sentencing-reduction

109 cases — ← All topics

Case Title Lower Court Docketed Status Flags Tags Question Presented
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…
25-6568 James Dorelus v. United States Eleventh Circuit 2026-01-13 Pending Response WaivedIFP constitutional-rights double-jeopardy drug-trafficking firearm-offense safety-valve sentencing-reduction Where a defendant pleads guilty to the crime of carrying a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime in violation of 18 USC § 924(c)(…
25-5848 Cedric Milburn v. United States Fifth Circuit 2025-10-09 Denied Response WaivedIFP circuit-split criminal-procedure due-process government-cooperation rule-35b sentencing-reduction There is a conflict among the United States Courts of Appeals regarding the proper interpretation of Federal Rue of Criminal Procedure 35(b). The que…
25-81 Lois Jochinto Orta v. United States, et al. Sixth Circuit 2025-07-22 Pending circuit-split district-court-discretion extraordinary-compelling-reasons first-step-act sentencing-reduction statutory-interpretation Whether, as four circuits permit but six others prohibit, a district court may consider disparities created by the First Step Act's prospective change…
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…
24-6784 Jose Sanchez Adame v. United States Eighth Circuit 2025-03-17 Denied Response WaivedIFP 18-usc-3582 due-process equal-protection guideline-amendment pro-se-petition sentencing-reduction Whether a district court may deny a Retroactive Amendment Reduction under 18 USC § 3582(c)(2) based solely on documents on the record that the defenda…
24-6730 Richard David Degout v. United States Fourth Circuit 2025-03-10 Denied Response WaivedIFP constitutional-law criminal-procedure drug-offenses due-process first-step-act sentencing-reduction Whether a criminal defendant convicted of CCE Murder based on offenses punishable under 21 U.S.C. §841(b)(1)(A) should be entitled to a sentence reduc…
24-6603 Michael Lee Gordon v. United States Sixth Circuit 2025-02-20 Denied Response WaivedIFP compassionate-release criminal-procedure first-step-act retroactive-application sentencing-reduction statutory-interpretation Whether the 'reduced' penalties amended in the First Step Act of 2018 should be applied retroactively to cases prior to the amendment and whether such…
24-820 Daniel Rutherford v. United States Third Circuit 2025-02-03 Granted Amici (7)Relisted (2) circuit-split compassionate-release extraordinary-compelling-reasons first-step-act sentencing-reduction statutory-interpretation Whether a district court may consider disparities created by the First Step Act's prospective changes in sentencing law when deciding if 'extraordinar…
24-6260 Chris Walker v. United States Fifth Circuit 2025-01-10 Denied Response WaivedIFP fair-sentencing-act fifth-circuit-standard first-step-act intervening-changes legal-review sentencing-reduction Is the Fifth Circuit's definition of a 'complete review' under Section 404 consistent with this Court's decision in Concepcion?
24-6131 Kristopher Jacob Freda v. Oregon Oregon 2024-12-12 Denied Response WaivedIFP bureau-of-prisons compassionate-release discretionary-relief extraordinary-circumstances first-step-act sentencing-reduction Whether a district court may reduce a defendant's sentence under the First Step Act's compassionate release provision based on extraordinary and compe…
24-6126 Joel S. Elliott v. United States Tenth Circuit 2024-12-11 Pending Response RequestedResponse WaivedRelisted (3)IFP circuit-split discretionary-sentence extraordinary-compelling-reasons federal-criminal-law sentencing-reduction statutory-interpretation Whether a combination of 'extraordinary and compelling reasons' under 18 U.S.C. § 3582(c)(1)(A) can include reasons also alleged as grounds for vacatu…
24-6072 John Rogers v. United States Ninth Circuit 2024-12-04 Denied Response WaivedIFP criminal-procedure defendant-conduct Does U.S.S.G. §3E1.1 apply when a defendant has vo plea-agreement sentencing-guidelines sentencing-reduction voluntary-termination Whether the two clauses in 18 U.S.C. §924(c) creates two separate crimes or a single crime and whether the conflation of the elements of the two disti…
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…
24-50 Marlo Helmstetter v. United States Fifth Circuit 2024-07-17 Denied Response Waived 18-usc-3553a 18-usc-3582 compassionate-release concepcion-v-united-states district-court-discretion extraordinary-and-compelling-reasons extraordinary-reasons sentencing-commission sentencing-reduction statutory-interpretation Whether the procedural approach adopted by several circuit courts of considering only the 18 U.S.C. §3553(a) factors, without first determining whethe…
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…
23-1150 Corey Deyon Duffey and Jarvis Dupree Ross v. United States Fifth Circuit 2024-04-23 Judgment Issued Relisted (2) appellate-review circuit-split criminal-resentencing criminal-sentencing first-step-act judicial-resentencing judicial-vacatur retroactivity sentencing-reduction statutory-interpretation Whether the First Step Act's sentencing reduction provisions apply to a defendant originally sentenced before the First Step Act's enactment when that…
23-7196 Adam Carson v. United States Sixth Circuit 2024-04-10 Denied Response WaivedRelisted (2)IFP constitutional-rights first-impression ineffective-assistance ineffective-assistance-of-counsel lafler-v-cooper missouri-v-frye plea-bargaining plea-offer sentencing-reduction sixth-amendment Whether the panel's opinion violated the defendant's Sixth Amendment right by failing to accept the government's plea proposal
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…
23-890 In Re Batia Zareh 2024-02-20 Denied Response Waived bilingual-election bilingual-requirements circuit-split compassionate-release constitutional-discrimination constitutional-law due-process election-law election-requirements equal-protection equal-protection 23-88" extraordinary-compelling-reasons first-step-act language-minority mandatory-minimum-sentence national-origin sentencing-reduction voting-rights Whether non-retroactive changes in law can be 'ext Whether the Bilingual Election Requirements (52 U.S.C. §10503) of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 (52 U.S.C. §10301, et. sec.) are unconstitutional
23-6600 Richard Daniel v. United States Eleventh Circuit 2024-01-29 Denied Response WaivedIFP circuit-split covered-offense discretionary-sentencing fair-sentencing-act first-step-act sentencing-discretion sentencing-package-doctrine sentencing-reduction Whether a district court can impose a reduced sentence for both covered and non-covered offenses under the First Step Act
23-6466 Edgar Lerma Flores, aka Carlos Alberto Penuelas Rodriguez, aka Carlos Alberto Pencelas Rodriguez v. United States Sixth Circuit 2024-01-11 Denied Response WaivedIFP 18-usc-3582 abuse-of-discretion extraordinary-compelling-reason extraordinary-reason guideline-ranges methamphetamine-disparity methamphetamine-purity sentencing-guidelines sentencing-reduction sixth-circuit Whether the disparity in Guideline ranges for offenses involving pure methamphetamine and those involving a mixture of methamphetamine can be consider…
23-6445 Calvin Solomon v. United States Eleventh Circuit 2024-01-09 Denied Response WaivedIFP apprendi-v-new-jersey crack-cocaine-law crack-cocaine-sentencing discretionary-review eleventh-circuit first-step-act judicial-discretion sentencing-guidelines sentencing-reduction Whether the Eleventh Circuit's unique interpretation of the First Step Act's eligibility and discretionary steps is correct
23-555 Louis A. Wilson v. United States District of Columbia 2023-11-22 Denied 18-usc-3582 circuit-split concepcion-v-united-states extraordinary-and-compelling-reasons extraordinary-reasons habeas habeas-corpus non-retroactive-law sentencing-commission sentencing-reduction u-s-sentencing-commission Can non-retroactive changes in the law constitute 'extraordinary and compelling reasons' authorizing a district court to reduce a prisoner's sentence …
23-6098 Ricardo Dinnall v. United States Fourth Circuit 2023-11-22 Denied Response WaivedIFP appellate-review criminal-justice criminal-procedure district-court federal-sentencing first-step-act judicial-discretion sentencing-reduction sentencing-reform statutory-interpretation Whether Concepcion v. United States, 142 S. Ct. 2389 (2022), requires district courts to consider all nonfrivolous arguments raised by the patties in …
23-354 Wolfgang Von Vader v. United States Seventh Circuit 2023-10-03 Denied Response Waived 18-usc-3582 changes-in-law criminal-sentencing extraordinary-and-compelling-reasons extraordinary-circumstances federal-criminal-law judicial-discretion sentence-modification sentence-reduction sentencing-reduction statutory-interpretation Whether courts may consider changes in the law in assessing whether 'extraordinary and compelling reasons' warrant a sentence reduction under section …
23-341 Bobby Lee Ingram v. United States Eleventh Circuit 2023-10-02 Denied Relisted (2) apprendi-v-new-jersey concepcion-v-united-states drug-quantity eleventh-circuit fair-sentencing-act first-step-act sentencing sentencing-reduction statutory-penalty terry-v-united-states Whether the Eleventh Circuit has violated Terry in holding that, at step one, district courts should disregard the 'elements' of a defendant's offense…
23-5556 William L. Gladney v. United States Tenth Circuit 2023-09-12 Denied IFP circuit-split crack-cocaine federal-sentencing first-step-act offense-grouping rico sentencing sentencing-reduction statutory-interpretation May district courts reduce the sentence of those convicted of covered and non-covered offenses under the First Step Act, when the offenses intertwined…
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)
23-5228 Patrick Frederick Williams v. United States Eleventh Circuit 2023-07-27 Denied Response WaivedIFP abuse-of-discretion appellate-review circuit-split first-step-act procedural-reasonableness section-404 sentencing-reduction substantive-reasonableness Whether appellate review for 'abuse of discretion' of a district court's denial of a sentence reduction under Section 404(b) of the First Step Act req…
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…
23-5170 Peter Robert Jordan, aka Richard Mercer v. United States Fourth Circuit 2023-07-21 Denied Response WaivedIFP aggregate-sentence covered-counts criminal-law criminal-sentencing federal-sentencing first-step-act judicial-discretion non-covered-counts sentencing-reduction statutory-interpretation Whether Section 404(b) of the First Step Act authorizes the lower courts to impose a reduced aggregate sentence on both covered and non-covered counts…
23-27 Michael Harper v. United States Eleventh Circuit 2023-07-10 Denied apprendi-v-new-jersey circuit-split criminal-resentencing drug-quantity fair-sentencing-act first-step-act judicial-discretion sentencing sentencing-reduction statutory-penalty terry-v-united-states Whether the Eleventh Circuit has violated Terry in holding that, at step one, district courts should disregard the 'elements' of a defendant's offense…
23-5014 Jamie Williams v. United States Eleventh Circuit 2023-07-03 Denied Response RequestedResponse WaivedRelisted (2)IFP apprendi apprendi-rule crack-cocaine-law crack-cocaine-sentencing discretionary-relief eleventh-circuit first-step-act judicial-discretion sentencing-facts sentencing-reduction Do this Court's First Step Act precedents admit of the uniquely Eleventh Circuit's intermediate step whereby, for the discrete group of individuals st…
22-1239 Michael Jerome Files v. United States Eleventh Circuit 2023-06-26 Denied Response RequestedResponse WaivedRelisted (2) concurrent-sentences crack-cocaine crack-cocaine-offenses district-court-discretion first-step-act powder-cocaine sentencing sentencing-reduction statutory-interpretation Does Section 404 of the First Step Act authorize district courts to impose a reduced sentence for both crack-cocaine offenses and related offenses tha…
22-7791 Clark Downs v. United States Eleventh Circuit 2023-06-15 Denied Response WaivedIFP 15-year-old circuit-court-review criminal-procedure drug-offense federal-sentencing interstate-commerce safety-valve sentencing-guidelines sentencing-reduction sexual-exploitation visual-depiction WHETHER THE EVIDENCE WAS LEGALLY INSUFFICIENT AS TO THE INTERSTATE COMMERCE ELEMENT ON COUNT ONE, WHICH CHARGED SEXUAL EXPLOITATION OF A FIFTEEN YEAR …
22-7792 Diante Turman v. United States Eighth Circuit 2023-06-15 Denied IFP appellate-review armed-career-criminal-act circuit-court-review circuit-split controlled-substance-offense criminal-conviction criminal-procedure district-court-discretion drug-offense drug-schedule drug-schedules federal-sentencing federal-sentencing federal-sentencing 22-7791" mcneill-precedent mcneill-v-united-states safety-valve sentencing-guidelines sentencing-reduction Whether the district court erred at sentencing in Does McNeill require courts to define 'controlled substance offenses' under Section 4B1.2(b) to include convictions under laws encompassing substances…
22-7728 Warren Lavell Jackson v. United States Eleventh Circuit 2023-06-08 Denied Response RequestedResponse WaivedRelisted (2)IFP apprendi-rule apprendi-v-new-jersey concepcion-v-united-states crack-cocaine-law crack-cocaine-sentencing discretionary-relief eleventh-circuit first-step-act sentencing-reduction terry-v-united-states Whether the Eleventh Circuit's unique interpretation of the First Step Act conflicts with Supreme Court precedents
22-7734 Christopher Alexander v. United States Fifth Circuit 2023-06-08 Denied Response WaivedIFP constitutional-law criminal-procedure due-process first-step-act resentencing sentencing sentencing-reduction statutory-interpretation Whether a Reduction of Sentence, Pursuant to Section 404 of the 'First Step Act of 2018, requires a Plenary Resentencing to provide procedural and sub…
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…
22-6137 Bryan Thornton v. United States Third Circuit 2022-11-22 Denied Response WaivedIFP criminal-procedure criminal-sentencing district-court first-step-act intervening-legal-developments legal-developments retroactivity section-404(b) sentencing-reduction statutory-interpretation Whether a district court must or may consider intervening legal developments when deciding to impose a reduced sentence under the First Step Act of 20…
22-5470 Larry Marlowe Chambers v. United States Sixth Circuit 2022-08-30 Denied IFP appellate-review concepcion-v-united-states criminal-resentencing district-court first-step-act judicial-discretion remand sentencing-reduction statutory-interpretation Whether a district court commits reversible error by issuing contradictory analyses for reductions under § 404 of the First Step Act without clear exp…
21-7859 Brandis Nicole Fish v. United States Tenth Circuit 2022-05-13 Denied Response WaivedIFP 18-usc-3553 18-usc-3582 compassionate-release district-court-review first-time-offender medical-records non-violent-offender sentence-reduction sentencing-reduction statutory-interpretation ussg-guidelines Did the district court thoroughly review petitioner's request for compassionate release?
21-1414 Barton Ray Crandall v. United States Eighth Circuit 2022-05-04 Denied Response Waived 18-usc-3582(c)(1)(A) 18-usc-924(c) criminal-law criminal-procedure criminal-sentencing extraordinary-and-compelling-reasons extraordinary-circumstances federal-sentencing judicial-discretion sentence-reduction 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 …
21-7700 Ronald Hunter v. United States Sixth Circuit 2022-04-26 Denied Response WaivedIFP 18-usc-3582 criminal-sentencing district-court district-court-discretion extraordinary-and-compelling extraordinary-compelling-reasons rehabilitation sentencing-guidelines sentencing-law sentencing-reduction statutory-interpretation Whether a district court may consider changes in sentencing law as a possible 'extraordinary and compelling' reason warranting a sentence reduction un…
21-7701 Francisco Rosales Hernandez v. United States Ninth Circuit 2022-04-26 Denied Response WaivedIFP advisory-guidelines advisory-range criminal-procedure district-court extraordinary-compelling-reasons judicial-discretion molina-martinez-v-united-states ninth-circuit plain-error remand remand 21-7700" rosales-mireles-v-united-states sentencing-guidelines sentencing-law sentencing-reduction statutory-interpretation Whether a district court may consider nonretroacti When should a case be remanded for resentencing under the plain-error standard of review if the district court failed to announce its calculation of t…
21-7674 Jamie Allen v. United States Fourth Circuit 2022-04-21 Denied Response WaivedIFP appellate-review criminal-procedure criminal-sentencing district-court due-process fourth-circuit reversible-error sentencing-guidelines sentencing-reduction statutory-interpretation Whether the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals erred by refusing to hear Mr. Allen's meritorious claims that the district court committed reversible erro…
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…
21-1208 Eric Andrews v. United States Third Circuit 2022-03-04 Denied Response Waived 18-usc-3582 18-usc-924c circuit-split criminal-sentencing district-court-discretion extraordinary-and-compelling-reasons first-step-act section-924(c) sentence-reduction 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 …
21-7270 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…
21-7086 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 …
21-7054 Ervin Walker, Jr. v. United States Eleventh Circuit 2022-02-03 Denied Response WaivedIFP 18-usc-3553 18-usc-3582 abuse-of-discretion compassionate-release criminal-procedure district-court-discretion sentencing-factors sentencing-guidelines sentencing-reduction ussg-1b1.13 Whether the District Court abused its discretion in denying Petitioner's Motion for Compassionate Release
21-6941 Tracy Vaughn v. United States Eighth Circuit 2022-01-21 Denied Relisted (3)IFP 18-usc-3553(a) 18-usc-3553a crack-cocaine criminal-resentencing criminal-sentencing district-court-discretion first-step-act sentencing-factors sentencing-reduction statutory-interpretation Whether a district court must consider 18 U.S.C. § 3553(a) sentencing factors in deciding to impose a reduced sentence for a crack cocaine offense und…
21-6786 Semaji Warren v. United States Seventh Circuit 2022-01-10 Denied Response WaivedIFP 18-USC-3582(c) 18-usc-3582c1a1 18-USC-924(c) 18-usc-924c circuit-split criminal-law extraordinary-and-compelling-reasons first-step-act sentence-reduction 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 …
21-6753 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…
21-905 Nathaniel Rimpson, III, Charles Scott, and Carl Buggs v. United States Seventh Circuit 2021-12-20 Denied Response Waived 18-usc-3582c1a 18-usc-924c circuit-split criminal-law criminal-sentencing extraordinary-circumstances federal-sentencing sentence-reduction 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 …
21-6594 James A. Hald, et al. v. United States Tenth Circuit 2021-12-15 Denied Response RequestedResponse WaivedRelisted (2)IFP compassionate-release criminal-justice-system criminal-procedure district-court-discretion due-process extraordinary-reasons federal-prisoner-rights federal-prisons sentencing sentencing-reduction statutory-interpretation Whether, under 18 U.S.C. § 3582(c)(1)(A), a district court must first determine whether 'extraordinary-and-compelling-reasons' warrant such a reductio…
21-884 Blake Fields v. United States First Circuit 2021-12-15 GVR Relisted (2) criminal-procedure district-court factual-developments first-step-act intervening-factual-developments intervening-legal-developments legal-developments reduced-sentence 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…
21-877 Ross Thacker v. United States Seventh Circuit 2021-12-14 Denied 18-usc-3582c1a 18-usc-924c circuit-split criminal-law criminal-sentencing extraordinary-and-compelling-reasons federal-procedure first-step-act 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 …
21-6575 Nathaniel Fields v. United States Eleventh Circuit 2021-12-10 GVR Relisted (2)IFP circuit-split criminal-resentencing district-court-discretion first-step-act intervening-legal-developments legal-developments reduced-sentence 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…
21-6376 Antonio Soul Gonzalez v. United States Eleventh Circuit 2021-11-23 GVR Relisted (2)IFP circuit-split criminal-resentencing eligibility first-step-act judicial-discretion resentencing sentencing sentencing-guidelines sentencing-reduction statutory-interpretation Whether a district court must calculate a defendant's sentencing range under current law when deciding whether to impose a reduced sentence under the …
21-767 Clinton Williams v. United States Seventh Circuit 2021-11-23 Denied Amici (1) 18-usc-3582(c)(1)(a) 18-usc-924(c) circuit-split criminal-law extraordinary-and-compelling-reasons extraordinary-circumstances federal-sentencing first-step-act judicial-discretion sentence-reduction 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 …
21-6224 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…
21-690 Rodney Earl Cannady, aka Camp Earl v. United States Fourth Circuit 2021-11-09 Denied career-offender cocaine-base-offense criminal-sentencing fair-sentencing-act first-step-act plain-error retroactive-amendment retroactivity sentencing-reduction Did the district court err by denying defendant Cannady relief pursuant to the retroactive First Step Act of 2018 and Fair Sentencing Act of 2010
21-6107 Thomas Johnson v. United States Eleventh Circuit 2021-10-27 Denied Relisted (3)IFP criminal-procedure criminal-resentencing district-court-discretion factual-developments fair-sentencing-act first-step-act legal-developments presidential-commutation 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…
21-568 Jason Jarvis v. United States Sixth Circuit 2021-10-19 Denied Amici (1) criminal-law criminal-procedure extraordinary-and-compelling-reasons extraordinary-circumstances federal-law federal-law-change judicial-discretion retroactivity sentencing sentencing-reduction statutory-interpretation Whether non-retroactive changes in federal law can serve as 'extraordinary and compelling reasons' warranting a sentence reduction under 18 U.S.C. § 3…
21-6007 Carlton Potts, aka Pep v. United States Eleventh Circuit 2021-10-19 Denied Relisted (3)IFP appellate-review criminal-resentencing criminal-sentencing district-court district-court-discretion factual-developments fair-sentencing-act first-step-act legal-developments 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…
21-551 John J. Watford v. United States Seventh Circuit 2021-10-14 Denied Amici (2) 18-usc-3582(c)(1)(a) 18-usc-924(c) 18-USC-924c circuit-split criminal-law extraordinary-and-compelling-reasons extraordinary-circumstances federal-sentencing sentence-reduction 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 …
21-546 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 …
21-5874 Warren Lavell Jackson v. United States Eleventh Circuit 2021-10-04 GVR Relisted (3)IFP apprendi-rule apprendi-v-new-jersey constitutional-law constitutional-precedent covered-offense criminal-sentencing fair-sentencing-act first-step-act sentencing-reduction statutory-interpretation Whether the 'as if' language in Section 404(b) of the First Step Act requires a sentencing court to disregard intervening, but well-established consti…
21-5787 In Re Randall Thomas McArty 2021-09-24 Dismissed IFP civil-rights compassionate-release criminal-procedure due-process extraordinary-circumstances federal-procedure federal-sentencing habeas-corpus parole sentencing sentencing-reduction statutory-interpretation Whether 28 U.S.C. §2254 would function as a recognition of habeas corpus jurisdiction, declaring judgment and injunctive relief to enjoin respondents'…
21-5723 Juan Manuel Pardo-Oseguera v. United States Fifth Circuit 2021-09-20 Denied Response WaivedIFP criminal-procedure plain-error presentence-report safety-valve sentencing sentencing-reduction statutory-minimum weapons-enhancement Whether the failure to include a safety-valve reduction is a plain error that should be corrected by the district court and appellate court
21-5671 Vicente Corona v. United States Sixth Circuit 2021-09-14 Denied IFP 18-usc-3553 18-usc-3582 compassionate-release criminal-sentencing extraordinary-compelling-reasons sentencing-disparities sentencing-reduction sentencing-reform statutory-interpretation Whether 'Extraordinary and Compelling Reasons' to Reduce a Defendant's Sentence under 18 U.S.C. § 3582(c)(1)(A)(i) may be based on any Factor a Court …
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-relief
21-5104 John G. Tomes, Jr. v. United States Sixth Circuit 2021-07-14 Denied Response RequestedResponse WaivedRelisted (2)IFP 18-usc-3582 compassionate-release criminal-justice criminal-procedure due-process extraordinary-circumstances judicial-discretion sentencing-disparities sentencing-guidelines sentencing-reduction sentencing-reform statutory-interpretation Whether 'Extraordinary and Compelling Reasons' to Reduce a Defendant's Sentence under 18 U.S.C. § 3582(c)(1)(A)(i) may be based on any Factor a Court …
20-8400 Daryl Wendell Barley v. United States Fourth Circuit 2021-06-24 Denied Response WaivedIFP clear-and-convincing-evidence criminal-procedure effective-assistance-of-counsel evidence-standard first-step-act preponderance-of-evidence relevant-conduct sec-404 sentencing-reduction sixth-amendment Whether the 'clear and convincing evidence standard' should be used instead of the 'preponderance of evidence standard' when determining the relevant …
20-8194 Irvin Moreno v. DeWayne Hendrix, Warden Ninth Circuit 2021-06-02 Denied Response WaivedIFP administrative-procedure-act bureau-of-prisons drug-trafficking nonviolent-offense sentence-reduction sentencing-reduction statutory-interpretation supervised-release Whether the BOP violated the plain meaning of the relevant sentencing statutes and regulations by categorically disqualifying a prisoner convicted of …
20-1653 Lazelle Maxwell v. United States Sixth Circuit 2021-05-27 Denied Relisted (2) circuit-split criminal-sentencing first-step-act legal-developments procedural-history resentencing 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…
20-1650 Carlos Concepcion v. United States First Circuit 2021-05-26 Judgment Issued Amici (10) circuit-split criminal-procedure criminal-resentencing factual-developments first-step-act legal-developments resentencing 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…
20-7887 Ronnie Spells v. United States Second Circuit 2021-04-29 Denied Response WaivedIFP crack-cocaine discretion first-step-act judicial-discretion mandatory-minimums racial-disparities sentencing sentencing-reduction statutory-interpretation systemic-racism Whether District Court Judge Castel and the Second Circuit Appeals Court perpetuated continued systemic racism by contending that Congress left out th…
20-7832 Chadwick Marvin Thompson v. United States Fifth Circuit 2021-04-22 Denied Response WaivedIFP 18-usc-3582 compassionate-release criminal-procedure extraordinary-circumstances federal-sentencing judicial-discretion sentencing sentencing-reduction statutory-interpretation What qualifies as 'extraordinary and compelling circumstances' under a Motion for Compassionate release, 18 U.S.C. 3582(c)(1) (A)?
20-7068 Jerry Davis v. United States Fourth Circuit 2021-02-05 Denied Response WaivedIFP civil-rights conspiracy criminal-procedure discretionary-sentencing drug-convictions drug-crimes due-process first-step-act sentencing sentencing-reduction statutory-interpretation Whether the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals created a circuit split by declining to find that the defendant's conviction for a mixed crack and powder co…
20-6819 Frantz Sterlin v. United States Eleventh Circuit 2021-01-11 Denied Response WaivedIFP criminal-justice criminal-sentencing eligibility fair-sentencing-act first-step-act section-404 sentence-reduction sentencing-reduction u.s.-senate-bill-756 Whether Petitioner was eligible for a First Step Act reduction of his sentence
20-6243 Okeiba Sadio v. United States Second Circuit 2020-11-06 Denied Response WaivedIFP civil-rights constitutional-rights covered-offense criminal-procedure drug-distribution due-process first-step-act sentencing sentencing-reduction sixth-amendment statutory-penalties Whether the Second Circuit Court of Appeals erred in dismissing Mr. Sadio's constitutional right to due process, when clearly Mr. Sadio is eligible fo…
20-466 Larry Williams v. United States Sixth Circuit 2020-10-09 Denied Response Waived booker-decision departure-or-variance discretionary-guidelines First-Step-Act judicial-discretion rational-basis sentence-reduction sentencing-guidelines sentencing-reduction U.S.-v.-Booker Scope-and-limits-of-district-court-discretion-in-denying-unopposed-motion-for-sentence-reduction-under-First-Step-Act
20-5469 Alfonzo Traymayne Lee v. United States Eighth Circuit 2020-08-24 Denied Response WaivedIFP civil-rights constitutional-rights discretion due-process equal-protection first-step-act judicial-discretion sentencing sentencing-reduction statutory-interpretation Whether giving the District court discretion to grant or deny a sentencing reduction pursuant to the First Step Act of 2018 violates the Petitioner's …
20-5323 Alfred Domenick Wright v. United States Fourth Circuit 2020-08-11 Denied Response WaivedIFP criminal-procedure fair-sentencing-act government-error ineffective-assistance-of-counsel judicial-review sentencing-reduction sibron-v-new-york statutory-interpretation substantial-assistance united-states-v-gall Should the Government correct error committed when applying 'The Fair Sentencing Act'
19-8877 Patrick D. Lomas v. United States Fifth Circuit 2020-07-01 Denied Response WaivedIFP abuse-of-discretion criminal-procedure discretion fair-sentencing-act first-step-act judicial-discretion section-404 sentencing sentencing-reduction statutory-interpretation Did the District Court abuse its discretion in denying Petitioner's motion for sentence reduction under the First Step Act and Fair Sentencing Act?
19-8653 Jose Heriberto Ramirez v. United States Fifth Circuit 2020-06-10 Denied Response WaivedIFP constitutional-law constitutional-standards criminal-procedure due-process independent-review judicial-review legal-principles sentence-reduction sentencing-reduction standard-of-review statutory-interpretation Whether independent review is an obligation for the lower court and the appellate court to maintain control of and to clarify the legal principles in …
19-7648 Otis Renaldo Harris v. United States Fourth Circuit 2020-02-12 Denied Response WaivedIFP criminal-justice criminal-procedure discretion discretionary-power district-court due-process equal-protection judicial-review sentencing sentencing-reduction statutory-interpretation Whether the district court abused its discretion when it found that petitioner Harris was not eligible for a sentence reduction under Section 404?
19-7430 Richard L. Bryant v. United States Fourth Circuit 2020-01-27 Denied Response WaivedIFP alleyne apprendi apprendi-alleyne apprendi-alleyne-rule drug-distribution-conspiracy fair-sentencing-act fair-sentencing-act-2010 first-step-act first-step-act-2018 relevant-conduct retroactive-sentencing sentencing-reduction statutory-ranges Whether a defendant convicted of a drug distribution conspiracy involving multiple controlled substances is eligible for a sentence reduction under th…
19-7172 Larry Antonio Simmons v. United States Fourth Circuit 2020-01-06 Denied Response WaivedIFP civil-rights constitutional-interpretation due-process federal-judiciary first-step-act judicial-ethics political-bias sentencing sentencing-reduction standing statutory-interpretation trump Whether the United States District Court for the District of South Carolina violated the judicial code of ethics when they refused to recognize a Cong…
19-6341 Charles Raymond Stagner v. United States Eleventh Circuit 2019-10-22 Denied Response WaivedIFP criminal-intent criminal-procedure drug-crimes due-process evidence-admissibility fifth-amendment intent methamphetamine-possession sentencing sentencing-reduction sufficiency-of-evidence Whether the Fifth Amendment Guarantees the Petitioner the Right to a Judgment of Acquittal If the Government Fails to Prove the Petitioner Intended to…
19-5874 David Kirkland v. United States Third Circuit 2019-09-09 Denied Response WaivedIFP acceptance-of-responsibility constitutional-claim evidentiary-hearing ineffective-assistance ineffective-assistance-of-counsel plea-agreement plea-bargaining prejudice sentencing-reduction sixth-circuit strickland-standard third-circuit trial Whether the petitioner's attorney was ineffective for withholding information
19-5743 Michael Dewayne Hegwood v. United States Fifth Circuit 2019-08-28 Denied Response WaivedIFP 18-usc-3553 18-usc-3582 binding-precedent career-offender criminal-procedure criminal-resentencing federal-jurisdiction first-step-act jurisdiction sentencing sentencing-reduction statutory-interpretation Does the First Step Act authorize a court to 'impose' a reduced sentence in accordance with such statutes as 18 U.S.C. §§ 3553(a) and 3582(a), or does…
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…
18-9135 Joseph Malcomb v. Pennsylvania Pennsylvania 2019-05-03 Denied IFP criminal-procedure criminal-sentencing felony-classification judicial-discretion judicial-review legislative-amendment legislative-changes offense-gravity-score sentence-modification sentencing-reduction statutory-interpretation Was the Petitioner entitled to a sentence Modification / Reduction
18-9004 Vaughn S. Archer v. Daniel Paramo, Warden Ninth Circuit 2019-04-29 Denied Response WaivedIFP boykin-advisement criminal-procedure due-process guilty-plea ineffective-assistance ineffective-assistance-of-counsel plea-bargaining right-to-trial sentencing sentencing-reduction statutory-interpretation statutory-reduction trial-court-advisement Whether Archer knowingly and voluntarily entered into a guilty plea where the trial court failed to advise him as to the potential application of a st…
18-8632 Marcos Lopez-Guzman v. United States Fourth Circuit 2019-03-29 Denied Response WaivedIFP 18-usc-3553 18-usc-3582 appellate-review criminal-sentencing judicial-discretion plain-error retroactivity sentencing-guidelines sentencing-guidelines-reduction,18-usc-3582,amendm sentencing-reduction statutory-interpretation Whether the United States Court of Appeals committed a clear error in denying Appellant's two-level reduction pursuant to § 3582(C)(2) and Amendment 7…
18-8278 Timothy M. Schieve v. Indiana Indiana 2019-03-07 Denied IFP civil-procedure civil-rights due-process false-testimony free-speech judicial-instructions jurisdiction prosecutorial-misconduct sentencing-reduction standing Why was the testimony of a 'mean person' who provided false testimonies to obtain a sentence reduction permissible?
18-8145 Desmond Farmer v. United States Fourth Circuit 2019-02-27 Denied Response WaivedIFP amendment-782 assault criminal-classification criminal-history drug-abuse drug-offense drug-offenses due-process equal-protection family-member judicial-discretion non-violent-offense sentencing-guidelines sentencing-reduction violent-offender Whether the court erred in deeming the petitioner as a 'violent offender' instead of a 'drug abuser' and using that as a reason to deny a sentence red…
18-7518 Kevin Holt v. J.A. Terris, Warden Sixth Circuit 2019-01-22 Denied Response WaivedIFP 28-cfr-chapter-1-2-61 federal-bureau-of-prisons federal-judicial-system first-impression good-time-credits life-sentence military-prisoner military-prisoners military-prisoners-life-sentence presumptive-release sentencing-reduction statutory-interpretation title-18-usc-4206 title-18-usc-4206a Should the Supreme Court of the United States hear this case that presents a substantial issue of 'first impression in the Federal Judicial System tha…
18-7057 Marcus Jermaine Royston v. United States Eighth Circuit 2018-12-14 Denied Response WaivedIFP 3582-motion 3582(c)(2) amendments-750-782 career-offender criminal-sentencing drug-offense guidelines-2d1.1 guidelines-amendment hughes-v-us sentence-reduction sentencing-guidelines sentencing-reduction Does this Court's ruling in the case of Hughes v. U.S., apply to a career offender seeking reduction in his sentence by way of a 3582(c)(2) motion pur…
18-144 Keith Byron Baranski v. United States Eighth Circuit 2018-07-31 Denied Response Waived appellate-standard brady-giglio coram-nobis due-process materiality prosecutorial-misconduct prosecutorial-suppression second-or-successive-motions second-successive-motions sentencing-reduction suppressed-evidence suppression-of-evidence witness-credibility Whether, without briefing, a Court of Appeals may substitute the 28 U.S.C. §2255 standard for second or successive' motions by prisoners in custody fo…
18-5097 Antonio Torres v. United States Fifth Circuit 2018-07-03 Denied Response WaivedIFP criminal-activity defendant-role mitigating-role paid-tasks proprietary-interest rebuttable-presumption sentencing-guidelines sentencing-reduction Whether U.S.S.G. § 3B1.2 now contains a rebuttable presumption that a mitigating role reduction should be granted upon a showing by the defendant that…