controlled-substances

172 cases — ← All topics

Case Title Lower Court Docketed Status Flags Tags Question Presented
25-6751 Jeffrey W. Young, Jr. v. United States Sixth Circuit 2026-02-06 Pending IFP appellate-review controlled-substances drug-distribution medical-practice regulatory-definition subject-matter-jurisdiction Whether the lower federal court lacked subject matter jurisdiction over the defendant, who was an authorized practitioner with the authority to admini…
25A865 Thomas Keller v. United States Ninth Circuit 2026-02-02 Application attorney-general-regulation congressional-delegation controlled-substances criminal-liability intelligible-principle nondelegation-doctrine Question not identified.
25-691 Lonnie Joseph Parker v. United States Eighth Circuit 2025-12-12 Denied Response Waived controlled-substances criminal-conviction federal-regulation medical-prescription prescribing-authority standard-of-care Whether a doctor can be convicted of unlawfully prescribing controlled substances under 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1) and 21 C.F.R. § 1306.04(a) based on a de…
25A537 Pamela Bondi, Attorney General, et al. v. Vera Cooper, et al. Eleventh Circuit 2025-11-07 Application controlled-substances dangerous-persons firearm-possession historical-tradition medical-marijuana second-amendment Whether a federal statute prohibiting unlawful users of controlled substances from possessing firearms violates the Second Amendment when applied to m…
25A465 Christopher Wuchter v. United States Eighth Circuit 2025-10-23 Application circuit-conflict constitutional-question controlled-substances criminal-justice firearms-possession second-amendment Whether the Second Amendment permits individuals who are unlawful users of controlled substances to possess firearms
25-5913 Rashun Rafael Suncar v. United States Fourth Circuit 2025-10-20 Denied Response WaivedIFP appellate-court-judgment circuit-split controlled-substances drug-statute federal-interpretation state-law-interpretation 1a. Whether a court of appeals may disregard an unpublished but considered judgment of Pennsylvania's intermediate appellate court interpreting its ow…
25-5908 Jean-Claude Okongo Landji v. United States Second Circuit 2025-10-17 Pending Response WaivedIFP circuit-split confrontation-clause conspiracy controlled-substances extraterritorial-prosecution sixth-amendment 1. May the offense of conspiracy to distribute or possess with intent to distribute controlled substances while on a United States aircraft, pursuant …
25-5830 Kortney Moore v. United States Seventh Circuit 2025-10-08 Denied Response WaivedIFP agency-inaction career-offender controlled-substances federal-law sentencing-guidelines statutory-interpretation Defendants who have at least two prior "controlled substance offense" convictions qualify as career offenders under the federal Sentencing Guidelines.…
25-5790 Kyle Davey v. United States Tenth Circuit 2025-10-02 Denied Response WaivedIFP controlled-substances criminal-law federal-statute firearm-possession statutory-interpretation tenth-circuit Whether a person can be convicted of possessing a firearm by an "unlawful user" of a controlled substance under 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(3) even if no law p…
25-5600 In Re Lonnie W. Hubbard 2025-09-10 Denied IFP appellate-review controlled-substances criminal-law federal-indictment jury-instructions mens-rea I. Whether the jury instructions informed the jury, as a matter of law, of the "knowingly or intentionally" mens rea of the 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1) coun…
25-5412 Ryan Daniel Richmond v. United States Sixth Circuit 2025-08-20 Denied Response WaivedRelisted (2)IFP commerce-clause controlled-substances federal-preemption marijuana-regulation necessary-and-proper-clause tax-deduction Whether 26 U.S.C. § 280E—which denies ordinary and necessary business deductions to enterprises trafficking in Schedule I controlled substances—may co…
25-61 Mark Murphy and Jennifer Murphy v. United States Eleventh Circuit 2025-07-17 Denied Amici (3)Response Waived circuit-split controlled-substances criminal-law drug-conspiracy jury-instructions statutory-interpretation Whether, in a § 846 prosecution for conspiracy to violate § 841, a trial court errs if it fails to correctly instruct the jury on the elements of the …
25-5117 George P. Naum, III v. United States Fourth Circuit 2025-07-15 Denied Response WaivedIFP controlled-substances jury-instructions medical-purpose mens-rea plain-error subjective-intent In Ruan v. United States, 597 U.S. ___ (2022), this Court answered the question on whether a physician alleged to have prescribed controlled substance…
24-7147 Idris Quintell Wilkes v. United States Sixth Circuit 2025-05-06 Denied Response WaivedIFP armed-career-criminal-act cocaine-definition controlled-substances due-process sentencing-enhancement state-vs-federal-law Does Michigan's broader definition of cocaine under state law preclude sentence enhancement under the Armed Career Criminal Act when compared to feder…
24-900 Parvez Anjum Qureshi v. United States Fifth Circuit 2025-02-20 Denied Response Waived conspiracy constitutional-rights controlled-substances due-process jury-instructions mens-rea Whether a conspiracy conviction can be affirmed when the jury instructions for the underlying substantive offense were erroneous and misstated the men…
24A778 Frank H. Bynes, Jr. v. United States Eleventh Circuit 2025-02-11 Presumed Complete controlled-substances criminal-intent drug-distribution healthcare-fraud medical-practice prescription-fraud Whether a physician's prescription of controlled substances outside the usual course of professional medical practice constitutes a knowing and intent…
24-6489 Dzung Ahn Pham v. United States Ninth Circuit 2025-02-06 Denied Response WaivedIFP controlled-substances criminal-intent mens-rea prescription-authorization regulatory-definition statutory-interpretation Whether the Controlled Substances Act's authorization is defined by regulatory prescription standards or statutory text, and what mens rea applies to …
24-6051 Ralph Berry v. United States Second Circuit 2024-12-02 Denied Response WaivedIFP cannabis-regulation circuit-court controlled-substances cross-border-transactions federal-law interstate-commerce Whether a Second Circuit ruling violates federal prohibitions on cross-border cannabis transactions and interstate commerce regulations
24-6006 Michael Tyrone Young v. United States Eleventh Circuit 2024-11-20 Denied Response WaivedIFP circuit-split constitutional-interpretation controlled-substances felony-disarmament gun-rights second-amendment Whether 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1) violates the Second Amendment as applied to an individual with nonviolent felony convictions for distributing controlled…
24-525 John L. Stanton v. United States Sixth Circuit 2024-11-08 Denied Relisted (2) commerce-clause controlled-substances criminal-prosecution medical-practice standard-of-care statutory-interpretation Whether the phrase 'outside the usual course of his professional practice, other than for a legitimate medical purpose' under 21 U.S.C. § 841(a) can b…
24-5457 Larome Deon Waiters v. United States Eleventh Circuit 2024-09-04 Denied Response WaivedIFP armed-career-criminal-act controlled-substances drug-offense prior-conviction sentencing-enhancement sixth-amendment Whether a Florida controlled substances offense that does not require proof of knowledge of the illicit nature of the substance can qualify as a 'seri…
24-137 Ronald Stuart Lubetsky v. United States Eleventh Circuit 2024-08-07 Denied commerce-clause controlled-substances criminal-law criminal-prosecution due-process medical-practice standard-of-care statutory-interpretation Whether the phrase to measure authorization under 21 U.S.C. § 841(a) can be applied in the disjunctive
24-126 Benjamin Galecki, and Charles Burton Ritchie v. United States Ninth Circuit 2024-08-05 Denied chemical-structure continuing-criminal-enterprise controlled-substances criminal-law jury-instruction void-for-vagueness Whether the Controlled Substance Analogue Enforcement Act of 1986 is void for vagueness when applied to unscheduled substances with no objective scien…
24-5089 Devonte Antonio Veasley v. United States Eighth Circuit 2024-07-16 Denied Response WaivedIFP 2nd-amendment constitutional-rights controlled-substances due-process facial-challenge firearms gun-rights second-amendment standing statutory-interpretation Is 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(3) facially unconstitutional?
23-7411 Larry Elwood Steptoe v. United States Fourth Circuit 2024-05-08 Denied Response WaivedIFP attempt career-criminal controlled-substances criminal-attempt criminal-law federal-statute predicate-offense sentencing sentencing-enhancement sentencing-guidelines u.s-sentencing-guidelines Whether a violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841 of the U.S. Criminal Code which incorporates 'Attempt' crimes qualifies as a predicate offense for the Career C…
23-7388 Michael Andrew Taylor v. United States Eighth Circuit 2024-05-06 Denied Response WaivedIFP circuit-split controlled-substances controlled-substances-act criminal-law federal-act federal-sentencing-guidelines sentencing sentencing-guidelines statutory-interpretation Whether the definition of 'controlled substance offense' in the Federal Sentencing Guidelines §4B1.2(b) is limited to substances defined and regulated…
23-1183 California Herbal Remedies, Inc. v. Sara Perez California 2024-05-02 Denied attorney-client-confidentiality cannabis-employees cannabis-employment class-action controlled-substances discovery-sanctions due-process fourteenth-amendment judicial-integrity privacy privacy-rights Does the Fourteenth Amendment Due Process Clause vindicate third-party privacy rights in State class action proceedings?
23-7297 Marcus Bennett v. United States Sixth Circuit 2024-04-24 Denied Response WaivedIFP appellate-review control controlled-substances criminal-procedure drug-house drug-house-enhancement federal-appellate-courts possessory-interest sentencing-enhancement sentencing-guidelines sixth-circuit Whether the drug-house sentencing enhancement applies with no evidence that the defendant maintained, held a possessory interest in, or otherwise cont…
23-7190 Trivansky Swington v. United States Eighth Circuit 2024-04-10 Denied Response WaivedIFP armed-career-criminal armed-career-criminal-act controlled-substance controlled-substances criminal-conviction criminal-sentencing decontrolled-substances eighth-circuit federal-sentencing federal-sentencing-guidelines sentencing-enhancement Whether prior drug convictions inclusive of substances that have since been decontrolled can be used to impose present day federal sentencing enhancem…
23-7096 Ethel Oyekunle-Bubu v. United States Fifth Circuit 2024-03-28 Denied Response WaivedIFP circuit-split controlled-substances criminal-law medical-practice medical-practitioner prescription-standards professional-practice professional-standards ruan-v-united-states statutory-interpretation Whether the Fifth Circuit failed to follow Ruan v. United States by holding that a registered medical practitioner or pharmacist can be convicted for …
23-7075 Breon D. Hicks v. United States Eleventh Circuit 2024-03-26 Denied Response WaivedIFP controlled-substance controlled-substances criminal-procedure criminal-statute due-process firearm-possession firearms jury-instruction jury-instructions section-924(c) section-924c unlawful-user Whether the district court erroneously instructed the jury concerning the Section 924(c) charges?
23-959 Colin Montague v. United States Second Circuit 2024-03-04 GVR Amici (4) circuit-split controlled-substances criminal-charging criminal-law drug-statute due-process federal-procedure indictment indictment-sufficiency statutory-interpretation Whether an indictment charging a violation of 21 U.S.C. § 848 is invalid if it fails to set forth facts and circumstances that establish the elements …
23-6692 Mustafa Deville Reynolds v. United States Sixth Circuit 2024-02-07 Denied IFP aiding-and-abetting chain-of-distribution controlled-substance controlled-substances criminal-distribution criminal-law due-process enhanced-penalty pinkerton-liability sentencing-enhancement Whether the prosecution must prove aiding and abetting or Pinkerton coconspirator liability before a remote seller in a chain of distribution may be s…
23A734 Dalibor Kabov and Berry Kabov v. United States Ninth Circuit 2024-02-07 Presumed Complete brady-challenge controlled-substances drug-distribution ninth-circuit ruan-standard supreme-court-precedent Whether the Ninth Circuit improperly applied the Supreme Court's Ruan decision by vacating only some drug convictions and refusing to apply the 'knowi…
23A704 Ethel Oyekunle-Bubu v. United States Fifth Circuit 2024-01-31 Presumed Complete circuit-split controlled-substances criminal-conviction prescription-law ruan-precedent standard-of-review Whether the Supreme Court's precedent in Ruan v. United States requires a different standard of review for criminal convictions involving controlled s…
23-6492 Delondo Henderson v. United States Sixth Circuit 2024-01-17 Denied Response WaivedIFP complicity complicity-law controlled-substances criminal-law inchoate-offense inchoate-offenses sentencing sentencing-guidelines statutory-interpretation u.s.s.g.-4b1.2 Does the State of Kentucky's complicity law state an inchoate offense, such that a conviction for complicity cannot constitute a 'controlled substance…
23-6495 Peter Burno v. United States Ninth Circuit 2024-01-17 Denied Response WaivedIFP civil-rights conspiracy conspiracy-law controlled-substances criminal-law criminal-statute drug-trafficking drug-transfer due-process intent-to-distribute ninth-circuit sentencing Is the mere transfer of drugs from one person to another sufficient to prove a conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute controlled substanc…
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…
23A598 Lillian Akwuba v. United States Eleventh Circuit 2023-12-29 Presumed Complete controlled-substances criminal-intent drug-distribution good-faith jury-instructions mens-rea Whether the jury instructions for a controlled substances distribution charge improperly defined the good faith standard and mens rea elements under 2…
23-6394 Andrew Tablack v. United States Third Circuit 2023-12-28 Denied Response WaivedIFP 21-usc-841 controlled-substance controlled-substances criminal-law criminal-procedure drug-offense federal-statute indictment indictment-defect scheduling statutory-interpretation Is there a legal element in 21 U.S.C. 841(a)(1) that requires the CDS named in the indictment to be listed on the Controlled Substance Schedules at th…
23-6314 Dana Jahmal Stevenson v. United States Fourth Circuit 2023-12-20 Denied Response WaivedIFP appellate-review attempt attempt-offense controlled-substance controlled-substances criminal-law federal-sentencing-guidelines sentencing sentencing-guidelines statutory-interpretation Whether a prior sentence for a violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1) qualifies as a 'controlled-substance-offense' under U.S.S.G. § 2K2.1(a)(4)(A)
23-6130 Sylvia Hofstetter v. United States Sixth Circuit 2023-11-29 Denied Response WaivedIFP controlled-substances criminal-procedure jury-instructions mens-rea plain-error ruan-standard ruan-v-united-states sixth-circuit Whether the Sixth Circuit's ruling on the plain error standard is contrary to Supreme Court precedents, including Ruan and Henderson
23-6116 Cynthia Clemons v. United States Sixth Circuit 2023-11-28 Denied Response WaivedIFP controlled-substances criminal-procedure jury-instruction jury-instructions mens-rea plain-error ruan-v-united-states sixth-circuit supreme-court-precedent Whether the Sixth Circuit's ruling on the plain error standard is contrary to Supreme Court precedents, including Ruan and Henderson
23-6122 Courtney Newman v. United States Sixth Circuit 2023-11-28 Denied Response WaivedIFP controlled-substances criminal-procedure jury-instructions mens-rea plain-error ruan-v-united-states Did the Sixth Circuit commit error by substituting the generic term 'illegally' for the language mandated in Ruan?
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 How is the quantity of controlled substances 'involved' determined for purposes of sentencing for conspiracy under 21 U.S.C. § 846, when the offense o…
23-5947 Kraig M. Trotter v. United States Third Circuit 2023-11-02 Denied Response WaivedRelisted (2)IFP controlled-substances criminal-procedure deterrence due-process federal-sentencing methamphetamine methamphetamines proportional-punishment sentencing-guidelines third-circuit Did the Third Circuit err in failing to consider the disparity in sentencing under U.S.S.G §2D1.1(c) of the Federal Sentencing Guidelines for methamph…
23-5665 Shajuan Orlando Johnson v. United States Eighth Circuit 2023-09-28 Denied Response WaivedIFP armed-career-criminal armed-career-criminal-act controlled-substances criminal-sentencing decontrolled-substances drug-convictions eighth-circuit federal-sentencing federal-sentencing-guidelines sentencing-enhancement Whether prior drug convictions inclusive of substances that have since been decontrolled can be used to impose present day federal sentencing enhancem…
23-5591 Patrick Andrew Groves v. United States Fourth Circuit 2023-09-15 Denied Response WaivedIFP aiding-and-abetting attempted-distribution attempted-transfer controlled-substances controlled-substances-act criminal-law drug-offenses sentencing-guidelines statutory-interpretation surplusage Whether an 'attempted transfer' of drugs, § 802(8), includes any conduct that would also constitute an 'attempted distribution' of drugs, § 846
23-5602 Curtis Morris Hartsfield, Jr. v. United States Fourth Circuit 2023-09-15 Denied Response WaivedRelisted (2)IFP attempted-crime attempted-distribution attempted-transfer circuit-split controlled-substances criminal-law drug-distribution drug-trafficking drug-transfer federal-criminal-law statutory-interpretation Whether an 'attempted transfer' of drugs under 21 U.S.C. § 802(8) includes any conduct that would also constitute an 'attempted distribution' of drugs…
23-5587 Daniel Carrington v. United States Fourth Circuit 2023-09-14 Denied Response WaivedIFP burden-of-proof causation controlled-substance controlled-substances criminal-law death-causation due-process proximate-cause reasonable-doubt statutory-interpretation Whether the Court's decision in United States v. Burrage created a bright line rule on proof of proximate cause
23-5303 Jeanne Germeil v. United States Eleventh Circuit 2023-08-09 Denied Response WaivedIFP controlled-substances controlled-substances-act criminal-procedure expert-testimony good-faith jury-instructions medical-practice ruan-v-united-states Whether the United States Supreme Court's Decision in Ruan v. United States Warrants Certiorari Review of the Court's Refusal to Instruct the Jury on …
23A106 Patrick Andrew Groves v. United States Fourth Circuit 2023-08-07 Presumed Complete aiding-and-abetting categorical-approach controlled-substances drug-distribution predicate-offense statutory-interpretation Whether the categorical approach to determining whether a prior conviction constitutes a predicate offense requires courts to compare the specific con…
23-5236 Marvas Aurelien v. United States Eleventh Circuit 2023-07-28 Denied IFP circuit-split controlled-substance controlled-substances criminal-sentencing drug-schedules federal-drug-schedules federal-law federal-sentencing sentencing-guidelines state-drug-offenses Whether the 'controlled substance' definition in United States Sentencing Guideline § 4B1.2(b) incorporates the federal drug schedules in effect at th…
22-7898 Anthony Lamart Lawrence v. United States Eighth Circuit 2023-06-29 Denied IFP armed-career-criminal armed-career-criminal-act controlled-substance controlled-substances criminal-sentencing decontrolled-substances drug-conviction eighth-circuit federal-sentencing federal-sentencing-guidelines sentencing-enhancement Whether prior drug convictions inclusive of substances that have since been decontrolled can be used to impose present day federal sentencing enhancem…
22-7903 Denvy Hoffman v. United States Eighth Circuit 2023-06-29 Denied IFP armed-career-criminal armed-career-criminal-act controlled-substance controlled-substances criminal-sentencing decontrolled-substances drug-conviction eighth-circuit federal-sentencing federal-sentencing-guidelines sentencing-enhancement Whether prior drug convictions inclusive of substances that have since been decontrolled can be used to impose present day federal sentencing enhancem…
22-7864 Tommy Lee Hubbard, Jr. v. United States Sixth Circuit 2023-06-26 Denied Response WaivedIFP circumstantial-evidence civil-rights controlled-substance controlled-substances due-process federal-courts hemp legal-interpretation marijuana marijuana-classification thc-threshold Can the federal courts rely exclusively upon circumstantial evidence to decide that a marijuana substance is illegal, when the circumstances surroundi…
22-7731 Roy Lee Jones, Jr. v. United States Fifth Circuit 2023-06-08 Denied Response WaivedIFP burden-of-proof controlled-substances criminal-procedure drug-conspiracy due-process essential-elements evidence fifth-circuit-precedent jury-instructions sentencing sentencing-issue standard-of-proof Did the Fifth Circuit err when it 're-branded' a failure to prove an essential element of the government's methamphetamine case against Mr. Jones beyo…
22-7690 Rodney Raphael Fluckes v. United States Eighth Circuit 2023-06-02 Denied Response WaivedIFP circuit-split controlled-substances controlled-substances-act criminal-law federal-act federal-sentencing-guidelines sentencing-disparities sentencing-guidelines statutory-interpretation Whether 'controlled substance[s]' in the Federal Sentencing Guidelines §4B1.2(b) are limited to those substances defined and regulated under the feder…
22-7675 Quanathan Naiji Knox Ivery v. United States Eighth Circuit 2023-05-31 Denied IFP armed-career-criminal armed-career-criminal-act controlled-substance controlled-substances criminal-sentencing decontrolled-substances drug-conviction eighth-circuit federal-sentencing federal-sentencing-guidelines sentencing-enhancement Whether prior drug convictions inclusive of substances that have since been decontrolled can be used to impose present day federal sentencing enhancem…
22-1059 Jorge Marc Gonzalez-Betancourt v. Ricky D. Dixon, Secretary, Florida Department of Corrections, et al. Eleventh Circuit 2023-05-03 Denied Response Waived civil-forfeiture collateral-estoppel controlled-substances double-jeopardy exhaustion fifth-amendment ruan-v-united-states state-prosecution Is Florida violating federal rights of its prisoners by preventing a defendant from arguing collateral-estoppel, claiming-exhaustion?
22-7385 Timothy Eugene Brown v. United States Eleventh Circuit 2023-04-27 Denied Response WaivedIFP armed-career-offender controlled-substance controlled-substances eleventh-circuit federal-enhancement florida-priors sentencing sentencing-guidelines state-law state-priors Whether the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals erred in its decision in United States v. Jackson
22-7359 Devin Baker v. United States Sixth Circuit 2023-04-25 Denied Response RequestedResponse WaivedRelisted (2)IFP controlled-substances criminal-law criminal-procedure drug-convictions drug-offense federal-sentencing prior-convictions sentencing-guidelines statutory-interpretation Can a federal judge impose a sentence enhancement based on a prior drug conviction inclusive of a substance that is no longer controlled at the time o…
22-7282 David William Linder v. Brian Lammer, Warden Seventh Circuit 2023-04-14 Denied Response WaivedIFP analogue-drugs controlled-substances criminal-procedure drug-statute federal-cases jury-instructions mens-rea standing supreme-court-rule-14.1(b) Can the drug death statute, 21 § 841(b)(1)(c) be enlarged to include analogue drugs?
22-7263 Christopher L. Ramirez v. United States Seventh Circuit 2023-04-12 Denied Response WaivedIFP career-offender circuit-split controlled-substance controlled-substances due-process equal-protection federal-law sentencing-guidelines statutory-interpretation Whether 'controlled substance offenses' under United States Sentencing Guidelines §4B1.2(b) are limited to those offenses involving substances listed …
22-6902 Roger Bryant Harbin v. United States Tenth Circuit 2023-03-02 Denied Relisted (2)IFP controlled-substances criminal-law decontrol drug-convictions drug-policy due-process equal-protection federal-sentencing sentencing sentencing-enhancement statutory-interpretation Whether prior drug convictions inclusive of substances that have since been decontrolled can be used to impose present day federal sentencing enhancem…
22-6881 James Clark, III v. United States Sixth Circuit 2023-02-28 Denied IFP controlled-substances criminal-law drug-convictions drug-policy due-process federal-sentencing retroactivity sentencing sentencing-enhancement statutory-interpretation Whether prior drug convictions inclusive of substances that have since been decontrolled can be used to impose present day federal sentencing enhancem…
22-6825 Richie Lee Edmonds, III v. United States Sixth Circuit 2023-02-21 Denied Relisted (2)IFP controlled-substance controlled-substances criminal-history criminal-law drug-distribution due-process federal-sentencing federalism sentencing sentencing-guidelines statutory-interpretation Whether a prior state conviction for drug distribution qualifies as a 'controlled substance offense' under U.S.S.G. § 4B1.2(b)
22-6503 Patrick Emeka Ifediba v. United States Eleventh Circuit 2023-01-10 Denied Response RequestedRelisted (2)IFP controlled-substances criminal-procedure due-process fifth-amendment intent medical-intent medical-practice sentencing sixth-amendment Was Petitioner denied his rights under Ruan v. United States
22-6467 Louis Antonio Zayas v. United States Third Circuit 2023-01-05 Denied Response WaivedIFP certiorari controlled-substances criminal-procedure criminal-trial directed-verdict due-process evidence-disclosure harmless-error jury-instruction jury-instructions prosecutorial-conduct Whether the erroneous jury instruction on knowledge requirement constituted harmless error
22-6211 In Re Patricia Ann Solomon 2022-12-02 Denied IFP civil-rights conspiracy conspiracy-charge controlled-substance controlled-substances criminal-law drug-distribution heck-v-humphrey legitimate-purpose medical-prescription prescribing-authority prescription-drugs Can Ms. Patricia Solomon, a physician assistant who never prescribed any drug, be convicted under 21 U.S.C. §846 in the Eastern District of Kentucky L…
22-6117 Tracy Lamont Miles v. United States Eleventh Circuit 2022-11-21 Denied Response WaivedIFP circuit-split controlled-substance controlled-substances criminal-law federal-jurisdiction federal-question sentencing-guidelines statutory-interpretation Whether the term 'controlled substance' from the 'controlled substance offense' definition in U.S.S.G. § 4B1.2(b) is limited to substances that are fe…
22-6000 Norman Clement v. Drug Enforcement Administration District of Columbia 2022-11-07 Denied Response WaivedRelisted (2)IFP 21-cfr-1306.04(a) administrative-deference controlled-substances corresponding-responsibility dea-registration medical-purpose pharmacy-responsibility prescription-legitimacy Whether a pharmacy violates its corresponding responsibility under 21 C.F.R. § 1306.04(a) by being required to operate beyond licensing requirement an…
22-5877 Onterrail Remond Altman, Jr. v. United States Eighth Circuit 2022-10-20 Denied Response RequestedResponse WaivedRelisted (2)IFP categorical-approach circuit-split controlled-substances criminal-sentencing decontrolled-substances drug-convictions eighth-circuit federal-sentencing prior-convictions sentencing-enhancement Whether prior drug convictions inclusive of substances that have since been decontrolled can be used to impose present day federal sentencing enhancem…
22-5693 Rosa Isela Acuna v. United States Ninth Circuit 2022-09-27 Denied Response WaivedIFP controlled-substance controlled-substances criminal-conviction criminal-law drug-importation due-process mens-rea sentencing sentencing-enhancement statutory-interpretation Whether a defendant can be convicted and subjected to enhanced punishment for drug type and quantity without proof of knowledge
22-5665 Geoffrie Dill v. United States Seventh Circuit 2022-09-22 Denied Response WaivedIFP appeals controlled-substance controlled-substances criminal-law drug-offense federal-jurisdiction federal-sentencing sentencing-guidelines statutory-interpretation Does 'controlled substance offense' refer only to substances prohibited by the Controlled Substance Act?
22-5638 Hector Martinez-Robos v. United States Ninth Circuit 2022-09-21 Denied Response WaivedIFP controlled-substances criminal-procedure jury-instructions mandatory-minimum-sentences mens-rea plain-error sentencing statutory-interpretation whether-instructional-error-is-plain
22-5394 Eric Christopher Falkowski v. United States Sixth Circuit 2022-08-19 Denied Response WaivedIFP controlled-substance-act controlled-substances criminal-law due-process enhancement-clause overbreadth sentencing-guidelines statutory-interpretation vagueness void-for-vagueness Whether USSG § 1B1.1's enhancement clause is impermissibly overbroad or void for vagueness
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…
22-120 Suntree Pharmacy, et al. v. Drug Enforcement Administration Eleventh Circuit 2022-08-09 Denied Response Waived administrative-deference administrative-law controlled-substances dea dea-registration deference legitimate-medical-purpose medical-purpose prescription prescription-filling regulatory-interpretation Whether a pharmacy violates its corresponding responsibility under 21 C.F.R. § 1306.04(a) and knowingly fills a prescription for a controlled substanc…
22-76 Keith L. Carnes v. United States Eighth Circuit 2022-07-26 Denied Amici (2) 2nd-amendment circuit-split controlled-substance controlled-substances criminal-law criminal-statute drug-use due-process firearm-possession firearms statutory-interpretation unlawful-user Whether the government must show the defendant's regular or habitual drug use to establish that the defendant is an 'unlawful user' of a controlled su…
22-5075 Courtney Newman v. United States Sixth Circuit 2022-07-12 GVR IFP controlled-substances criminal-intent criminal-law health-care jury-instruction medical-practice prescription-drugs prescription-law ruan-v-united-states statutory-interpretation Whether an authorized physician or health care professional can be convicted under 21-U.S.C-§856(a)(1) if the sole allegation of unlawful activity is …
22-5076 Holli Womack v. United States Sixth Circuit 2022-07-12 GVR IFP constitutional-vagueness controlled-substance controlled-substances criminal-law criminal-liability due-process health-care health-care-professional professional-liability ruan-v-united-states statutory-interpretation vagueness Should Petition Womack's conviction be vacated?
22-5077 Cynthia Clemons v. United States Sixth Circuit 2022-07-12 GVR IFP 21-usc-856 controlled-substances dea-authorization drug-enforcement-administration drug-involved-premises healthcare-provider legitimate-medical-purpose ruan-v-united-states scope-of-professional-practice subjective-standard Whether the Ruan standard of proof applies to prosecutions under 21 U.S.C. § 856(a)(1) for authorized healthcare providers
21-8162 Darnell Pearson v. United States Ninth Circuit 2022-06-16 Denied Response WaivedIFP 21-usc-841 controlled-substances criminal-law drug-distribution mens-rea reasonable-foreseeability serious-bodily-injury statutory-interpretation Whether a charge of drug distribution requires proof of defendant's knowledge of drug type and reasonable foreseeability of death/injury
21-8148 Frank H. Bynes Jr. v. United States Eleventh Circuit 2022-06-15 GVR IFP controlled-substances criminal-law due-process medical-practice prescription-drugs professional-ethics Whether a physician alleged to have prescribed controlled substances outside the usual course of professional practice can be convicted of unlawful di…
21-8099 Darnell McConnell, II v. United States Eighth Circuit 2022-06-09 Denied Response WaivedIFP circuit-split controlled-substances controlled-substances-act criminal-law federal-act federal-sentencing-guidelines sentencing sentencing-guidelines statutory-interpretation Whether 'controlled substance[s]' in the Federal Sentencing Guidelines § 4B1.2(b) are limited to those substances defined and regulated under the fede…
21-1418 Medardo Queg Santos v. United States Eleventh Circuit 2022-05-04 GVR Response RequestedRelisted (2) controlled-substances expert-testimony good-faith good-faith-defense medical-practice medical-purpose relevant-conduct sentencing sentencing-guidelines Whether a physician's good faith is a complete defense to a prosecution for prescribing controlled substances without a legitimate medical purpose or …
21-1409 Prince Bixler v. United States Sixth Circuit 2022-05-03 Denied Response Waived controlled-substances cross-examination federal-rule-of-evidence-412 fifth-amendment prostitution sentencing-enhancement sex-trafficking sixth-amendment Whether Bixler's rights under the Fifth and Sixth Amendments were violated
21-7623 Mary Ann Lara v. United States Fifth Circuit 2022-04-14 Denied Response WaivedIFP Section 841 burden-of-proof controlled-substances criminal-intent criminal-law drug-quantity drug-trafficking federal-prosecution mens-rea rehaif-v-united-states statutory-interpretation Whether the Government must prove a defendant's knowledge of drug type and quantity in prosecutions under Title 21, Section 841
21-7574 Danyel Black v. United States Eleventh Circuit 2022-04-08 Denied Response WaivedIFP armed-career-criminal-act controlled-substances criminal-procedure fourth-amendment prior-conviction probation-search sentencing-enhancement warrantless-search Whether a Florida controlled substances offense can qualify as a predicate 'serious drug offense' under the Armed Career Criminal Act
21-7495 Terrol Debaun Travis v. United States Fifth Circuit 2022-03-30 Denied Response WaivedIFP armed-career-criminal-act controlled-substances criminal-law criminal-sentencing delivery-definition drug-offense statutory-interpretation texas texas-controlled-substances united-states-supreme-court Does the definition of 'delivery' in the Texas controlled substances statute, which includes mere offers to sell, include conduct that does not qualif…
21-7391 Isaiah Ramon Henderson v. United States Eighth Circuit 2022-03-16 Denied Amici (1)Response WaivedIFP circuit-split controlled-substances controlled-substances-act criminal-procedure federal-law federal-sentencing-guidelines sentencing-disparity sentencing-guidelines statutory-interpretation Whether 'controlled substance[s]' in the Federal Sentencing Guidelines § 4B1.2(b) are limited to those substances defined and regulated under the fede…
21-7157 Richard Lucas v. United States Second Circuit 2022-02-18 Denied Response WaivedIFP circuit-split cocaine cocaine-definition controlled-substances criminal-arrest criminal-procedure plain-error probable-cause statutory-interpretation Whether a state statute's definition of 'cocaine' differs from the federal definition based on the plain, unambiguous language of the statutes
21-7163 Nathaniel Ruth v. United States Seventh Circuit 2022-02-18 Denied Response WaivedIFP career-offender circuit-split controlled-substances criminal-procedure federal-law sentencing-guidelines state-law statutory-interpretation Does the phrase 'controlled substance' in U.S.S.C. § 4B1.2(b) include substances that are excluded from the Controlled Substances Act?
21-6952 Sunrise Lee v. United States First Circuit 2022-01-25 Denied Relisted (2)IFP circuit-split conspiracy controlled-substances criminal-procedure due-process evidence-standard federal-court judgment-of-acquittal legal-sufficiency physician prescription-drugs Whether a non-physician may be convicted of conspiring with a physician to prescribe controlled substances outside of the course of professional pract…
21-994 John Kapoor v. United States First Circuit 2022-01-13 Denied Relisted (2) conspiracy controlled-substances criminal-law due-process evidence-standard judgment-of-acquittal medical-prescription physician-liability professional-practice sufficiency-of-evidence Whether a non-physician may be convicted of conspiring with a physician to prescribe controlled substances outside the course of professional practice
21-6825 Diana Bustamante v. United States Eighth Circuit 2022-01-12 Denied Response WaivedIFP career-offender categorical-approach circuit-split controlled-substance controlled-substances criminal-law modified-categorical-approach predicate-offenses sentencing-enhancement sentencing-guidelines statutory-interpretation Do statutes criminalizing simulated controlled substances count as predicate 'controlled substance offenses' for applicability of the career offender …
21-6280 Johnny Williams v. United States Sixth Circuit 2021-11-15 Denied Response WaivedIFP controlled-substance controlled-substances criminal-sentencing drug-conspiracy drug-distribution-conspiracy due-process enhanced-sentence mens-rea statutory-construction statutory-interpretation When the Government clearly defines the scope and object of a drug distribution conspiracy in a charging Indictment, do the lower courts err when they…
21-6111 Jonas Ross, III v. United States Eighth Circuit 2021-10-29 Denied Response WaivedIFP burrage-standard burrage-v-united-states but-for-causation causation circuit-split controlled-substance controlled-substances criminal-law drug-distribution eighth-circuit evidence Whether the Eighth Circuit's conclusion that Mr. Ross distributed the controlled substance that resulted in the death of K.P. is in conflict with Burr…
21-5982 Marcus Matthews v. United States Sixth Circuit 2021-10-18 Denied Response WaivedIFP circuit-court-interpretation circuit-court-precedent controlled-substance-offense controlled-substances criminal-procedure criminal-sentencing federal-sentencing federal-sentencing-guidelines georgia-criminal-code sentencing-enhancement statutory-interpretation united-states-sentencing-guidelines Does a conviction under OCGA § 16-13-30 qualify as a 'controlled substance offense' for purposes of enhancing a defendant's sentence under USSG § 2K2.…
21-5731 Sheridan Sisk v. United States Seventh Circuit 2021-09-22 Denied IFP circuit-split controlled-substance controlled-substances criminal-law due-process federal-sentencing-guidelines federal-statute sentencing-enhancement sentencing-guidelines statutory-interpretation Does the phrase 'controlled substance' in U.S.S.G. § 4B1.2(b) include substances excluded from the Controlled Substances Act?
21-5752 Ivan Alexandrovich Vetcher v. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, et al. Fifth Circuit 2021-09-22 Denied Response WaivedIFP access-to-court civil-rights controlled-substances court-access-rights deportation-challenge dismissal-with-prejudice due-process immigration immigration-law pleadings pro-se pro-se-pleading Whether the district court and court of appeals properly applied the requirements for pleadings as applied in most circuits
21-5612 Geontay Patterson v. United States Sixth Circuit 2021-09-08 Denied Response WaivedIFP 4th-amendment constitutional-rights controlled-substances prolonged-detention reasonable-suspicion search-and-seizure traffic-stop Whether the district court and appellate court improperly found justification for the search and seizure of Mr. Patterson
21-269 Anthony Carter v. Texas Texas 2021-08-24 Denied Response RequestedRelisted (2) controlled-substances criminal-conviction drug-possession jackson-standard jackson-v-virginia molecular-structure statutory-interpretation sufficiency-analysis technical-elements Whether a reviewing court may uphold a conviction where the offense is defined by technical elements beyond the understanding of an ordinary factfinde…
21-54 In Re Chad Anthony Ray 2021-07-15 Denied constitutional-rights controlled-substances criminal-law due-process habeas-corpus liberty liberty-rights marijuana-criminalization political-question search-and-seizure Whether federal marijuana laws are constitutional
20-8310 Kenrick Brathwaite v. United States Second Circuit 2021-06-15 Denied Response WaivedIFP apprendi-rule circuit-split controlled-substance controlled-substances criminal-law drug-conspiracy jury-instructions jury-verdict sentencing sentencing-exposure statutory-interpretation statutory-penalties What is the statutory maximum sentence for a conspiracy conviction under 21 U.S.C. §§ 963 or 846, where the jury has declined to make any specific fin…
20-8213 James Atwood v. United States Seventh Circuit 2021-06-03 Denied Relisted (4)IFP career-offender circuit-split controlled-substance controlled-substances federal-law sentencing-guidelines state-law Does the undefined term 'controlled substance' in the federal Sentencing Guidelines refer to substances controlled by federal law or state law?
20-8189 Heather Dawn Griffith v. United States Fifth Circuit 2021-06-02 Denied Response WaivedIFP controlled-substance controlled-substances criminal-procedure drug-distribution federal-rule federal-rules-of-criminal-procedure plea-agreement plea-bargaining sentencing statutory-interpretation Whether, in a prosecution under 21 U.S.C. § 846, Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 11(b)(3) requires a statement sufficient to show an agreement to d…
20-8138 Eddy Pena v. United States Second Circuit 2021-05-25 Denied Response WaivedIFP 21-usc-846 conspiracy conspiracy-liability controlled-substances pinkerton-doctrine reasonable-foreseeability sentencing statutory-interpretation Whether under 21 U.S.C. § 846 it is proper to base a defendant's sentence on the weight of all controlled substances possessed by all members of a con…
20-8084 Gregory Brown v. United States Eleventh Circuit 2021-05-20 Denied Response WaivedIFP controlled-substance controlled-substances criminal-law federal-courts federal-procedure mens-rea sentencing sentencing-guidelines statutory-interpretation Whether 28 U.S.C. § 994(h)(2)(B) and the definition of a 'controlled substance offense' in U.S.S.G. § 4B1.2(b) require that a defendant's prior offens…
20-8077 Kavoris Clayton v. United States Eleventh Circuit 2021-05-19 Denied Response WaivedIFP circuit-split controlled-substance controlled-substances criminal-law drug-offense mens-rea sentencing-guidelines statutory-interpretation Whether the drug conduct in the 'controlled substance offense' definition in U.S. Sentencing Guideline § 4B1.2(b) requires knowledge of the illicit na…
20-1571 Andrew Raymond and Brian Requena v. United States Second Circuit 2021-05-12 Denied Response Waived analogue-act analogue-enforcement-act controlled-substances criminal-procedure due-process jury-unanimity sixth-amendment vagueness-doctrine Whether the Controlled Substances Analogue Enforcement Act of 1986 is void for vagueness
20-7991 Bulmaro Contreras-Figueroa, aka Israel Contreras v. United States Ninth Circuit 2021-05-11 Denied Response WaivedIFP 5th-amendment conspiracy controlled-substances criminal-procedure due-process fifth-amendment grand-jury sentencing statutory-interpretation Is the Fifth Amendment right to a grand jury violated when a defendant is sentenced for a conspiracy offense that exceeds the maximum penalty for the …
20-7974 Terrol Debaun Travis v. United States Fifth Circuit 2021-05-10 GVR IFP armed-career-criminal-act controlled-substances delivery offer-to-sell serious-drug-offense texas Whether the definition of 'delivery' in the Texas controlled substances statute, which includes an offer to sell, includes conduct that does not quali…
20-7934 John Patrick Couch v. United States Eleventh Circuit 2021-05-05 GVR Relisted (6)IFP affirmative-defense controlled-substances criminal-procedure jury-instructions medical-practice standard-of-care Did the trial court err by conflating the valid defense of a crime as an element of that crime in its jury instructions?
20-1480 George P. Naum, III v. United States Fourth Circuit 2021-04-22 GVR Relisted (6) 21-cfr-1306-04 21-usc-841 controlled-substances criminal-prosecution medical-practice opioid-prescription professional-standards statutory-interpretation united-states-v-moore Can the elements of 21 U.S.C. §841(a)(1) as defined in United States v. Moore, 423 U.S. 122 (1975) requiring the Government to prove unlawful distribu…
20-1410 Xiulu Ruan v. United States Eleventh Circuit 2021-04-07 Judgment Issued Amici (8)Relisted (5) controlled-substances criminal-conviction criminal-liability good-faith-defense medical-ethics medical-prescribing prescription professional-practice statutory-interpretation Whether a physician alleged to have prescribed controlled substances outside the usual course of professional practice may be convicted under Section …
20-7363 Lerone Bernard Butler v. United States Eleventh Circuit 2021-03-08 Denied Response WaivedIFP conspiracy controlled-substances criminal-procedure drug-offenses due-process law-enforcement-misconduct possession-with-intent sentencing sufficiency-of-evidence whether-the-verdict-was-supported-by-sufficient-evidence
20-7327 Timothy A. Ward v. United States Fourth Circuit 2021-03-05 Denied IFP career-offender categorical-approach controlled-substance controlled-substances criminal-law federal-guidelines federal-law sentencing sentencing-guidelines state-drug-schedules state-law Whether the term 'controlled substance' in the federal sentencing guidelines should be defined by federal law or the law of the state where the prior …
20-1205 Gazelle Craig v. United States Fifth Circuit 2021-03-01 Denied Response Waived circuit-split controlled-substances criminal-distribution dispensing distributing medical-necessity prescription prescription-law statutory-interpretation When a licensed physician writes a prescription for a controlled substance that is not medically necessary, does that conduct constitute 'dispensing,'…
20-7204 Shane Faithful v. United States Fifth Circuit 2021-02-22 Denied Response WaivedIFP controlled-substance controlled-substances criminal-distribution criminal-law federal-sentencing medical-care medical-prescription prescription-drugs sentencing sixth-amendment statutory-interpretation Whether a physician who prescribes a controlled substance to a patient for reasons other than medical care has unlawfully 'dispensed' the substance, u…
20-7167 Elin Robinson Mejia Romero v. United States First Circuit 2021-02-17 Denied Response WaivedIFP controlled-substance controlled-substances criminal-intent criminal-law drug-distribution due-process mens-rea sentencing-enhancement statutory-interpretation Whether a defendant can be convicted and subjected to enhanced punishment under 21 U.S.C. § 841 without proof that he knew the drug type and quantity
20-6730 Jose Lupe Corrall v. United States Fifth Circuit 2020-12-31 Denied Response WaivedIFP controlled-substance controlled-substances criminal-law criminal-procedure drug-distribution due-process federal-scheduling guilty-plea knowledge-standard mens-rea plea-bargaining statutory-interpretation Whether, under McFadden v. United States, a defendant pleading guilty to knowingly distributing a controlled substance must admit that he knew the sub…
20-6405 Joshua Cato v. United States Fifth Circuit 2020-11-23 Denied Response WaivedIFP controlled-substance controlled-substances criminal-law criminal-procedure drug-distribution due-process federal-scheduling guilty-plea knowledge-standard mens-rea plea-bargaining statutory-interpretation Whether, under McFadden v. United States, a defendant who pleads guilty to knowingly distributing a controlled substance must admit that he knew the s…
20-6346 Demarcus D. Morris v. United States Fifth Circuit 2020-11-17 Denied Response WaivedIFP controlled-substances criminal-procedure criminal-sentencing double-jeopardy drug-conspiracy due-process fifth-amendment indictment-vagueness rico rico-statute sentencing Whether the RICO and drug conspiracy counts in the indictment are unconstitutionally vague, whether the evidence supports the crack cocaine distributi…
20-6311 Russell Davis v. United States Sixth Circuit 2020-11-13 Denied Response WaivedIFP accomplice-liability co-conspirator-liability controlled-substance controlled-substances criminal-law drug-distribution due-process enhanced-penalty pinkerton-liability sentencing Whether the government must satisfy the evidentiary requirements for accomplice liability under 18 U.S.C. §2 or co-conspirator liability under Pinkert…
20-6156 Arlene Hernandez v. United States Fifth Circuit 2020-10-28 Denied Response WaivedIFP black-v-romano burden-of-proof controlled-substances drug-identification due-process fundamental-fairness probation-revocation state-narcotics texas-narcotics Whether the Government's failure to prove a suspected substance is actually a dangerous drug or controlled substance in a probation revocation case pr…
20-6027 Michael Moore v. United States Eleventh Circuit 2020-10-15 Denied Response RequestedResponse WaivedRelisted (3)IFP appellate-review controlled-substances criminal-law federal-sentencing gvr mens-rea rehaif-v-united-states statutory-interpretation Whether §924(e)(2)(A)(ii) requires knowledge of the substance's illicit nature
20-221 Franqui Francisco Flores de Freitas v. United States Second Circuit 2020-08-25 Denied Response Waived aircraft-transportation conscious-avoidance controlled-substances criminal-defendant criminal-intent deliberate-steps evidence jury-instruction knowledge sentencing-guidelines Can a jury be instructed on conscious-avoidance,criminal-defendant,knowledge,evidence,deliberate-steps
20-5055 Juan Carlos Castellanos Muratella v. United States Eighth Circuit 2020-07-14 Denied Response WaivedIFP career-offender circuit-conflict controlled-substance controlled-substances counterfeit-controlled-substances criminal-law drug-trafficking due-process imitation-controlled-substances simulated-substance statutory-interpretation Is a statute that includes simulated controlled substances, imitation controlled substances, and counterfeit controlled substances categorically a con…
19-1313 Donovan Dave Dixon v. United States Fourth Circuit 2020-05-22 Denied Response Waived controlled-substances controlled-substances-act criminal-liability drug-trafficking gonzalez-v-oregon medical-malpractice medical-practice mens-rea standard-of-care Whether juries must be instructed that the government must prove that a physician acted with the mens rea of intent as to issuing a prescription outsi…
19-8525 Julio Gabriel Diaz v. United States Ninth Circuit 2020-05-22 Denied Response WaivedIFP controlled-substances conversion criminal-defendant drug-conversion due-process fifth-amendment lsd self-incrimination sentencing-guidelines Whether a criminal defendant's Fifth Amendment rights are implicated by the conversion required by U.S.S.G. § 2D1.1
19-1296 Helix TCS, Inc. v. Robert Kenney Tenth Circuit 2020-05-15 Denied controlled-substances controlled-substances-act fair-labor-standards-act federal-drug-crime federal-drug-crimes marijuana-trafficking minimum-wages private-right-of-action tenth-circuit-ruling uniform-application-of-federal-law Whether the Fair Labor Standards Act, 29 U.S.C. § 201, et seq., confers a private right of action to recover minimum wages for conduct that violates t…
19-8380 Samory Azikiwe Monds v. United States Eighth Circuit 2020-04-29 Denied Response WaivedRelisted (2)IFP admissibility circuit-split controlled-substances criminal-procedure evidence evidence-rule federal-rule prior-bad-acts propensity-evidence Whether Federal Rule of Evidence 404(b) should be construed
19-8218 Angel Paz-Alvarez v. United States First Circuit 2020-04-08 Denied Response WaivedIFP 21-usc-853 appeals controlled-substances criminal-forfeiture drug-trafficking due-process standing statutory-interpretation third-party third-party-interest Whether modern criminal forfeiture statutes can be squared with the Due Process Clause and whether petitioner can properly be considered a third-party…
19-7957 Damar D. Ruffin v. United States Sixth Circuit 2020-03-12 Denied Response WaivedIFP appeals appellate-review controlled-substance controlled-substances criminal-procedure double-jeopardy due-process evidence evidence-law jury-instruction jury-trial reversible-error sentencing standard-of-review Whether the court of appeals committed reversible error in determining the amount of a controlled substance
19-7965 Cedric Edney v. United States Fifth Circuit 2020-03-11 Denied Response WaivedIFP categorical-approach controlled-substance-offense controlled-substances criminal-law fifth-circuit-interpretation mathis-standard mathis-v-united-states modified-categorical-approach sentencing-guidelines statutory-interpretation taylor-precedent taylor-v-united-states u-s-s-g-section-4b1-2-b Did the Fifth Circuit Err in deciding as an issue of first impression, that Texas offenses of Distribution of controlled substances and possession wit…
19-7797 Lonnie W. Hubbard v. United States Sixth Circuit 2020-02-27 Denied Response WaivedIFP burden-of-proof controlled-substances criminal-law criminal-procedure criminal-statute due-process medical-necessity medical-practice medical-purpose prescription-dispensing prescription-drugs professional-practice statutory-interpretation Whether the Court of Appeals erred by holding a jury could rationally conclude that defendant pharmacist abdicated his duty under §§ 1306.04(a) & 841(…
19-7731 Michael Herrold v. United States Fifth Circuit 2020-02-21 Denied IFP armed-career-criminal-act burglary controlled-substance controlled-substances drug-distribution generic-burglary generic-definition intent intent-element overbreadth state-statute statutory-interpretation Where a state statute explicitly defines 'burglary' in a way that does not require proof of an intent to commit a crime, and thus lacks an element nec…
19-7706 Tommy Adams, Jr. v. United States Fourth Circuit 2020-02-19 Denied Response WaivedRelisted (2)IFP career-offender career-offender-guideline controlled-substance controlled-substance-offense controlled-substances criminal-law fourth-circuit modified-categorical-approach sentencing sentencing-guidelines statutory-interpretation taylor-descamps-mathis-precedent taylor-v-united-states Did the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals incorrectly apply the line of authority from this Court beginning with Taylor v. United States, 495 U.S. 575 (…
19-7623 Sinyo Silkeutsabay, et al. v. United States Ninth Circuit 2020-02-11 Denied Response WaivedIFP cannabis-regulation civil-rights controlled-substances court-of-appeals district-court due-process federal-preemption federal-response medical-marijuana state-law state-legalization washington-marijuana-laws washington-state-law Did the Courts below err in their analysis of Washington State law governing growing and selling medical marijuana?
19-7575 Rashaun Scott Carter v. United States Fourth Circuit 2020-02-05 Denied Response WaivedIFP appellate-review appellate-waiver controlled-substance controlled-substances criminal-procedure due-process guilty-plea ineffective-assistance ineffective-assistance-of-counsel plea-bargaining presentence-investigation sentencing Does an appellate waiver bar an appeal based upon a flawed, prejudicial presentence investigation report performed between the trial court's acceptanc…
19-7364 Ernest William Singleton v. United States Sixth Circuit 2020-01-23 Denied Response WaivedIFP brady-v-maryland brady-violation controlled-substances criminal-procedure drug-distribution drug-schedules drug-scheduling general-verdict ineffective-assistance ineffective-assistance-of-counsel medical-pain-clinic money-laundering surveillance-footage Whether the jury relied on an invalid conviction for distributing Ultram in finding the defendant guilty of money laundering
19-6513 Deyoe R. Harris v. United States Ninth Circuit 2019-11-07 Denied Response WaivedIFP 2nd-amendment civil-rights constitutional-law constitutional-review controlled-substances criminal-justice drug-policy due-process federal-law federalism free-speech sentencing-disparity standing takings Whether the federal prohibition on certain substances has resulted in more crime and violence, and whether it is best to regulate or decriminalize the…
19-6436 Bharanidharan Padmanabhan v. Drug Enforcement Administration District of Columbia 2019-10-29 Denied Response WaivedIFP 10th-amendment administrative-law agency-deference controlled-substances controlled-substances-act due-process federal-agencies individual-rights liberty-interest property-interest state-authority state-law tenth-amendment Are federal agencies exempt from complying with the Tenth Amendment such that they can deem State law 'irrelevant' and violate the individual rights o…
19-6348 Billy J. Griffin v. United States Eighth Circuit 2019-10-23 Denied Response WaivedIFP career-offender controlled-substances divisibility drug-statute federal-sentencing felony-convictions missouri-law state-convictions statutory-interpretation Is the Missouri Controlled Drug Statute indivisible such that the Defendant's two distribution of marijuana felony convictions in state court would no…
19-6318 Damon Tracy Locke v. United States Eighth Circuit 2019-10-21 Denied Response WaivedIFP career-offender circuit-split controlled-substance controlled-substances criminal-sentencing drug-statute drug-statutes mathis-precedent mathis-v-united-states plain-error sentencing-enhancement sentencing-guidelines statutory-interpretation Is the Eighth Circuit interpretation and application of drug statutes as qualifying offenses for career offender status in opposition to Mathis v. Uni…
19-6108 Corey Kidd v. United States Eighth Circuit 2019-10-01 Denied IFP 18-usc-924 aiding-and-abetting controlled-substances crime-of-violence criminal-law physical-force robbery statutory-interpretation Whether aiding and abetting robbery of controlled substances qualifies as a crime of violence under 18 U.S.C. § 924(c)(8)(A)
19-5983 Alejandro Llamas-Delgado v. United States Eighth Circuit 2019-09-18 Denied Response WaivedIFP burden-of-proof conspiracy controlled-substances criminal-law criminal-procedure drug-conspiracy drug-trafficking due-process statutory-interpretation sufficiency-of-evidence supreme-court-precedent Whether the lower court's decision conflicts with Supreme Court and other circuit precedent concerning the government's burden to prove the evidence w…
19-5975 Juan Jose Tull-Abreu v. United States First Circuit 2019-09-17 Denied Response WaivedIFP aggravated-identity-theft compulsory-process confrontation-clause conspiracy controlled-substances controlled-substances-act criminal-law criminal-procedure due-process fourteenth-amendment health-care-fraud identity-theft sixth-amendment Whether the petitioner participated in a conspiracy to commit health care fraud
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 Did the district court err in increasing the defendant's sentence based on the Guidelines definition of 'controlled substance offense'?
19-5491 Shed T. Woods v. United States Seventh Circuit 2019-08-07 Denied IFP armed-career-criminal-act categorical-approach controlled-substance controlled-substances criminal-conviction divisibility drug-offense indiana-code-35-48-4-1 indiana-statute serious-drug-offense statutory-interpretation Whether a conviction for dealing in cocaine or narcotic drug under Indiana Code § 35-48-4-1 is improperly considered a 'serious drug offense' under th…
19-5303 Mario Benitez-Pineda v. United States Fourth Circuit 2019-07-24 Denied Response WaivedIFP administrative-law constitutional-challenge constitutional-law controlled-substances criminal-law due-process federal-law penalty-provision sentencing statutory-interpretation Whether 21 U.S.C. § 841 et. seq., is unconstitutional because it contains no penalty provision?
19-5110 Barry Bays v. United States Fifth Circuit 2019-07-09 Denied Response WaivedIFP controlled-substance-analog controlled-substance-analogue controlled-substances criminal-procedure due-process ex-post-facto fifth-amendment fraud scienter scienter-requirement sentencing sentencing-enhancement sixth-amendment Whether a defendant's sentence for fraud offenses that applied 21 U.S.C. § 802(32), USSG § 2B1.1(b)(1), and USSG §2D1.1 and treated Bays as a 'control…
18-1585 Kassim M. Nagi v. Louisiana Louisiana 2019-06-27 GVR Response RequestedResponse WaivedRelisted (3) 8th-amendment controlled-substances cruel-and-unusual-punishment cruel-unusual-punishment eighth-amendment first-time-offender lockyer-v-andrade money-laundering proportionality proportionality-test racketeering sentencing solem-v-helm Whether a 90-year consecutive sentence for a 33-year-old first-time offender violates the Eighth Amendment's prohibition on cruel and unusual punishme…
18-1582 Bryan A. Krumm, CNP v. Drug Enforcement Administration District of Columbia 2019-06-26 Denied Response Waived administrative-law cannabis-scheduling controlled-substances controlled-substances-act dea federalism mandamus-relief medical-marijuana medical-use scheduling witness-testimony Can the Attorney General and DEA continue Schedule 1 placement of Cannabis now that it has 'accepted medical use' in 33 States, the District of Columb…
18-9168 Melissa Owens v. United States Sixth Circuit 2019-05-08 Denied Response WaivedIFP civil-rights controlled-substances criminal-history drug-trafficking due-process equal-protection plea-agreement racial-discrimination school-desegregation sentencing sentencing-guidelines voting-rights Whether the district court erred in calculating the defendant's criminal history score and sentencing range under the United States Sentencing Guideli…
18-8847 Javier Bocanegra, Jr. v. United States Fifth Circuit 2019-04-16 Denied Response WaivedIFP chain-of-custody cocaine-conspiracy conspiracy controlled-substances cooperating-witnesses credibility criminal-conspiracy criminal-law deferred-adjudication drug-offense-enhancement evidence full-faith-and-credit reasonable-doubt Is there insufficient evidence for a conspiracy to transport cocaine conviction based upon the testimony of cooperating witnesses who are not credible…
18-8861 Allen Louis Dorsey, Sr. v. Mark S. Inch, Secretary, Florida Department of Corrections, et al. Eleventh Circuit 2019-04-16 Denied Response WaivedIFP charging-documents charging-information confidential-informant confidential-informants controlled-substances criminal-procedure discovery double-jeopardy due-process prosecutorial-discretion substance-sale Can a citizen be convicted of an uncharged crime?
18-8625 Jennifer N. Nere v. Illinois Illinois 2019-03-29 Denied Response WaivedIFP burrage-v-united-states but-for-causation constitutional-rights contributing-cause controlled-substances criminal-law drug-induced-homicide due-process illinois-supreme-court precedent reasonable-doubt statutory-interpretation Whether the defendant may be convicted under the Minois drug induced homicide Statute when the use of the controlled substance was a coe. 'contributin…
18-8380 Woodrow Pressey, Jr. v. United States Eleventh Circuit 2019-03-12 Denied Relisted (4)IFP 924(e)(2)(A)(ii) acca acca-predicate armed-career-criminal-act controlled-substances criminal-enhancement criminal-history drug-conviction drug-offenses florida-statute florida-statute-893.13 predicate-offense prior-convictions sentencing-enhancement serious-drug-offense serious-drug-offenses Whether prior convictions under Fla. Stat. §893.13 qualify as 'serious drug offenses' for purposes of the ACCA, §924(e)(2)(A)(ii)
18-1141 Sandra Brown v. New Hampshire Board of Veterinary Medicine New Hampshire 2019-03-05 Denied Response Waived administrative-agency controlled-drug-act controlled-substances criminal-law enforcement-authority jurisdiction pharmacy-board regulatory-inspection separation-of-powers statutory-interpretation subject-matter-jurisdiction Lack of subject matter jurisdiction for the New Hampshire Board of Veterinary Medicine to inspect and enforce violations under the New Hampshire Contr…
18-7264 Joel E. Miller v. United States Tenth Circuit 2019-01-07 Denied Response WaivedIFP controlled-substances controlled-substances-act criminal-liability drug-trafficking gonzales-v-oregon jury-instructions medical-malpractice medical-practice medical-practitioner prosecutorial-discretion standard-of-care united-states-v-moore Whether the phrase 'issued for a legitimate medical purpose by an individual practitioner acting in the usual course of his professional practice' mus…
18-7079 Franklyn Morillo v. United States First Circuit 2018-12-18 Denied Response WaivedIFP abuse-of-discretion appellate-waiver certiorari controlled-substances criminal-procedure district-court due-process first-impression first-impression' 'Should certiorari be granted i judicial-discretion knowing-intelligent-voluntary legal-standard plea-bargaining procedural-rights role-enhancement sentencing sentencing-guidelines standard-of-review' 'Should certiorari be granted Should certiorari be granted to decide whether a district court can only ask a Petitioner a single question about an appellate waiver, even though tha…
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 Whether a state statute criminalizing possession of 'counterfeit' controlled substances qualifies as a 'serious drug offense' under the Armed Career C…
18-6917 Rodolfo Portela v. United States Eleventh Circuit 2018-12-04 Denied Response WaivedIFP appeal competency-hearing conspiracy controlled-substance controlled-substances criminal-procedure criminal-procedure-sentencing drug-conspiracy drug-trafficking evidence-suppression firearm-possession sentencing sentencing-guidelines sufficiency-of-evidence Whether the district court erred in finding sufficient evidence of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance
18-6413 Joshua Jackson v. United States Eleventh Circuit 2018-10-23 Denied Response RequestedResponse WaivedRelisted (2)IFP 21-usc-841 controlled-substances conviction criminal-adjudication criminal-law due-process federal-statute recidivism sentencing sentencing-enhancement statutory-interpretation youthful-offender Is an Alabama youthful-offender adjudication a 'conviction' for purposes of sentencing enhancement under 21 U.S.C § 841(b)(1)(A)?
18-427 Masoud Bamdad v. United States Ninth Circuit 2018-10-03 Denied Response WaivedRelisted (2) agency-policy controlled-substances court-jurisdiction criminal-procedure defective-indictment due-process fed.r.civ.p.-54(b) final-judgment habeas-corpus habeas-proceedings interstate-commerce jurisdiction medical-practice procedural-rules Whether a habeas court must adjudicate all claims of a habeas petitioner before making a final judgment and closing the case, or else the judgment is …
18-6016 Fabian Sandoval-Ramos v. United States Ninth Circuit 2018-09-18 Denied Response WaivedIFP conspiracy controlled-substances criminal-procedure criminal-sentencing drug-offense due-process enhancement-factor mandatory-minimum-sentence mandatory-minimum-sentences sentencing sentencing-enhancements statutory-interpretation In order to trigger a mandatory minimum sentence, must the government allege and prove that an enhancement factor was the object of the conspiracy, or…
18-5904 Donavan Cross v. United States Eighth Circuit 2018-09-06 Denied Response WaivedIFP confrontation-clause constructive-delivery constructive-possession controlled-substance-offense controlled-substances criminal-law criminal-procedure drug-delivery due-process intent sentencing sentencing-guidelines testimonial-evidence Whether a statute that criminalizes a constructive delivery of drugs without bona fide intent to transfer possession is a felony 'controlled substance…
18-5809 Robert Carl Sharp v. United States Eighth Circuit 2018-08-29 Denied Response WaivedIFP analogue-drugs controlled-substances criminal-intent criminal-law drug-statute drug-testing knowledge-requirement knowledge-standard mens-rea willful-blindness Can recklessness or negligence amount to willful blindness?
18-5497 Timothy Edmun Johnson v. United States Tenth Circuit 2018-08-07 Denied Response WaivedIFP armed-career-criminal-act controlled-substances criminal-history double-jeopardy drug-distribution federal-sentencing felony-possession occasions-different sentencing-enhancement separate-occasions serious-drug-offense Whether Oklahoma's crime of drug distribution is a 'serious drug offense' under the Armed Career Criminal Act when state law defines 'distribution' to…