisted (2) | 28-usc-2255 circuit-law circuit-split federal-prisoner habeas-corpus mandatory-minimum post-conviction-relief retroactivity savings-clause sentence-enhancement sentencing sentencing-enhancement | Section 2255 of 28 U.S.C., which authorizes postconviction relief for federal prisoners, generally requires post-conviction motions be brought within … |
| 19-8694 | Joseph D. Rouse v. United States | Sixth Circuit | 2020-06-12 | Denied | Response WaivedIFP | 21-usc-851 appeal-waiver appellate-review due-process mandatory-minimum notice-requirement plea-agreement sentencing sentencing-enhancement statutory-interpretation | Does the express language of 21 U.S.C. § 851 requiring prior written notice of the particular conviction the government seeks to use to enhance a mand… |
| 19-8645 | Joe Cephus Ross v. United States | Fifth Circuit | 2020-06-09 | Denied | Response WaivedIFP | child-pornography due-process mandatory-minimum prosecutorial-discretion sentencing separation-of-powers statutory-interpretation void-for-vagueness | Does 18 U.S.C. § 2252A violate the Due Process Clause and the separation-of-powers doctrine because the statute allows a prosecutor to unilaterally se… |
| 19-8474 | Brittany Dawn Thomas v. United States | Fourth Circuit | 2020-05-15 | Denied | Response WaivedIFP | 18-usc-3553(e) 18-USC-3553e criminal-procedure district-court judicial-authority mandatory-minimum sentencing sentencing-discretion separation-of-powers statutory-interpretation | i. DOES A DISTRICT COURTS INABILITY TO DEPART BELOW A MANDATORY MINIMUM UNDER 18 U.S.C. § 3553(e), FOR ANY FACTOR OTHER THAN DEFENDANT'S SUBSTANTIAL A… |
| 19-8469 | Viengxay Chantharath v. United States | Eighth Circuit | 2020-05-14 | Denied | Response WaivedIFP | 21-usc-851 career-offender collateral-review criminal-procedure drug-convictions first-step-act mandatory-minimum retroactive-application sentencing-enhancement statutory-interpretation | Whether the First Step Act (FSA-2018) "altered "the statutes: 21 U.S.C.§ 841(a) (1)(b)(1) (A)-(B) also (C) for the prior drugI. con victions that qua… |
| 19-8445 | Freddie Lee Curry, aka King of da Hood, aka Rat v. United States | Fourth Circuit | 2020-05-12 | Denied | Response WaivedIFP | 21-usc-841 alleyne alleyne-ruling criminal-procedure drug-quantity fair-sentencing-act first-step-act mandatory-minimum sentence-reduction sentencing statutory-interpretation | Did the District Court abused its discretion when it failed to to apply Alleyne to Appellant's sentence reduction under Section 404(b) of the First St… |
| 19-8034 | Whitney Atkinson v. United States | Sixth Circuit | 2020-03-18 | Denied | Response WaivedIFP | crack-cocaine drug-offense fair-sentencing-act first-step-act mandatory-minimum retroactive-application sentence-enhancement statutory-interpretation | Did Mr. Atkinson receive a sentence for a covered drug offense, such that he should be eligible for retroactive application of the Fair Sentencing Act… |
| 19-8036 | Odis Lee Jackson v. United States | Fifth Circuit | 2020-03-18 | Denied | Response WaivedRelisted (2)IFP | criminal-justice-reform criminal-resentencing district-court-procedure due-process federal-jurisdiction first-step-act judicial-review mandatory-minimum post-sentencing-conduct sentencing sentencing-modification sentencing-reform statutory-interpretation | I. What procedures does Section 404 of the First Step Act require a district court to follow when conducting its statutorily required "complete review… |
| 19-8013 | Keith Alexander v. Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania | 2020-03-17 | Denied | IFP | criminal-procedure criminal-procedure-ineffective-assistance-of-couns criminal-sentencing due-process federal-appellate-review firearms ineffective-assistance-of-counsel judicial-interpretation mandatory-minimum mental-capacity sentencing sentencing-guidelines statutory-construction | Question not identified. |
| 19-8005 | Harrison Garcia v. United States | Eleventh Circuit | 2020-03-16 | Denied | Response WaivedIFP | appellate-review criminal-procedure criminal-sentencing direct-appeal edwards-v-arizona first-step-act mandatory-minimum mandatory-minimums right-to-counsel sentencing sentencing-retroactivity statutory-interpretation | Whether Section 403 of the First Step Act of 2018, enacted while Petitioner's case was pending on direct appellate review, apply where his sentence is… |
| 19-7951 | Rashad Taylor v. Florida | Florida | 2020-03-10 | Denied | Response WaivedIFP | cruel-and-unusual-punishment eighth-amendment fourteenth-amendment juvenile-offender juvenile-sentencing mandatory-minimum mandatory-minimum-sentence miller-v-alabama | 1. Does imposition of a mandatory sentence of forty years on a juvenile convicted of a homicide -a sentence imposed pursuant to a statutory scheme tha… |
| 19-7878 | Joseph Ramon Santillan v. United States | Eighth Circuit | 2020-03-05 | Denied | Response WaivedIFP | conviction-classification criminal-law criminal-sentencing drug-offense drug-offenses due-process equal-protection federal-sentencing felony-conviction mandatory-minimum misdemeanor-conviction sentencing sentencing-enhancement state-federal-interaction state-federal-law statutory-interpretation | Did defendant's State of California marijuana conviction constitute a "prior conviction for a felony drug offense," increasing defendant's mandatory m… |
| 19-7760 | Jeremy Achey v. United States | Eleventh Circuit | 2020-02-25 | Denied | Response WaivedIFP | burden-of-proof conspiracy controlled-substance controlled-substance-analogue criminal-sentencing drug-conspiracy due-process federal-drug-law mandatory-minimum sentencing statutory-interpretation statutory-penalties | 1. Whether, in cases where a drug conspiracy allegedly involves multiple substances, the government must prove that the defendant conspired to distrib… |
| 19-7298 | James Lee Bell v. Florida | Florida | 2020-01-15 | Denied | Response WaivedIFP | apprendi-precedent blakely-rule criminal-procedure due-process judicial-discretion jury jury-trial mandatory-minimum recidivism recidivist-treatment sentencing sentencing-enhancement | Q 1: Was the limitation of Almendarez-Torres and the dictates of Apprendi and Blakely violated? Florida in deciding whether Petitioner qualified for r… |
| 19-7217 | Rickey Thompson v. United States | Eleventh Circuit | 2020-01-08 | Denied | Response RequestedResponse WaivedRelisted (2)IFP | crime-of-violence criminal-law criminal-sentencing due-process elements-clause firearms johnson-davis-doctrine johnson-v-united-states mandatory-minimum second-degree-murder statutory-interpretation united-states-v-davis vagueness vagueness-doctrine | L. Whether the residual clause of 18 U.S.C. § 924(c)(8) is unconstitutionally vague pursuant to Johnson v. United States, 135 S. Ct. 2551 (2015), and … |
| 19-7021 | Otis Hunter and Deshawn Evans v. United States | Seventh Circuit | 2019-12-19 | Denied | IFP | bias confrontation-clause criminal-procedure cross-examination jury-instructions jury-nullification mandatory-minimum nullification sentencing sixth-amendment witness-cooperation | Whether the Sixth Amendment Confrontation Clause is violated when a court bars a defendant from eliciting the mandatory minimum sentence a prosecution… |
| 19-6865 | Delante L. Lunn v. United States | Sixth Circuit | 2019-12-05 | Denied | Response WaivedIFP | but-for-causation but-for-test causation criminal-law criminal-sentencing drug-distribution drug-offenses drug-overdose mandatory-minimum overdose-causation sentencing statutory-interpretation | Whether this Honorable Court should re-evaluate the but-for test established by Burrage v. United States, 571 U.S. 204 (2014) for mixed drug overdoses… |
| 19-6774 | Albert Allen, Jr. v. United States | Eighth Circuit | 2019-11-27 | Denied | Response WaivedIFP | certificate-of-appealability criminal-procedure criminal-procedure-appeal due-process fair-sentencing-act ineffective-assistance-of-counsel mandatory-minimum mens-rea prosecutorial-misconduct sentencing sentencing-guidelines | Whether the Court of Appeals Erred in Denying Petitioner's Application for a Certificate of Appealability to Appeal the District Court's Denial of His… |
| 19-6420 | Christopher Mark Heath v. United States | Third Circuit | 2019-10-30 | Denied | Response WaivedIFP | conspiracy conspiracy-law criminal-law criminal-statute drug-trafficking firearm-possession firearms mandatory-minimum sentencing sentencing-enhancement statutory-interpretation | The mere presence of a firearm at the scene of a drug trafficking offense constitutes possession of the firearm "in furtherance of" the conspiracy for… |
| 19-6389 | Quincy Dennis v. J. A. Terris, Warden | Sixth Circuit | 2019-10-25 | Denied | IFP | 28-usc-2255 categorical-approach drug-offense federal-procedure habeas-corpus habeas-corpus-relief-28-usc-2241 intervening-change mandatory-minimum mandatory-minimum-sentence presidential-commutation presidential-pardon retroactive-application retroactively-applicable-decision sentencing sentencing-guidelines statutory-construction statutory-interpretation | QUESTION # ONE: Whether petitioner Dennis is entitled to seek federal habeas corpus relief under 28 U.S.C. § 2241 on the ground that 28 U.S.C. § 225… |
| 19-6363 | David Pearson v. United States | Eleventh Circuit | 2019-10-24 | Denied | Response RequestedResponse WaivedRelisted (2)IFP | appeal-rights armed-career-criminal armed-career-criminal-act categorical-analysis drug-offense drug-offenses ineffective-assistance ineffective-assistance-of-counsel mandatory-minimum plea-agreement sentencing sentencing-enhancement statutory-maximum | 1. Did the court of appeals, in rejecting petitioner's claim that his sentencing counsel provided ineffective assistance by failing to challenge his a… |
| 19-6372 | Kelby Germaine Parson v. United States | Eleventh Circuit | 2019-10-24 | Denied | IFP | appellate-review certificate-of-appealability circuit-split criminal-law criminal-statute due-process firearm-offense firearms mandatory-minimum statutory-interpretation statutory-vagueness vagueness | I. Whether Petitioner is entitled to relief on his claim that 18 U.S.C. § 924(c)(3)(B) is unconstitutionally vague and his conviction under 18 U.S.C. … |
| 19-6328 | Antonio Leonard Brown v. Lorie Davis, Director, Texas Department of Criminal Justice, Correctional Institutions Division | Fifth Circuit | 2019-10-22 | Denied | Relisted (2)IFP | civil-rights constitutional-violation criminal-procedure criminal-sentencing due-process equal-protection federalism habeas-corpus jurisdictional-issue jury-selection mandatory-minimum state-criminal-procedure | Does A State Constitutional violation Rise to the same severity As A United States Constitutional violation? If a majority of en banc Justices in A s… |
| 19-6230 | Claudius L. Fincher v. United States | Seventh Circuit | 2019-10-09 | Denied | Response RequestedResponse WaivedRelisted (2)IFP | criminal-procedure due-process factual-question jury-determination jury-trial mandatory-minimum safety-valve safetyvalve-statute sentencing sixth-amendment | Does the district court's resolution of a contested factual question under 18 U.S.C. § 3553(f) (safety-valve statute) for the purpose of determining w… |
| 19-6115 | Jose Manuel Aguirre-Ganceda v. United States | Ninth Circuit | 2019-10-01 | Denied | Response WaivedIFP | actual-innocence collateral-attack criminal-justice criminal-procedure criminal-sentencing drug-conviction due-process federal-law federal-state-comity mandatory-life-sentence mandatory-minimum prior-convictions sentencing sentencing-enhancement state-court-reduction state-law | Whether a defendant is actually innocent of a mandatory life sentence once a prior state drug conviction relied upon by the District Court is set asid… |
| 19-6019 | Marco Antonio Murillo v. United States | Fifth Circuit | 2019-09-20 | Denied | Response WaivedIFP | criminal-procedure due-process federal-defendants indictment indictment-right mandatory-minimum mandatory-sentencing sentencing sentencing-enhancement united-states-v-haymond | 1. Whether federal defendants enjoy the right to indictment as to some facts that alter the likely sentence within a mandatory range of punishment? Su… |
| 19-6005 | Robert L. Malone v. United States | Seventh Circuit | 2019-09-19 | Denied | Response WaivedIFP | criminal-history drug-quantity due-process jury-instructions mandatory-minimum methamphetamine-distribution prosecutorial-discretion sentencing sentencing-guidelines supervisory-power | 1.) Did the lower courts err when they imposed and affirmed Mr. Malone's sentence based on overreliance on his Criminal History? 2.) Is Mr. Malone's … |
| 19-5996 | Michael J. W. Potter v. United States | Sixth Circuit | 2019-09-18 | Denied | Response WaivedIFP | constitutional-rights criminal-procedure criminal-sentencing cruel-and-unusual-punishment due-process eighth-amendment life-imprisonment mandatory-minimum mandatory-sentencing sentencing | Whether entry of a mandatory sentence of life imprisonment violated Appellant's rights under the Eighth Amendment to the United States Constitution. |
| 19-5913 | Sammie Lee Smith, IV v. Florida | Florida | 2019-09-12 | Denied | Response WaivedIFP | aggravated-crime aggravated-offense alleyne-v-united-states apprendi-v-new-jersey constitutional-law criminal-charging criminal-procedure due-process jury-determination jury-trial mandatory-minimum sentencing sexual-felony | Whether the facts triggering a mandatory minimum sentence under Florida's Dangerous Sexual Felony Offender Act, § 794.0115, Fla. Stat. (2016), togethe… |
| 19-5871 | Patrick Jones v. United States | Seventh Circuit | 2019-09-10 | Denied | Response WaivedIFP | attempt controlled-substance controlled-substances federal-crime federal-law guidelines-interpretation mandatory-minimum offer-to-sell preparatory-action sentencing-commission sentencing-guidelines statutory-interpretation substantial-step tenth-circuit-precedent | 1) Did the district court error in increasing Havis base offense level based upon its belief that the Commentary to &4Bli2 appropriately includes atte… |
| 19-5889 | Jonathan Torres-Arroyo v. New Jersey | New Jersey | 2019-09-10 | Denied | Response RequestedResponse WaivedRelisted (2)IFP | alleyne-precedent alleyne-v-united-states criminal-procedure judicial-findings jury-trial mandatory-minimum ring-v-arizona sentencing sentencing-court state-v-kiriakakis | Did the New Jersey Courts make an invalid distinction from Alleyne v. United States, 570 U.S. 99 (2013), in holding that the defendant's right to a ju… |
| 19-5641 | David Anthony Gordon v. United States | Eleventh Circuit | 2019-08-19 | Denied | Response WaivedIFP | appeal-waiver due-process government-breach judicial-assignment judicial-procedure mandatory-minimum plea-agreement safety-valve sentencing sentencing-discretion | Whether, in reaching the decision to affirm in part and to dismiss in part, the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals has so far departed from the accepte… |
| 19-5622 | Cairo Lopez, Jr. v. United States | Fifth Circuit | 2019-08-16 | Denied | Response WaivedIFP | 8th-amendment booker cruel-and-unusual-punishment due-process executive-power mandatory-minimum mandatory-minimum-sentences sentencing separation-of-powers standing | 1. This Court should consider whether combining in the Executive Branch the power to charge and the power to control sentences in statutory mandatory … |
| 19-109 | Giovanni Montijo-Dominguez v. United States | Tenth Circuit | 2019-07-25 | Denied | Amici (2) | 18-usc-3553 circuit-split criminal-sentencing drug-trafficking fact-finding judicial-discretion jury-findings jury-verdict mandatory-minimum preponderance-of-evidence sentencing-discretion standard-of-proof | District courts exercise broad discretion at sentencing. They may take into consideration various factors relating to both the offense and the offende… |
| 19-5112 | Rafael Jacob Stoffel v. Florida | Florida | 2019-07-09 | Denied | Response WaivedIFP | constitutional-law cruel-and-unusual-punishment eighth-amendment juvenile-victim mandatory-minimum mandatory-minimum-sentence sentencing sentencing-guidelines sexual-assault sexual-offense sexual-offenses | Whether a minimum mandatory sentence of twenty-five years' imprisonment imposed for the offense of touching a minor's breast violates the prohibition … |
| 19-5102 | Dan Pizaro v. United States | Fifth Circuit | 2019-07-08 | Denied | IFP | criminal-law criminal-sentencing drug-offense drug-offenses due-process federal-sentencing first-step-act mandatory-minimum mandatory-minimums sentencing-reduction statutory-interpretation supreme-court supreme-court-precedent | Whether the life sentence imposed on 21 U.S.C. § 846 and § 841(a)(1) pursuant to 21 U.S.C. § 841(b)(1)(A) and § 851 must be reduced to twenty-five (25… |
| 18-1572 | Matthew D. Priset v. Pennsylvania | Third Circuit | 2019-06-25 | Denied | Response RequestedResponse WaivedRelisted (2) | 8th-amendment constitutional-law criminal-sentencing cruel-and-unusual-punishment cruel-unusual-punishment due-process eighth-amendment life-sentence mandatory-minimum mandatory-minimum-sentence mental-illness sentencing | Does a mandatory minimum Life Sentence for one who is convicted under The Guilty-But-Mentally-Ill designation constitute cruel and unusual punishment? |
| 18-9615 | Shawn Russell Sorensen v. United States | Eighth Circuit | 2019-06-12 | Denied | Response RequestedResponse WaivedRelisted (2)IFP | appeal conflict-among-courts-of-appeals drug-felony drug-felony-offenses drug-offenses eighth-amendment first-step-act mandatory-minimum sentencing sentencing-enhancement simple-possession | THIS COURT SHOULD GRANT MR. SORENSEN's PETITION FOR CERTIORARI TO RESOLVE A CONFLICT AMONG THE UNITED STATES COURTS OF APPEALS AS TO WHETHER PETITIONE… |
| 18-9549 | Mauricio Lucas-Lopez v. Tony Trierweiler, Warden | Sixth Circuit | 2019-06-04 | Denied | Response WaivedIFP | constitutional-law cruel-and-unusual-punishment disproportionate-sentence eighth-amendment federal-court-decisions federal-courts guidance-needed mandatory-minimum mandatory-minimum-sentence proportionality sentencing sentencing-guidelines | A. IS PETITIONER'S TWENTY-FIVE YEAR MANDATORY MINIMUM SENTENCE DISPROPORTIONATE TO THE OFFENSE COMMITTED VIOLATING THE EIGHTH AMENDMENT OF THE UNITED … |
| 18-9495 | Jason Jones v. Martha Underwood, Warden | Fifth Circuit | 2019-05-31 | Denied | Relisted (2)IFP | 28-usc-2241 28-usc-2255 federal-habeas-corpus federal-jurisdiction federal-statute habeas-corpus ineffective-remedy intervening-decision mandatory-minimum mandatory-minimum-sentence post-conviction-relief retroactive-application retroactivity sentencing statutory-construction | Whether petitioner is entitled to seek federal habeas corpus relief under 28 U.S.C. § 2241 on the ground that 28 U.S.C. § 2255 is "inadequate or ineff… |
| 18-9070 | Gabriel Urzua Sanchez v. United States | Sixth Circuit | 2019-05-03 | Denied | IFP | abuse-of-discretion criminal-procedure direct-appeal district-court fifth-amendment first-step-act mandatory-minimum privilege sentencing witness-testimony | I. Whether the district court abused its discretion in failing to properly determine that Mr. Sanchez's proposed witnesses Nino Tanzini and Shawn Hous… |
| 18-9019 | Lony Tap Gatwas v. United States | Eighth Circuit | 2019-04-29 | Denied | IFP | aggravated-identity-theft circuit-split criminal-law felony mandatory-minimum mandatory-sentence mandatory-sentencing rule-of-lenity statutory-interpretation | Whether the Eighth Circuit erred in interpreting 18 U.S.C. § 1028A's prohibition on the "use" of another's identity without lawful authority as unambi… |
| 18-8948 | Angel Morales De-Jesus v. United States | First Circuit | 2019-04-23 | Denied | Response WaivedIFP | 5th-amendment 6th-amendment conspiracy due-process leadership-enhancement mandatory-minimum sentencing sixth-amendment | 1. At Sentencingthe District Court calculated a higher oftense tevel than the plea to the united states Constitution? 2. Angel morates-De Jesus agree… |
| 18-8892 | Carlos Hernandez Machin v. United States | Eleventh Circuit | 2019-04-18 | Denied | IFP | appellate-review certificate-of-appealability circuit-split constitutional-vagueness criminal-law criminal-statute due-process mandatory-minimum residual-clause samuel-johnson sessions-v-dimaya statutory-interpretation supreme-court-precedent vagueness | Whether the Eleventh Circuit's denial of a certificate of appealability is in conflict with this Court's precedent when reasonable jurists are current… |
| 18-8900 | Juan Garcia Herrera v. United States | Ninth Circuit | 2019-04-18 | Denied | Response WaivedIFP | alleyne-v-united-states almendarez-torres-v-united-states apprendi-v-new-jersey constitutional-challenge criminal-procedure drug-offense due-process judicial-factfinding jury-trial mandatory-minimum mandatory-minimum-sentence prior-conviction sentencing sentencing-enhancement | 1. The enhanced-penalty provisions of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(b) and 851 expressly require that the district court, not a jury, make factual findings which i… |
| 18-8821 | Sealed Appellant v. Sealed Appellee | Fifth Circuit | 2019-04-15 | Denied | Response WaivedRelisted (2)IFP | 18-usc-3582 18-usc-3582c2 5k1.1-motion criminal-sentencing judicial-discretion koons-v-united-states mandatory-minimum sentence-reduction sentencing-commission sentencing-guidelines substantial-assistance | Can a defendant receive a 18 U.S.C. § 3582(c)(2) sentence reduction when the district court discarded the mandatory minimum because of a substantial-a… |
| 18-8792 | Mario Devant Cheers v. United States | Fifth Circuit | 2019-04-11 | Denied | Response WaivedIFP | aggravated-robbery career-offender constitutional-law criminal-law criminal-procedure due-process fifth-circuit-precedent mandatory-guidelines mandatory-minimum residual-clause sentencing sentencing-guidelines vagueness vagueness-doctrine | In Johnson v. United States, 135 S. Ct. 2551 (2015) this Court initiated a twisting journey by holding unconstitutional the residual clause of 18 U.S.… |
| 18-8737 | Mario Bachiller v. United States | Eleventh Circuit | 2019-04-09 | GVR | IFP | categorical-approach certificate-of-appealability constitutional-vagueness criminal-law criminal-law-procedure due-process eleventh-circuit johnson-retroactivity mandatory-minimum residual-clause retroactivity section-924c vagueness vagueness-doctrine | I. Whether Johnson v. United States, 135 S. Ct. 2551 (2015), applies retroactively to a 28 U.S.C. § 2255 motion attacking a conviction and sentence im… |
| 18-8472 | James Allen Eapmon v. United States | Sixth Circuit | 2019-03-19 | Denied | Response RequestedResponse WaivedRelisted (2)IFP | constitutional-law criminal-procedure due-process first-step-act life-imprisonment mandatory-minimum sentencing statutory-interpretation | WHETHER THE PETITIONER WAS DENIED DUE PROCESS WHEN THE DISTRICT COURT ERRONEOUSLY CONCLUDED THAT IT WAS OBLIGATED TO IMPOSED. A STATUTORY MANDATORY MI… |
| 18-8224 | Antonio Dickerson, aka Girbaud v. United States | Ninth Circuit | 2019-03-01 | Denied | Response RequestedResponse WaivedRelisted (2)IFP | child-pornography constitutional-challenge fifth-amendment first-amendment mandatory-minimum mens-rea strict-liability | In Elonis v. United States, 135 S. Ct. 2001 (2015), this Court recently held that a federal criminal threats statute required a knowingly mens rea and… |
| 18-8205 | Elamin Bashir v. United States | Third Circuit | 2019-02-28 | Denied | Response WaivedIFP | conspiracy criminal-law criminal-procedure drug-trafficking due-process individualized-jury-finding jury-finding jury-instructions mandatory-minimum sentencing | I. WHETHER THE MANDATORY MINIMUM SENTENCE WAS IMPROPERLY IMPOSED FOR DRUG-TRAFFICKING CONSPIRACY, BECAUSE INDIVIDUALIZED JURY FINDING AS TO QUANTITY O… |
| 18-8044 | Lois Brooks v. United States | Second Circuit | 2019-02-21 | Denied | Response WaivedIFP | criminal-procedure government-rights judicial-integrity judicial-proceedings mandatory-minimum plain-error sentencing sentencing-error substantial-rights | in derogation of them may constitute "plain error" under Fed. R. Crim. Pro. 52(b)? If so, did the imposition of a sentence of post-release supervisio… |
| 18-8055 | Kevin Ventura v. United States | Second Circuit | 2019-02-21 | Denied | Response RequestedResponse WaivedRelisted (2)IFP | 18-usc-924c apprendi apprendi-v-new-jersey apprendi-violation circuit-split criminal-procedure due-process jury-consideration jury-instructions jury-trial mandatory-minimum sentencing sentencing-enhancement statutory-interpretation | Is Mr. Ventura is serving two life sentences imposed in violation of Apprendi v. New Jersey, 530 U.S. 466, 120 S.Ct. 2348, 147 L.Ed.2d 435 (2000), bec… |
| 18-7920 | Harold A. Habeck, II v. United States | Fourth Circuit | 2019-02-12 | Denied | Response WaivedIFP | consecutive-sentences criminal-procedure criminal-procedure,sentencing,mandatory-minimums,d criminal-sentencing discretion drug-offense drug-offenses firearms mandatory-minimum mandatory-minimums predicate-crime sentencing-discretion statutory-interpretation | "Whether; Dean v. United States, 581 U.S. (2017) permits a district court the discretion to consider less than the mandatory sixty month consecutive s… |
| 18-7860 | Timothy L. Barnes v. Michigan | Michigan | 2019-02-08 | Denied | IFP | collateral-review constitutional-law criminal-procedure due-process fourteenth-amendment jury-finding mandatory-minimum retroactivity sixth-amendment substantive-rule watershed-rule | Does the new rule of constitutional law announced in Alleyne v. United States, 570 U.S. 99 (2013), that any fact that increases the mandatory minimum … |
| 18-7818 | Marcos Castaneda v. United States | Seventh Circuit | 2019-02-07 | Denied | Response WaivedIFP | alleyne-v-united-states criminal-procedure drug-offense due-process judicial-finding jury-trial mandatory-minimum preponderance-of-evidence preponderance-of-the-evidence sentencing sentencing-guidelines | Marcos Castaneda admitted by his plea to the elements of conspiring to distribute 500 grams or more of a mixfure or substance containing methamphetami… |
| 18-7767 | Joshua Sanchez v. Texas | Texas | 2019-02-05 | Denied | IFP | constitutional-interpretation court-of-appeals due-process fifth-amendment fourteenth-amendment mandatory-minimum mandatory-minimum-sentence supreme-court-precedent supreme-court-precedents texas-court-of-appeals | Whether the interpretation of the Due Process Clause of the Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments by the Texas Court of Appeals is in conflict with preceden… |
| 18-7745 | Alrick A. Evans v. Connecticut | Connecticut | 2019-02-04 | Denied | Response WaivedIFP | affirmative-defense alleyne-precedent criminal-statute element jury-determination mandatory-minimum sixth-amendment united-states-v-alleyne | Whether a state court may interpret a criminal statute so that a fact that triggers a mandatory minimum is termed an "affirmative defenses" rather tha… |
| 18-7623 | James Goolsby v. United States | Eighth Circuit | 2019-01-29 | Denied | Response WaivedIFP | 18-usc-3582-c-2 appellate-procedure dillion-v-united-states exceptional-circumstances judicial-discretion mandatory-life-sentence mandatory-minimum mandatory-sentencing misapplication-of-guidelines miscarriage-of-justice official-victim-enhancement recall-of-mandate retroactive-amendment sentencing-guidelines | I. WHETHER THE EIGHTH CIRCUIT COURT OF APPEALS ABUSED ITS DISCRETION IN REFUSING TO RECALL THE MANDATE ON THE DIRECT APPEAL TO PREVENT A MISCARRIAGE O… |
| 18-7587 | Biven Hudson v. United States | Eleventh Circuit | 2019-01-25 | Denied | Response WaivedIFP | 11th-circuit 28-usc-2255 certificate-of-appealability district-court eleventh-circuit magistrate-court mandatory-minimum minimum-mandatory-enhancement reasonable-jurists sentencing-enhancement sentencing-review | Whether the appellate court erred in denying Mr. Hudson's motion for certificate of appealability as to the denial by the district court of his motion… |
| 18-7496 | Nemiah Allan v. Connecticut | Connecticut | 2019-01-18 | Denied | Response WaivedIFP | affirmative-defense alleyne-precedent criminal-statute element jury-determination mandatory-minimum sixth-amendment united-states-v-alleyne | Whether a state court may interpret a criminal statute so that a fact that triggers a mandatory minimum is termed an "affirmative defenses' rather tha… |
| 18-7417 | Omari Robinson v. Illinois | Illinois | 2019-01-16 | Denied | Response WaivedIFP | 2nd-amendment 8th-amendment constitutional-challenge criminal-law criminal-sentencing due-process illinois illinois-law mandatory-minimum sentencing statutory-vagueness vagueness weapon-enhancement | 1. Is the mandatory 25-year-to-life weapon enhancement imposed by Illinois courts unconstitutionally vague? |
| 18-7351 | Rahmad Lashad Geddes v. United States | Eighth Circuit | 2019-01-10 | Denied | Response WaivedIFP | alleyne appellate-review apprendi civil-rights criminal-procedure due-process ex-post-facto habeas-corpus mandatory-minimum sentencing sentencing-guidelines sixth-amendment statutory-interpretation supreme-court-precedent | 1). Can a court of appeals sanction a lower courts depature from this court's well established percedents that effectively conflates the standard of r… |
| 18-7340 | Eric Dillon v. United States | Seventh Circuit | 2019-01-09 | Denied | Response WaivedIFP | appellate-review circuit-split consecutive-sentences criminal-law criminal-procedure-sentencing due-process federal-statute mandatory-minimum mandatory-minimums sentencing sentencing-guidelines statutory-interpretation united-states-v-battle | SINCE 18 U.S.C. 924(j) Is A DISCRETE OFFENSE THAT DOES NOT CONTAIN A MANDATORY MINIMUM SENTENCE OR REQUIRE A CONSECUTIVE S,DID THE SEVENTH CIRCUIT APP… |
| 18-7098 | Amos Junior Scott v. Heriberto H. Tellez, Acting Warden | Ninth Circuit | 2018-12-20 | Denied | IFP | 28-usc-2241 28-usc-2255 federal-habeas-corpus federal-statute habeas-corpus inadequate-or-ineffective ineffective-assistance ineffective-remedy mandatory-minimum mandatory-minimum-sentence nonexistent-prior-conviction prior-conviction sentencing-enhancement | Whether Petitioner is Entitled to Seek Federal Habeas Corpus Relief Under 28 U.S.C. § 2241, From an Erroneous Mandatory Minimum Sentence, That Was Bas… |
| 18-7032 | Reginald L. Lomax v. United States | Third Circuit | 2018-12-14 | Denied | Response WaivedIFP | armed-career-criminal-act controlled-substances criminal-law drug-offense federal-drug-law federal-preemption mandatory-minimum mandatory-minimum-sentences state-criminal-law statutory-interpretation | The question presented in this case is whether, as the circuit court held, a state statute criminalizing possession of "counterfeit" controlled substa… |
| 18-7000 | Luis Rolando Bueno Jimenez v. United States | Eleventh Circuit | 2018-12-12 | Denied | IFP | 18-usc-3553(f) circuit-split criminal-law drug-enforcement mandatory-minimum maritime-drug-law maritime-drug-law-enforcement-act maritime-law safety-valve sentencing sentencing-guidelines statutory-interpretation | Whether a defendant convicted of violating the Maritime Drug Law Enforcement Act, 46 U.S.C. § 70501 et seq., and subject to a mandatory minimum senten… |
| 18-6801 | Van McDuffy v. United States | Ninth Circuit | 2018-11-26 | Denied | Response WaivedIFP | accidental-killing bank-robbery criminal-law criminal-statute felony-murder intent mandatory-minimum mandatory-sentencing mens-rea sentencing statutory-interpretation | What intent, if any, beyond the intent to commit bank robbery, is required to sustain a conviction under 18 U.S.C. § 2113(e), which imposes a mandator… |
| 18-6737 | Jose Lopez-Castillo v. United States | Ninth Circuit | 2018-11-19 | Denied | Response WaivedIFP | booker booker-decision constitutional-law criminal-law criminal-procedure federal-sentencing federal-sentencing-guidelines judicial-discretion mandatory-minimum mandatory-minimums sentencing sentencing-guidelines statutory-interpretation supreme-court-precedent title-21 | Whether the mandatory-sentencing regime of Title 21 has been abrogated by United States v. Booker and its progeny. |
| 18-614 | In Re George Houston | 2018-11-09 | Denied | alleyne-v-united-states apprendi-v-new-jersey collateral-review conspiracy conspiracy-liability criminal-law criminal-procedure drug-quantity jurisdictional-error mandatory-minimum retroactivity sentencing sentencing-enhancement | Whether it is the individualized drug quantity that is a fact that increases the mandatory minimum sentence or whether the amount of drugs attributabl… | ||
| 18-6472 | James Gibson v. United States | Eleventh Circuit | 2018-10-29 | Denied | Response WaivedIFP | almendarez-torres criminal-procedure drug-offenses jury-trial mandatory-minimum prior-convictions reasonable-doubt recidivism sentencing sentencing-enhancement sixth-amendment | Whether the Petitioner's sentence violated his Sixth Amendment right to a jury trial when the district court imposed a minimum mandatory sentence of l… |
| 18-6482 | Roger Alfred Anchundia-Espinoza v. United States | Fifth Circuit | 2018-10-29 | Denied | IFP | 18-usc-3553(f) criminal-law criminal-sentencing drug-enforcement mandatory-minimum maritime-drug-law maritime-drug-law-enforcement-act maritime-law safety-valve sentencing statutory-interpretation statutory-safety-valve united-states-v-mosquera-murillo | Whether a criminal defendant convicted of violating the Maritime Drug Law Enforcement Act, 46 U.S.C. § 70501 et seq., and subject to a mandatory minim… |
| 18-6358 | Alj Hilton v. United States | Eleventh Circuit | 2018-10-18 | Denied | Response WaivedIFP | and Are Plain and Affect Petitioner's Substantial -and-Are-Plain-and-Affect-Petitioner's-Substantial 18-usc-3661 5th-amendment appeal-waiver appeal-waiver,sentencing-guidelines,criminal-histo criminal-history criminal-procedure criminal-sentencing due-process judicial-discretion mandatory-minimum plain-error sentencing-guidelines substantial-rights trial-court-error Whether the mandatory five-year minimum sentence u | Whether Petitioner's Appeal Waiver Is Inapplicable to Issues of Trial Court Error in Applying Sentencing Guidelines' Enhancements or in Calculating Cr… |
| 18-6359 | Uriel Gomez-Saavedra v. United States | Fifth Circuit | 2018-10-18 | Denied | Response WaivedIFP | 18-usc-3661-3553 5th-amendment 5th-circuit-law constitutional-challenge criminal-sentencing due-process judicial-discretion mandatory-minimum sentencing-guidelines statutory-interpretation supreme-court-precedent | 1. The mandatory five year minimum under which Mr. Gomez-Saavedra was sentenced is unconstitutional and contravenes 18 U. S.C. 3661 and 3553(a) becaus… |
| 18-6169 | Tracy L. Johnson v. United States | Sixth Circuit | 2018-10-03 | Denied | Response WaivedIFP | 924(c)-statute conspiracy criminal-law criminal-procedure double-jeopardy drug-conspiracy drug-crimes due-process firearm-possession informant-testimony law-enforcement-conduct mandatory-minimum mandatory-sentencing sentencing sentencing-enhancement | Whether a defendant should be subject to a mandatory 25 year consecutive 924(c) sentence for the same drug Conspiracy based on the facts that in a two… |
| 18-6212 | Thomas Burgess v. Nicole English, Warden | Eleventh Circuit | 2018-10-03 | Denied | Response RequestedResponse WaivedRelisted (2)IFP | 28-usc-2255e amendment-782 criminal-procedure intervening-arrest mandatory-minimum miscarriage-of-justice precedent-change savings-clause sentencing sentencing-modification sentencing-relief-28-usc-2255e | IF A DEFENDANT DID TRY TO PERSUADE THE COURT OF APPEALS TO CHANGE ITS BINDING PRECEDENT BUT WAS UNSUCCESSFUL, WOULD THE DEFENDANT BE ABLE TO SEEK RELI… |
| 18-6162 | Lyanne Lemeunier-Fitzgerald v. Maine | Maine | 2018-10-02 | Denied | Response RequestedResponse WaivedRelisted (2)IFP | 4th-amendment 5th-amendment blood-test civil-rights consent-coercion criminal-penalties due-process implied-consent mandatory-minimum sentencing-enhancement warrantless-search | Does a motorist voluntarily consent to a warrantless blood draw if she has been warned that refusal to submit will result in a mandatory minimum perio… |
| 18-374 | Wuilson Estuardo Lemus Castillo v. United States | Eleventh Circuit | 2018-09-21 | Denied | 18-usc-3553(f) 21-usc-960 circuit-split criminal-law criminal-sentencing drug-enforcement mandatory-minimum mandatory-minimum-sentences maritime-drug-law maritime-drug-law-enforcement-act safety-valve sentencing statutory-interpretation | Whether a criminal defendant convicted of violating the Maritime Drug Law Enforcement Act, 46 U.S.C. § 70501 et seq., and subject to a mandatory minim… | |
| 18-5992 | Amilcar C. Butler v. United States | Sixth Circuit | 2018-09-14 | Denied | Response WaivedIFP | amendment-782 commutation criminal-resentencing criminal-sentencing executive-branch executive-commutation judicial-branch judicial-discretion judicial-executive-branch-interaction mandatory-minimum sentencing-guidelines | Does Butler's Statutory Mandatory Minimum Sentence Initially Imposed By The Judicial Branch And Later Commuted By The Executive Branch Bar Him From Se… |
| 18-5770 | John Denton Rouse, Jr. v. United States | Eleventh Circuit | 2018-08-28 | Denied | Response RequestedResponse WaivedRelisted (2)IFP | but no text of a SCOTUS petition was provided in I cannot generate a question presented or identif please include the full text of the petition. chapman-v-united-states criminal-procedure drug-quantity due-process mandatory-minimum market-oriented-approach sentencing statutory-interpretation | Whether the government may commingle substances that pose an identifiable danger of misidentification to produce an aggregate mixture or substance con… |
| 18-5680 | Reginald McGee v. United States | Fifth Circuit | 2018-08-21 | Denied | Response WaivedIFP | aggravated-assault armed-career-criminal armed-career-criminal-act commerce-clause criminal-procedure indictment mandatory-minimum mandatory-minimum-sentence plea-colloquy sentencing-enhancement violent-felony | I. The district court reverisbly erred when it determined that the defendant's prior conviction for aggravated assault was a violent felony qual ifyin… |
| 18-5663 | Curtis Lee Dale v. United States | Eighth Circuit | 2018-08-20 | Denied | Response WaivedIFP | alleyne-precedent alleyne-v-united-states criminal-procedure criminal-procedure-sentencing,mandatory-minimum,ju drug-quantity due-process eighth-circuit-error fourth-amendment,search-and-seizure,drug-sniffing- fourth-amendment,search-and-seizure,reasonable-exp jury-findings jury-rejection mandatory-minimum sentencing sentencing-enhancement | Did the U.S. Court of Appeals For The Eighth Circuit err when it increased the Defendant's mandatory minimum sentence on the basis of a drug quantity … |
| 18-188 | Ivy T. Tucker v. United States | Seventh Circuit | 2018-08-10 | Denied | Response RequestedResponse WaivedRelisted (2) | circuit-split constitutional-deficiency constitutional-law criminal-procedure ineffective-assistance ineffective-assistance-of-counsel mandatory-minimum offense-of-conviction out-of-circuit-precedent procedural-default sentencing sentencing-guidelines trial-counsel | I. Whether trial counsel's failure to make an argument that courts of appeals outside the circuit have accepted (and the circuit has not addressed) ma… |
| 18-5384 | Wendell Rivera-Ruperto v. United States | First Circuit | 2018-07-30 | Denied | IFP | 8th-amendment due-process due-process-clause eighth-amendment government-manipulation mandatory-life-sentence mandatory-minimum sentencing-enhancement sentencing-enhancements statutory-manipulation sting-operation sting-operations | Whether the Eighth Amendment forbids the creation of a de-facto mandatory life without parole sentence through stacking 18 U.S.C. § 924(c) charges for… |
| 18-5214 | David R. McGinley v. Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania | 2018-07-11 | Denied | IFP | collateral-review constitutional-error constitutional-law due-process ex-post-facto mandatory-minimum mandatory-minimum-sentencing new-substantive-rules retroactive-application retroactivity substantive-rules supreme-court-holdings | IS IT A CONSTITUTIONAL ERROR THAT CONFLICTS WITH UNITED STATES SUPREME COURT HOLDINGS WHERE STATE COURTS FOUND A MANDATORY MINIMUM SENTENCING STATUTE … |
| 18-5112 | Benjamin Fredrick Charles Robinson v. United States | Sixth Circuit | 2018-07-06 | Denied | Response WaivedIFP | base-offense-level criminal-procedure criminal-sentencing dismissed-count due-process mandatory-minimum restitution sentencing-guidelines statutory-minimum upward-departure | I. Whether a four (4) level upward departure for conduct underlying a dismissed count pursuant to USSG §5K2.21, bringing the defendant's sentence abov… |