criminal-justice-reform

39 cases — ← All topics

Case Title Lower Court Docketed Status Flags Tags Question Presented
24-5822 Fernando De La Torre v. United States Seventh Circuit 2024-10-25 Denied Response WaivedIFP criminal-justice-reform first-step-act incarceration-policy judicial-discretion rehabilitation sentencing-reduction Does the First Step Act's sentencing reduction provision allow for judicial discretion in resentencing based on changed incarceration policies and reh…
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 Whether the First Step Act's sentencing reduction provisions apply to a defendant initially sentenced prior to the FSA's enactment; whose sentence was…
23-7440 Michael Paul Puzey v. United States Fourth Circuit 2024-05-09 Denied Response WaivedIFP bureau-of-prisons compassionate-release criminal-justice-reform federal-sentencing first-step-act judicial-review rehabilitation sentence-modification sentencing statutory-interpretation Whether the First Step Act's compassionate release provision should be interpreted to allow for the consideration of a defendant's rehabilitation and …
23-5296 Leonel Marin-Torres v. United States Ninth Circuit 2023-08-07 Denied Response WaivedIFP criminal-justice-reform effective-assistance-of-counsel equitable-relief first-step-act guidelines-range ineffective-assistance pro-se-representation sentencing-guidelines sixth-amendment Whether a district court complies with Concepcion v. United States when deciding a First Step Act motion
23-5198 Richard Potts v. United States Third Circuit 2023-07-26 Denied Response WaivedIFP criminal-justice-reform criminal-sentencing discretionary-authority district-court-discretion fair-sentencing-act first-step-act sentencing sentencing-reduction statutory-interpretation statutory-penalty Whether the Fair Sentencing Act modified the statutory penalty for petitioner's offense, so that petitioner is eligible for a sentence reduction under…
22-7750 Jessie Traylor v. Stevie Knight, Warden, et al. Fourth Circuit 2023-06-09 Denied Response RequestedResponse WaivedRelisted (2)IFP civil-rights clemency constitutional-law criminal-justice-reform due-process equal-protection expressive-conduct first-amendment free-speech hate-crime sentencing statutory-interpretation Whether the difference between new convictions and the role of law in the FIRST STEP Act and how constraints on the release of prisoners violates the …
22-7367 Christopher J. Bailey v. United States Fourth Circuit 2023-04-25 Denied Response WaivedIFP 18-usc-3582 abuse-of-discretion concepcion-precedent concepcion-v-united-states criminal-justice-reform criminal-sentencing district-court-discretion first-step-act precedent sentence-reduction sentencing Whether the district court abused its discretion in denying petitioner's motion for a sentence reduction under the First Step Act
22-6149 Edgar Arellano v. California California 2022-11-23 Denied IFP assistance-of-counsel constitutional-rights criminal-justice-reform effective-assistance-of-counsel fourteenth-amendment mitigating-evidence senate-bill-1333 sentencing sentencing-hearing sixth-amendment Whether a re-sentencing hearing under the new First Step Act entitles a defendant to the right to effective assistance of counsel under the Sixth and …
22-6141 Eric Lamont Wade v. United States Fourth Circuit 2022-11-22 Denied Response WaivedIFP abuse-of-discretion concepcion-ruling concepcion-v-united-states criminal-justice-reform district-court-discretion due-process first-step-act section-404(c) sentence-reduction sentencing Whether the district court abused its discretion by failing to comply with Section 404 (c) of the First Step Act of 2018
22-5934 Gemar Morgan v. United States Sixth Circuit 2022-10-28 Denied Response WaivedIFP compassionate-release constitutional-due-process covid-19 criminal-justice-reform first-step-act health-conditions judicial-discretion retroactive-application sentence-modification sentencing-reform sentencing-reform-act statutory-interpretation Whether the district court erred in denying the petitioner's motion for compassionate release under the First Step Act, in light of the petitioner's h…
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 Whether the 'and' in 18 U.S.C. § 3553(f)(1) means 'and' or 'or' for determining eligibility for the federal sentencing 'safety valve
22-5253 Dennis Charles Helmer v. United States Eighth Circuit 2022-08-02 Denied Response WaivedIFP 18-usc-3582 circuit-split compassionate-release covid-19 criminal-justice-reform first-step-act medical-care sentencing-discretion sentencing-guidelines Whether the District Court erred in denying relief to Petitioner's 18 U.S.C. 3582(c)(1)(A)(i) motion based on the applicability of 18 U.S.C. 3553(a)(2…
22-5156 Wilbert McKreith v. United States Eleventh Circuit 2022-07-22 Denied Response WaivedIFP compassionate-release criminal-justice-reform criminal-sentencing district-court-authority first-step-act judicial-authority sentencing sentencing-commission statutory-interpretation Do district courts have authority to grant compassionate release under 18 U.S.C. 3582(c)(1)(A)
21-7463 James Edward Sandford, III v. United States Second Circuit 2022-03-25 Denied Response WaivedRelisted (2)IFP appellate-review criminal-justice criminal-justice-reform judicial-discretion post-conviction-relief prison-population rehabilitation sentencing supervisory-power supreme-court-power When should a court consider a defendant's post-sentencing rehabilitation
21-1274 Bobby Lee Ingram v. United States Eleventh Circuit 2022-03-21 GVR Relisted (4) criminal-justice-reform district-court-discretion first-step-act judicial-discretion legal-developments retroactivity sentencing sentencing-reduction statutory-interpretation Whether a district court must or may consider intervening legal developments when deciding whether to impose a reduced sentence under Section 404(b) o…
21-7368 Antwan Boyd v. United States Eleventh Circuit 2022-03-15 GVR Relisted (2)IFP criminal-justice-reform district-court-discretion first-step-act intervening-legal-developments legal-developments retroactivity sentencing sentencing-reduction statutory-interpretation Whether a district court must or may consider intervening legal developments when deciding whether to impose a reduced sentence under Section 404(b) o…
21-7270 Karo Brown v. United States Second Circuit 2022-03-04 Denied IFP circuit-split criminal-justice-reform criminal-procedure first-step-act legal-developments retroactivity sentencing sentencing-reduction statutory-interpretation Whether a district court must or may consider intervening legal developments when deciding whether to impose a reduced sentence under Section 404(b) o…
21-7238 Holli Wrice v. United States Seventh Circuit 2022-03-01 Denied Response WaivedIFP 18-usc-3582 3553(a)-factors compassionate-release congressional-intent criminal-justice-reform criminal-procedure extraordinary-and-compelling extraordinary-circumstances retroactive-sentencing sentencing-reduction sentencing-reform statutory-interpretation Whether district courts can reduce a defendant's sentence based on the reason that the defendant is serving a sentence for an offense for which the pe…
21-7219 Lorenzo Suttles v. United States Sixth Circuit 2022-02-28 Denied Response WaivedIFP 18-usc-3582 compassionate-release criminal-justice-reform criminal-procedure federal-courts first-step-act miscarriage-of-justice sentencing-reduction sentencing-reform statutory-interpretation Whether a pre-FSA defendant's circumstances changed by Congress's clarification of §924(c) may constitute extraordinary and compelling reasons for com…
21-6753 Trevin Nunnally, aka Rick v. United States Eleventh Circuit 2022-01-04 GVR Relisted (3)IFP apprendi cocaine-distribution constitutional-law constitutional-precedent criminal-justice-reform criminal-statute first-step-act intervening-developments sentencing sentencing-reduction statutory-interpretation Whether a district court must or may consider intervening legal and factual developments when deciding to impose a reduced sentence under the First St…
21-6739 Anthony Harris v. United States Second Circuit 2021-12-29 GVR Relisted (2)IFP covered-offense criminal-justice-reform district-court-discretion factual-developments first-step-act intervening-developments legal-developments retroactivity sentencing sentencing-reduction statutory-interpretation Whether a district court must or may consider intervening legal and factual developments before imposing a reduced sentence on an individual found eli…
21-6426 Lee Dale White v. United States Fifth Circuit 2021-11-24 Denied IFP appellate-review criminal-justice-reform first-step-act section-404 sentencing substantive-reasonableness Whether a district court's denial of a motion for relief from under Section 404 of the First Step Act is subject to substantive reasonableness review?
21-6224 Tony Ford v. United States Eleventh Circuit 2021-11-10 GVR Relisted (3)IFP criminal-justice-reform criminal-resentencing district-court-discretion first-step-act intervening-legal-developments legal-developments retroactivity sentencing sentencing-reduction statutory-interpretation Whether a district court must or may consider intervening legal developments when deciding whether to impose a reduced sentence under Section 404(b) o…
21-6190 Joe Lewis Finley v. United States Fifth Circuit 2021-11-04 Denied IFP appellate-review criminal-justice-reform first-step-act section-404 sentencing substantive-reasonableness Whether a district court's denial of a motion for relief from under Section 404 of the First Step Act is subject to substantive reasonableness review?
21-6160 Dennis Dean Smith v. United States Eighth Circuit 2021-11-03 Denied Response WaivedIFP 8th-amendment civil-rights criminal-justice-reform cruel-and-unusual-punishment due-process equal-protection first-step-act prior-convictions retroactive-sentencing sentencing sentencing-guidelines substantial-changes Has the Eighth Amendment's prohibition on cruel and unusual punishment required the Supreme Court to remedy it in the case where persons similarly sit…
21-546 Michael G. Harper, aka Cuban Mike v. United States Eleventh Circuit 2021-10-13 GVR Relisted (2) criminal-justice-reform criminal-resentencing district-court district-court-discretion first-step-act intervening-legal-developments legal-developments reduced-sentence sentencing sentencing-reduction statutory-interpretation Whether, when deciding if it should 'impose a reduced sentence' on an individual under Section 404(b) of the First Step Act of 2018, a district court …
20-7737 Marjuan Shondell Fleming v. United States Sixth Circuit 2021-04-14 Denied Response WaivedIFP circuit-split constitutional-rights crack-cocaine criminal-justice-reform criminal-procedure first-step-act post-conviction right-to-counsel sentence-enhancement sentencing sixth-amendment statutory-interpretation Whether the First, Fourth, and Sixth Circuits have erred in their interpretation of the 'covered offense' provision of the First Step Act of 2018, inv…
20-6953 Dwyne Byron Deruise, aka Duke v. United States Eleventh Circuit 2021-01-26 Denied IFP career-offender circuit-split criminal-justice-reform discretion discretionary-review first-step-act resentencing sentencing-guidelines Whether a district court that chooses to conduct a resentencing under § 404 of the First Step Act is prohibited from considering a defendant's current…
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…
20-6316 Mickey Pubien v. United States Eleventh Circuit 2020-11-13 Denied Response WaivedIFP circuit-split criminal-justice-reform criminal-resentencing discretion first-step-act penalty-reduction sentencing sentencing-discretion statutory-interpretation What the district court may appropriately consider when imposing a reduced sentence pursuant to § 404 of the First Step Act of 2018 remains an unsettl…
20-6148 Smith Merinord v. United States Fourth Circuit 2020-10-28 Denied Response WaivedIFP 18-usc-924c 924(c)-statute brandishing criminal-justice-reform direct-appeal firearms-offense first-step-act hobbs-act sentencing statutory-interpretation Whether the First Step Act applies to cases pending on direct appeal at the time of its enactment
19-8403 Juan Miguel Lopez v. Stuart Sherman, Warden Ninth Circuit 2020-05-05 Denied IFP appellate-jurisdiction constitutional-review criminal-justice-reform criminal-procedure criminal-sentencing due-process equal-protection judicial-oversight jurisdictional-challenge retroactivity sentencing-review Whether the Court can exercise its encompassing jurisdiction to redress the imposition of a disproportionate amount of time added to a primary base te…
19-8312 Lazaro Candelaria v. United States Eleventh Circuit 2020-04-20 Denied Response WaivedIFP criminal-justice-reform criminal-procedure first-step-act ineffective-assistance ineffective-assistance-of-counsel plea-agreement plea-bargaining prior-convictions sentencing sentencing-enhancement shepard-documentation Whether the First Step Act of U.S. Senate Bill 756 applies to the Petitioner
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 What procedures does Section 404 of the First Step Act require a district court to follow when conducting its statutorily required 'complete review of…
19-7930 Roderick Pearson v. United States Eleventh Circuit 2020-03-10 Denied Response WaivedIFP appeal appellate-procedure criminal-justice-reform criminal-law criminal-sentencing due-process finality first-step-act judicial-review retroactivity sentencing statutory-interpretation Whether certiorari should be granted to vacate the decision below and remand to the Eleventh Circuit to consider whether § 403 of the First Step Act o…
19-7528 David Lee Smith v. Rick Jackson Fourth Circuit 2020-02-03 Denied Response WaivedIFP civil-rights criminal-justice-reform criminal-procedure due-process habeas-corpus incarceration innocence-claim legal-release parole recidivism rehabilitation sentencing Whether TS Appellant is entitled to release on his own recognizance after demonstrating all conditions for release
19-7420 In Re Adrean Francis 2020-01-27 Denied IFP criminal-justice-reform criminal-justice-system drug-crime due-process equal-protection full-faith-and-credit habeas-corpus second-amendment sentencing-enhancement state-sovereignty statutory-interpretation youthful-offender Whether the continued application of a vacated New York 'Youthful Offender' conviction constitutes an illegal sentence and creates separate classes of…
19-6255 Kunta Kenta Redd v. United States Fourth Circuit 2019-10-11 Denied Response WaivedIFP crack-cocaine crack-cocaine-sentencing criminal-justice-reform due-process first-step-act retroactivity section-404 sentencing-disparity sentencing-guidelines sentencing-reform sixth-amendment statutory-interpretation Whether the petitioner is entitled to relief from denial of a 404 motion at the district court level in light of the First Step Act
18-9431 William Maurice Smith v. United States Ninth Circuit 2019-05-28 Denied Response RequestedResponse WaivedRelisted (2)IFP criminal-justice-reform criminal-procedure criminal-procedure-retroactivity,sentencing-reform drug-distribution due-process first-step-act griffith-v-kentucky ninth-circuit ninth-circuit-review resentencing retroactive-application retroactivity sentencing sentencing-reform statutory-interpretation Does Griffith v. Kentucky, 479 U.S. 314, (1987) apply to First Step Act of 2018?