Noteworthy New York Times article.

Magistrate Judge Goodman - Miami Magistrate Judge Valle - Ft. Lauderdale Magistrate Judge Matthewman - West Palm Beach

Relying on Johnson, the court, in an opinion by Justice Elena Kagan, joined by Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Stephen Breyer, Sonia Sotomayor and, in large part, Neil Gorsuch, affirmed the 9th Circuit’s ruling that Section 16(b) is unconstitutionally vague. The court began by noting that to determine whether a person’s conduct falls within the ambit of [...]

In United States v. Whitman, No. 15-14846 (Apr. 24, 2018) (William Pryor, Julie Carnes, Antoon), the Court upheld convictions and sentences for bribery, wire fraud, theft, and obstruction stemming the fraudulent procurement of government contracts. One defendant challenged his bribery conviction on the ground that the court erred by failing to instruct the jury that [...]

In United States v. Maxi, No. 15-13182 (Apr. 5, 2018) (Martin, Jordan, Walker), the Court affirmed the defendants' drug-trafficking convictions. As to one defendant, the Court affirmed the denial of his motion to suppress the search of a duplex.  The Court first concluded that the defendant had standing to challenge the search because, [...]

In United States v. Carroll, No. 16-16652 (Apr. 5, 2018) (Wilson, Dubina, Goldberg), the Court affirmed in part and reversed in part the defendant's child pornography convictions. First, the Court concluded that a warrant affidavit supported the conclusion that there was probable cause to believe that child pornography would be found in the [...]

In United States v. Harris, No. 16-17646 (Jill Pryor, Hull, Proctor) (Apr. 2, 2018), the Court affirmed the defendant's witness tampering and obstruction convictions over four evidentiary challenges. First, the Court rejected the defendant's Rule 403 argument that it was unduly prejudicial for the government to introduce evidence of a murder for which [...]

In United States v. Lee, No. 16-16590 (Apr. 2, 2018) (Martin, Jordan, Ginsburg) (per curiam), the Court re-affirmed its many circuit precedents holding that Florida robbery -- of all varieties and all years of conviction -- satisfies the elements clause of the ACCA and Sentencing Guidelines.   The panel recognized that the defendant's [...]

In United States v. Green, No. 14-12830 (Sept. 29, 2017) (Julie Carnes, Jordan, Robreno), the Court revised its earlier panel opinion from December 2016 in light of the recent en banc decision in Vail-Bailon. Relying on Vail-Bailon, it held that the defendant's Florida felony battery conviction satisfied the elements clause.  The panel removed [...]

In Griffith v. United States, No. 15-11877 (Sept. 26, 2017) (Ed Carnes, Rosenbaum, Dubina), the Court concluded that the district court erred by failing to hold an evidentiary hearing a 2255 motion alleging ineffective assistance of counsel. The motion alleged that trial counsel was ineffective by failing to argue that some waste materials [...]