×
You've used up your 3 free articles for this month. Subscribe today.
Ninth Circuit Announces that District Court Cannot Sua Sponte Raise Waiver as Ground to Dismiss Motion for Sentence Reduction
by Douglas Ankney
In a case of first impression, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit announced that a district court cannot sua sponte raise a defendant’s waiver of the right to seek relief under 18 U.S.C. § 3582(c)(2) and deny the defendant’s motion for resentencing …
Full article and associated cases available to subscribers.
As a digital subscriber to Criminal Legal News, you can access full text and downloads for this and other premium content.
Already a subscriber? Login
More from this issue:
- News in Brief
- Killer’s Bold DNA-Based Defense to Get New Mexico Supreme Court Hearing, by Bill Barton
- Study: Brazen Cops Posting Racist, Vitriolic Comments on the Internet, by Edward Lyon
- Chicago PD Creating Files, Background Checks on Citizens Who Speak at Police Disciplinary Meetings, by Dale Chappell
- Kentucky Supreme Court Rules Parole Board’s Revocation Procedures Are Unconstitutional, by Douglas Ankney
- 7th Circuit Announces SORNA Requires Hybrid Approach in Comparing Underlying Conviction to Determine Tier Classification, by Anthony Accurso
- Tenth Circuit Vacates Special Condition of Supervised Release That Gave Probation Officers Discretion to Ban Computer and Internet Usage, by Douglas Ankney
- Arrest for Shouting ‘F—k You’ to Arkansas Trooper Violates First and Fourth Amendments Rights, Eighth Circuit Rules, by Michael Berk
- Michigan Will Pay $1.5 Million to Longest Serving Exonerated Prisoner, by Bill Barton
- MIX13 Reveals Potential Errors in DNA Testing, by Jayson Hawkins
- Ninth Circuit Announces that District Court Cannot Sua Sponte Raise Waiver as Ground to Dismiss Motion for Sentence Reduction, by Douglas Ankney
- First Circuit: Prosecutor Not Entitled to Absolute Immunity When Performing Purely Administrative Duty, by Anthony Accurso
- New North Dakota Law Arrests Cops’ Ability to Seize Property, by Douglas Ankney
- Black Drivers in Missouri 91 Percent More Likely to Be Stopped Than White Drivers, by Bill Barton
- Maryland Court of Appeals: Sentence Imposed on Remand That Is of Equal Maximum Length as Former Sentence but With Longer Term Before Parole Eligibility Is ‘More Severe’, by Douglas Ankney
- Delaware Supreme Court: Where Defendant Competent to Plead ‘Guilty but Mentally Ill,’ He May Revoke Plea Before It Is Accepted, by Anthony Accurso
- First Circuit Rules Appeal Waiver Does Not Relieve Counsel of Duty to Consult About an Appeal, by Dale Chappell
- Fifth Circuit Announces that Categorical Approach Applied to SORNA Doesn’t Permit Circustance-Specific Inquiry Into Offender/Victim Age Differential, by Douglas Ankney
- Seventh Circuit Announces That More Than Psychological Coercion Required to Trigger § 2B3.1(b)(4)(B) Sentencing Enhancement, Disapproving Prior Holdings to the Contrary, by Douglas Ankney
- New Hampshire Supreme Court: State’s Armed Career Criminal Statute Applies Only When Qualifying Convictions Arise From at Least 3 Separate Criminal Episodes, by Douglas Ankney
- U.S. District Court Holds Residual Clause of Federal Three-Strikes Law Unconstitutional, by Dale Chappell
- Genetic Testing Raises Privacy Concerns, by Bill Barton
- Michigan Supreme Court: Reaching Out Door of Home to Retrieve ID Inadequate to Surrender Fourth Amendment Rights, by David Reutter
- Tenth Circuit: No Absolute Immunity for Prosecutor Who Fabricated Evidence, by Douglas Ankney
- The Power of Sheriffs: An Explainer, by Jessica Brand
- Pitfalls of Using Risk Assessment Tools, by Jayson Hawkins
- Eleventh Circuit Holds Time on Appeal Counts When Considering If Sentence Was Imposed Under Residual Clause, by Dale Chappell
- Fourth Circuit Holds Appeal Waiver Does Not Preclude Retroactive ACCA Claim, by Anthony Accurso
- Third Circuit Rules Lower Courts Abused Discretion When They Failed to Conduct Evidentiary Hearing on Brady Claim and on Conflict of Interest Claim, by Douglas Ankney
- Whether State or Federal, Most Convictions Are Overwhelmingly Based on Guilty Pleas, by Edward Lyon
- Minnesota Supreme Court: Even With a Warrant, Forced Anoscopy Is Unreasonable Search, by Douglas Ankney
- 9th Circuit Finds IAC for Failure to Investigate Mitigating Factors During Penalty Phase of Capital Case, by Anthony Accurso
- Oregon Supreme Court Announces State Constitution Prohibits Cops From Digging Through Residents’ Trash Without a Warrant, by Mark Wilson
- SCOTUS Declares Portion of Federal Supervised Release Statute Unconstitutional, by Dale Chappell
- Tracking Phones: Google as a Dragnet for the Police, by Bill Barton
- Who Inflicts the Most Gun Violence in America? The U.S. Government and Its Police Forces, by John W. Whitehead
- Partial Justice, by Christopher Zoukis
More from Douglas Ankney:
- The Dramatic Increase in the Elderly Prison Population Is Fiscally and Morally Irresponsible, Oct. 1, 2026
- Second Circuit Affirms Denial of Qualified Immunity but Clarifies that 14th Amendment ‘Objective Reasonableness’ Is Standard of Review for Pretrial Detainee’s Claim of Sexual Abuse, Oct. 1, 2026
- California Supreme Court Announces Totality-of-Circumstances Framework Focused on Defendant’s Subjective Understanding Under § 1473.7(a)(1), Holding Immigration Consequences Advisement Is Relevant but Not Dispositive, Oct. 1, 2026
- Idaho Supreme Court Holds Conflicting Affidavits About Plea Acceptance Require Evidentiary Hearing on Ineffective-Assistance Claim, Oct. 1, 2026
- Tenth Circuit Vacates Award of Costs to Prison Officials, Revives Prisoner’s Claim Alleging Denial of Access to Functioning Toilets and Exposure to Other Prisoners’ Feces, Oct. 1, 2026
- Second Circuit Vacates Above-Guidelines Firearm-Trafficking Sentence Based on Failure to Assist Law Enforcement and Unexplained Reliance on Factors Already Included in Guidelines Range, Sept. 1, 2026
- Ninth Circuit Reverses Convictions, Holding Requirement That Defendant Testify Before Displaying Hand Tattoos Violates Fifth Amendment, Sept. 1, 2026
- Ohio Supreme Court Announces Postconviction DNA-Testing Orders Need Only Identify Statutory Reason to Satisfy R.C. 2953.73(D) “Reasons” Requirement, Sept. 1, 2026
- Federal Court Upholds Consultants’ Finding that Oklahoma Is Not Honoring Its Consent Decree to Provide Mental Health Treatment, Sept. 1, 2026
- Idaho Legislature Moves to Hide Execution Protocol from Judicial Scrutiny, Sept. 1, 2026
More from these topics:
- California Supreme Court Limits Money Bail for Nonviolent Charges, July 1, 2026. Conditions of Confinement, Sentencing, Due Process, Constitutional Challenges/Law, Pretrial Detention and Detainees.
- Oregon Supreme Court: Jail Credit Statute Focuses Upon Legal Custody Not Physical Custody Location, July 1, 2026. Civil Procedure, Sentencing, Appeals/Appellate Jurisdiction, Criminal Justice, Statutory Construction/Interpretation.
- Louisiana’s Atavistic Approach to Criminal Sentencing and Parole Demonstrates Politicians’ Failure to Learn from Past Mistakes, July 1, 2026. Medical, Conditions of Confinement, Sentencing, Parole, Prisoners' Rights.
- Two More Guards Face Prison Time for Messiah Nantwi Killing, June 1, 2026. Guard Misconduct, Guard Brutality/Beatings, Sentencing, Excessive Force (Wrongful Death), Plea Agreements/Guilty Pleas.
- SCOTUS Announces Sentencing Reform Act Does Not Authorize Automatic Extension of Supervised Release When Defendant Absconds, Resolving Circuit Split, April 1, 2026. Sentencing, Revocation/Modification of Probation, etc., Statutory Construction/Interpretation, Sentences - Corrections or Modifications of, Probation, Parole & Supervised Release.
- Ex-Wife of Minnesota DOC Commissioner Sentenced for Poisoning Attempt on Son, Dec. 1, 2025. Out of State Transfers, Sentencing, Conspiracies, Attempts, Solicitations, Confessions and Statements of Defendant, Plea Agreements/Guilty Pleas.
- DOJ Finds Unconstitutional Conditions in Texas Juvenile Detention, Aug. 1, 2025. Staff-Prisoner Assault, Retaliation for Filing Grievances, Pepper Spray/Tear Gas, Sentencing, Control Units/SHU/Solitary Confinement, Failure to Protect (Juveniles), Juvenile Prisons.
- Georgia Moves to Shield Intellectually Disabled Prisoners from Execution, June 1, 2025. Sentencing, Death Penalty.
- Fourth Circuit: District Court Failed to Provide Sufficient Explanation for Sentence Imposed and Did Not Address Defendant’s Arguments for Downward Variant Sentence, May 15, 2025. Sentencing, Drug Laws/Offenses.
- Fourth Circuit: Procedurally Unreasonable Sentence Where District Court Failed to Address Defendant’s Non-Frivolous Downward Variance Argument Based on Sentencing Disparity Due to Which State’s Statute Prior Conviction Based Upon, May 15, 2025. Sentencing, Failure To Consider Disparity, Federal-State Differences/Disparity/Conflicts, Disparity in Charging/Sentencing Practices.





