▼
Friday, October 20, 2006

18 U.S.C. § 922(a)(3) conviction does NOT constitute "aggravated felony" for removal purposes

›
In Joseph v. Attorney General , Nos. 05-1047, 05-2889 (3d Cir. Oct. 2, 2006) , the Third Circuit ruled that a conviction under 18 U.S.C. § 9...

Sentences for Class B and C misdemeanors must be reviewed under pre-Guidelines standard applicable to those offenses

›
Grand jury target Jelanie Solomon was convicted of criminal contempt for failing to provide handwriting exemplars ordered by the district co...
Monday, October 02, 2006

Troubling credibility ruling and Harris still good law

›
In U.S. v. Williams, No. 04-4268 (9/27/06), the defendant was on trial on drug conspiracy and weapons charges. The government’s central witn...

Win one and lose one in capital cases in Delaware

›
In a pair of Delaware capital habeas appeals, on September 28, 2006, the panel of Judges Rendell, Ambro and Fuentes addressed the death pena...
Friday, September 22, 2006

Third Circuit Blog

›
Third Circuit Blog SEARCH WARRANT VALID DESPITE FACTUAL INACCURACIES IN CHILD PORNOGRAPHY CASE. In USA v. Shields, 458 F.3d 269 (No.05-3662,...

Third Circuit Blog

›
Third Circuit Blog COURT UPHOLDS PROHIBITION ON PROPENSITY EVIDENCE IN REVERSE 404(B) CASES. In USA v. Williams, 458 F.3d 312 (No.05-3772, A...
Tuesday, September 19, 2006

Third Circuit Blog

›
Third Circuit Blog Special Skill Enhancement Reversed. In USA v. De La Cruz, No.05-5554 (Aug.18, 2006), the Circuit reversed a 2-level enhan...

Third Circuit Blog

›
Third Circuit Blog In USA v. Abrogar, No. 06-1215 (Aug. 18, 2006), appellant's sentence for failing to an keep accurate oil record book ...
Tuesday, September 12, 2006

3d Cir allows consideration of crack/powder disparity

›
In what is certainly the best circuit decision on the issue, as well as the one most faithful to Booker , the 3rd Cir ruled in US v. Johnny ...
Friday, September 01, 2006

Third Circuit finds reversible error in exclusion of expert testimony regarding reliability of eyewitness identification

›
In United States v. Brownlee , Case No. 04-4134 (3d Cir. July 18, 2006), the defendant was convicted of carjacking, use of a firearm in rela...

Third Circuit affirms post-Booker sentence modeled on pre-Booker sentence of defendant's co-conspirator

›
The Third Circuit affirmed a sentence that the District Court modeled on the sentence of the defendant's co-conspirator, which was issue...
Thursday, August 31, 2006

New standard for reckless disregard of truth of law enforcement information

›
On August 24, 2006, the Third Circuit announced the standard by which the district courts should determine whether a government agent acted ...

Discovery of significance of evidence does not make it newly discovered

›
In U.S. v. Cimera , No. 05-2360, the court considered a claim under the "newly discovered evidence" rule that it set out in U.S. v...

Aggravated felony - forgery sentence less than a year qualifies where loss exceeded $10,000

›
Lawful permanent resident was convicted of forging a check in the amount of greater than $10,000 and sentenced to four months imprisonment. ...

Room to Challenge a Prior Order of Removal/Deportation

›
On August 1, 2006, the Third Circuit reversed a reentry conviction, remanding with direction that the district court determine whether the a...
Wednesday, August 30, 2006

Broad discretion to investigate jury misconduct

›
On August 21, 2006, the Third Circuit held that where there is substantial evidence of jury misconduct during jury deliberations, "incl...
Thursday, August 24, 2006

Third Circuit affirms above-guidelines sentence; alternative sentencing ground is harmless error

›
The Third Circuit affirmed another above-guidelines sentence in an appeal contending that the plea was involuntary and the sentence unreason...
Wednesday, August 23, 2006

Third Circuit affirms above-range sentence but urges adherence to Hickman and Kikimura

›
In United States v. King , No. 05-1728 (July 11, 2006), the Third Circuit affirmed as reasonable an above-guidelines sentence despite recogn...

Third Circuit holds sentencing court understood its authority to consider acceptance of responsibility under §3553(a)

›
In United States v. Severino , No 05-3695 (3d Cir. July 11, 2006), the Third Circuit upheld a sentence within the applicable guidelines rang...
Friday, July 21, 2006

Grier decision on burden of proof at sentencing vacated and rehearing en banc ordered

›
As noted in an earlier blog posting, a panel of the 3rd Cir. in US v. Grier ruled on June 7th that the burden of proof on the government at...