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Fourth Circuit Clarifies How to Bring a First Step Act Motion Applying the Fair Sentencing Act
by Dale Chappell
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit held on November 20, 2019, that a less familiar provision of 18 U.S.C. § 3582 is the proper vehicle for bringing a motion for relief under the First Step Act, rejecting the district court’s conclusion that First Step ...
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More from this issue:
- News in Brief
- Oklahoma: Cocaine Bust Was Really Only Powdered Milk, by Edward Lyon
- Freedom or Restitution for the Wrongfully Convicted, by Jayson Hawkins
- Eighth Circuit: Defendant Who Pleaded Guilty to State Felonies Didn’t Know He Couldn’t Possess Firearms Prior to Sentencing Because He Didn’t Know He Had Been Convicted, by Anthony Accurso
- Sheriff Ackal’s Corruption Continues to Plague Louisiana Parish, by Douglas Ankney
- Court Rulings Condemning Cash Bail Systems Increasing, by Edward Lyon
- In Case of First Impression, Fourth Circuit Holds First Step Act Applies to Those Serving Supervised Release Revocation Sentences, by Dale Chappell
- First Circuit Vacates Conviction Because Sister had Neither Actual nor Apparent Authority to Consent to Search of Brother’s Bags, by Douglas Ankney
- South Carolina Supreme Court Grants New Trial Due to Prosecutor’s Prejudicial Closing Remarks, by Douglas Ankney
- 3d Circuit: Counsel’s Failure to Investigate Drug Properties for Analogous Drug Comparison at Sentencing Constitutes Ineffective Assistance, by Douglas Ankney
- Fourth Circuit Clarifies How to Bring a First Step Act Motion Applying the Fair Sentencing Act, by Dale Chappell
- New York Court of Appeals: Police Officers May be Cross-Examined About Acts of Dishonesty Like Any Other Witness, by Douglas Ankney
- Georgia Supreme Court Clarifies What a Defendant Must ‘Admit’ Before Raising an Affirmative Defense, by Douglas Ankney
- Colorado Supreme Court Reverses Conviction Because Trial Court Failed to Give No-Adverse-Inference Jury Instruction for Choosing Not to Testify, by Douglas Ankney
- Fifth Circuit Holds Davis Retroactive, Conspiracy Cannot Support 924(c) Convictions, by Dale Chappell
- Book Review: The Habeas Citebook: Prosecutorial Misconduct Is an Invaluable Resource for Challenging Prosecutorial Misconduct, by Dale Chappell
- Idaho Supreme Court: Where Police Were Unaware of Probationer’s Fourth Amendment Waiver Until After Unreasonable Search, Waiver Won’t Make Search Reasonable, by Douglas Ankney
- Illinois Supreme Court: Statute Banning All Sex Offenders on Probation From Accessing or Using Social Networking Websites Facially Unconstitutional, by Douglas Ankney
- Second Circuit Affirms District Court’s Decision Setting Aside Guilty Verdict in a Case of Irreconcilably Inconsistent Verdicts, by Douglas Ankney
- Sixth Circuit: Grant of Habeas on Grounds that State Trial Court Violated Defendant’s Right to Present a Complete Defense, by Douglas Ankney
- Oregon Supreme Court: Conviction for Interfering with Police Requires Lawful Order, by Mark Wilson
- Montana Supreme Court Holds Automatic 35% Drug Fine Facially Unconstitutional, by Dale Chappell
- Alaska Police Department Run by Former Convicts, by Kevin Bliss
- Washington Supreme Court Affirms Warrantless Search of CSLI Data but Holds Convictions for Both First-degree Rape and Felony Murder Predicated on Rape Violate Double Jeopardy, by Douglas Ankney
- Hundreds of Dishonest Cops Called as Witnesses, by Jayson Hawkins
- 11th Circuit: General Threat of Harm Inherent in Every Bank Robbery Doesn’t Qualify for ‘Threat-of-Death’ Enhancement, by Douglas Ankney
- Which Makes Us Safer? Residency Restrictions or Enhanced Rehabilitation for Former Sexual Offenders?, by Sandy Rozek
- New York Criminal Record-Sealing Program Revisited, by Edward Lyon
- In Case of First Impression, Pennsylvania Supreme Court Holds Compelling Suspect to Disclose Computer Password Is Testimonial in Nature and Violates Fifth Amendment’s Privilege Against Self Incrimination, by Douglas Ankney
- Thousands of Convictions Questioned; Prisoners Released Show Why Law Enforcement Technology Must Be Tested by Third Parties, by Dale Chappell
- Washington Supreme Court Announces Rules for Trial Courts When Implicit Racial Bias Alleged in Jury Decision, by Douglas Ankney
- To Compute, or Not to Compute: Algorithm-Driven AI in the Criminal Justice System, by Edward Lyon
- Ninth Circuit Holds Evidence from Martinez Hearing Can Be Considered in Granting Habeas Relief, Despite Bar Against Evidentiary Hearings on Facts Not Raised Below, by Dale Chappell
- Indiana Supreme Court Announces Analytical Framework When Determining Whether Punitive In Rem Forfeiture Violates Excessive Fines Clause, by Douglas Ankney
- Hundreds of Cop Shootings Yearly in Arizona, by Edward Lyon
- Federal District Court Grants § 2255 Motion, Finds IAC for Failure to Object to Government’s ‘Misstatement of Law’ During Trial, by Dale Chappell
- California Supreme Court Overturns Its Warrantless Identification Search Precedent, by Dale Chappell
- First Circuit: Application of Subsequent Guidelines Manual to a Prior, Ungrouped Offense Violates Ex Post Facto Clause, by Douglas Ankney
- Nullify Government Tyranny: In 2020, Harness the Power of Your Discontent, by John W. Whitehead
- Oregon Parole Board Must Explain Reason for Extended Parole Postponement Period, by Mark Wilson
- California Supreme Court Holds Confidential Personnel Information of Officers on Internal ‘Brady List’ Can Be Disclosed to Prosecutors, by Dale Chappell
- From the Editor, by Richard Resch
- Why Are Cops Around the World Using This Outlandish Mind-Reading Tool?, by Christian Sheckler, Ken Armstrong
More from Dale Chappell:
- Arguing Successful Federal Habeas Corpus Claims, June 1, 2025
- How to Take Your Postconviction Case Directly to the U.S. Supreme Court: A Roadmap to Direct Collateral Review, March 15, 2025
- Federal Habeas Corpus for State Prisoners: Proving Unreasonableness Under AEDPA, Feb. 1, 2025
- Federal Court Rules Michigan’s Sex Offender Registration Laws Violate Constitution, Dec. 1, 2024
- Refuting the Government’s Argument Against Nonretroactive Changes in Law as Grounds for Compassionate Release, Oct. 1, 2024
- Federal Habeas Corpus: Getting Around Procedural Default, July 15, 2024
- The Death of the Savings Clause, May 15, 2024
- Federal Habeas Corpus: Understanding Second or Successive Petitions for State Prisoners, April 15, 2024
- Fourth Circuit Reinstates Relief From Death Penalty, Citing State’s Forfeiture of Argument Against Relief, May 15, 2023
- Federal Habeas Corpus: The Evidentiary Hearing for Federal Prisoners, April 15, 2023
More from these topics:
- Review: “Reforming the Shadow Carceral State”, Aug. 1, 2025. Reviews, Criminal justice system reform, Seizure of Prisoner Funds, Fines.
- 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.
- Former Prisoner Informant Appointed Deputy Director of BOP, July 15, 2025. Prison Reform, Criminal justice system reform, Informants, War on Drugs, Pardons/Clemency, Bureau of Prisons (BOP), Trading Guns for Drugs.
- 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.
- SCOTUS Announces Only ‘False’ Statements Made to FDIC Are Criminalized Under 18 U.S.C. § 1014, Not Statements That Are ‘Misleading’ but True, May 15, 2025. Sentencing, False Statements/Perjury.
- Washington DOC On Hot Seat Over “Unexpected Fatalities,” Missed Autopsies, May 1, 2025. Criminal justice system reform, Systemic Medical Neglect, Failure to Protect (Wrongful Death), Medical Neglect/Malpractice, False Statements/Perjury.
- Nearly 150 Exonerations in 2024 Highlight Persistent Flaws in U.S. Criminal Justice System, April 15, 2025. Criminal justice system reform, Wrongful Conviction.
- PPI Releases 10th Anniversary Report on Mass Incarceration in the U.S., Nov. 15, 2024. Prison Reform, Criminal justice system reform, Effects of Mass Incarceration.