substantial-step

15 cases — ← All topics

Case Title Lower Court Docketed Status Flags Tags Question Presented
25A843 Harold Edward Spencer, III v. United States Fourth Circuit 2026-01-23 Application circumstantial-evidence conspiracy criminal-attempt firearm-possession hobbs-act substantial-step Question not identified.
24-6525 Richard Stephens Terry v. United States Eleventh Circuit 2025-02-10 Denied Response WaivedIFP certificate-of-appealability circuit-conflict criminal-procedure federal-law statutory-interpretation substantial-step Whether the Eleventh Circuit's interpretation of the substantial step element under 18 U.S.C. § 2422(b) is unconstitutional and conflicts with other f…
24-5131 John William Thomas Flechs v. United States Tenth Circuit 2024-07-23 Denied Response WaivedIFP attempt-crime criminal-statute federal-criminal-law sexual-enticement statutory-interpretation substantial-step Whether the government must establish a proposal for unlawful sexual activity to satisfy the substantial step element of attempted sexual enticement o…
23-859 Zachary S. Spiegel v. United States Eleventh Circuit 2024-02-09 Denied Response Waived attempted-enticement circuit-split criminal-law criminal-statute free-speech mandatory-sentencing obscene-speech obscenity sentencing statutory-interpretation substantial-step Does speech alone constitute the 'substantial step' for a charge of attempted enticement of a minor?
23-64 Bennie Charles Phillips, Jr. v. United States, et al. Fifth Circuit 2023-07-24 Denied Response Waived attempted-robbery criminal-attempt criminal-law federal-criminal-law hobbs-act mens-rea mere-preparation substantial-step uniform-test What particularized standard should be adopted to create a uniform test for when conduct surpasses 'mere preparation' and constitutes a 'substantial s…
21-5960 Alexander Davis v. United States Third Circuit 2021-10-13 Denied IFP actus-reus attempt attempt-offense criminal-law criminal-statute entrapment overt-act predisposition substantial-step Whether the requirement of a 'substantial step' can be satisfied by conduct occurring after the alleged attempt has ended
19-8828 Michael Jerald Leggett v. United States Eleventh Circuit 2020-06-26 Denied Response WaivedIFP attempted-crimes attempted-offense crime-of-violence criminal-law elements-clause hobbs-act specific-intent statutory-interpretation substantial-step violent-crimes Whether attempted commission of an offense categorically qualifies as a crime of violence under 18 U.S.C. § 924(c)(3)(A)'s elements clause
19-8582 Brandon Lee Edwards v. United States Eleventh Circuit 2020-06-02 Denied Response WaivedIFP 18-usc-924c3a attempted-offense crime-of-violence elements-clause hobbs-act hobbs-act-robbery james-v-united-states specific-intent substantial-step Is the attempted commission of an offense, like Hobbs Act robbery, automatically and categorically a crime of violence under 18 U.S.C. § 924(c)(3)(A)'…
19-7775 Rande Brian Isabella v. United States Tenth Circuit 2020-02-27 Denied Response WaivedIFP circuit-court-review circumstantial-evidence conflict-among-circuits criminal-liability criminal-procedure criminal-procedure-18-usc-2251a due-process evidence evidence-standard jackson-v-virginia judicial-procedure sexting statutory-interpretation substantial-step Whether the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals erred in disregarding review of essential elements at 18 U.S.C.§2251(a) and relying solely on circumstantia…
19-6878 Robert L. Bolden Sr. v. United States Eighth Circuit 2019-12-06 Denied IFP 18-usc-924(c)(3)(a) 18-usc-924c3a certificate-of-appealability crime-of-violence criminal-intent elements-clause inchoate-offense mens-rea substantial-step Whether an inchoate offense qualifies as a crime of violence under the elements clause
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'?
18-8506 Jose Jaime Lopez v. United States Seventh Circuit 2019-03-21 Denied Response WaivedIFP 21-usc-846 7th-circuit 7th-circuit-precedent 851-colloquy abuse-of-statute appellate-review attempt-charge attempt-conviction civil-rights criminal-procedure drug-deal due-process indigent indigent-defendant indigent-status prior-conviction reasonable-doubt right-to-counsel seventh-circuit speculation standing substantial-step Whether petitioner was deprived of the right to counsel
18-8406 Demone Rule v. United States Seventh Circuit 2019-03-15 Denied Response WaivedIFP armed-career-criminal-act attempt-offense attempted-offense categorical-approach elements-clause illinois-law physical-force sentencing-enhancement substantial-step violent-felony Whether an Illinois attempt offense that does not require the use, attempted use, or threatened use of physical force against the person or property o…
18-651 Jason Craig Montgomery v. United States Fifth Circuit 2018-11-20 Denied 18-usc-2422b attempt coerce criminal-attempt entice induce intent interstate-communication interstate-communications minor minor-solicitation persuade sexual-activity statutory-interpretation substantial-step telecommunications-act Does a defendant attempt to persuade, induce, entice, or coerce a minor, within the meaning of 18 U.S.C. §2422(b), where the defendant communicates so…
18-5915 Michael Hill v. United States Seventh Circuit 2018-09-07 Denied Response WaivedIFP armed-career-criminal-act attempt categorical-approach illinois intent statutory-interpretation substantial-step use-of-force violent-felony Whether attempt to commit a violent felony is itself a violent felony