No. 25-5899

Michael Keith Marechale v. United States

Lower Court: Eighth Circuit
Docketed: 2025-10-15
Status: Denied
Type: IFP
Response WaivedIFP
Tags: appellate-review circuit-split criminal-procedure invited-error jury-instruction waiver
Latest Conference: 2025-11-21
Question Presented (AI Summary)

Whether a defendant invariably waives appellate review by acquiescing to an incorrect jury instruction

Question Presented (OCR Extract)

“Courts of Appeals have stated . . . under the ‘invited error’ doctrine that a party may not complain on appeal of errors that he himself invited or provoked the district court . . . to commit.” United States v. Wells, 519 U.S. 482, 48788 (1997) (cleaned up). In this case, Michael Marechale was convicted of a child pornography offense after the district court erroneously instructed the jury regarding his criminal history. The erroneous instruction derived from a joint proposal by the government and the defense. Because the parties jointly proposed the incorrect instruction, the Eighth Circuit held that Mr. Marechale waived any appellate review. The question presented is whether a defendant invariably waives any appellate review by acquiescing to an incorrect jury instruction. This question has split the circuits.

Docket Entries

2025-11-24
Petition DENIED.
2025-11-06
DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 11/21/2025.
2025-10-30
Waiver of United States of right to respond submitted.
2025-10-30
Waiver of right of respondent United States to respond filed.
2025-10-13
Petition for a writ of certiorari and motion for leave to proceed in forma pauperis filed. (Response due November 14, 2025)

Attorneys

Michael Marechale
Bradley Ryan HansenFederal Defender's Office, Petitioner
Bradley Ryan HansenFederal Defender's Office, Petitioner
United States
D. John SauerSolicitor General, Respondent
D. John SauerSolicitor General, Respondent