No. 25-5907

Cory Collin Fitzgerald Sanders v. United States

Lower Court: Fourth Circuit
Docketed: 2025-10-16
Status: Denied
Type: IFP
Response WaivedIFP
Tags: criminal-procedure evidence-inference guilty-knowledge jury-instruction specific-intent willful-intent
Key Terms:
JusticiabilityDoctri
Latest Conference: 2026-01-09
Question Presented (from Petition)

In a federal criminal prosecution that requires proof of specific intent, may a court instruct the jury that it may infer willful intent or guilty knowledge from the "irregular manner" in which a defendant's conduct was carried out—an instruction never before approved by any court of appeals and inconsistent with this Court's precedent defining willfulness?

Question Presented (AI Summary)

Whether a court may instruct a jury to infer willful intent or guilty knowledge from a defendant's 'irregular manner' in a federal criminal prosecution requiring specific intent

Docket Entries

2026-01-12
Petition DENIED.
2025-12-04
DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 1/9/2026.
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.
2025-10-14
Petition for a writ of certiorari and motion for leave to proceed in forma pauperis filed. (Response due November 17, 2025)

Attorneys

Cory Sanders
Meghan Suzanne SkeltonSkeltonLaw, LLC, Petitioner
United States
D. John SauerSolicitor General, Respondent