Verdict . News

•Arkansas Supreme Court affirmed conviction and life sentence for child rape

Arkansas Supreme Court

Arkansas Supreme Court Affirms Life Sentence for Child Rape Conviction

The Arkansas Supreme Court upheld the conviction and life sentence of Joseph Faulkner Sr. for raping a minor victim, rejecting multiple constitutional and evidentiary challenges. The court affirmed both the conviction and sentence in a January 29, 2026 decision involving multiple alleged victims.

•Defendant challenged evidence sufficiency and constitutional grounds for sentence

•Justice Bronni dissented from denial of review in criminal sentencing case involving evidentiary challenges

Arkansas Supreme Court

Arkansas Justice Dissents on Sentencing Error Standard in Mills Case

Arkansas Supreme Court Associate Justice Nicholas Bronni issued a dissenting opinion criticizing the court's refusal to review a criminal sentencing case. The dissent challenges a judicial rule that prevents defendants from claiming prejudice from evidentiary errors if they received less than the maximum sentence.

•Arkansas courts apply rule that sub-maximum sentences preclude prejudice claims from evidentiary errors

•Oregon Supreme Court affirmed Court of Appeals while reversing circuit court in prosecutorial misconduct case

Oregon Supreme Court

Oregon Supreme Court Reverses Circuit Court in State v. Strain

The Oregon Supreme Court issued a split decision affirming the Court of Appeals while reversing a Washington County Circuit Court judgment in State v. Strain. The case involved prosecutorial comments about evidence presentation during closing arguments.

•Court held prosecutor's comments impermissibly suggested defendant had burden to elicit evidence through cross-examination

Federal Circuit

Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals

10th Circuit Rules on Speedy Trial Rights in Wildlife Case

The Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals issued a ruling in United States v. Antunez, addressing whether prosecutorial delays in a Migratory Bird Treaty Act misdemeanor case violated the defendant's Sixth Amendment right to a speedy trial. The case involved Mayela Gonzalez Antunez's constitutional challenge to federal wildlife protection charges.

•Defendant challenged misdemeanor charges under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act on Sixth Amendment speedy trial grounds

•Speedy Trial Act does not apply to misdemeanors, leaving only constitutional protections available

Federal Circuit

Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals

10th Circuit Hears Second Amendment Challenge to Gun Law

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit issued an order and judgment in United States v. Salazar, addressing a constitutional challenge to the federal law prohibiting undocumented immigrants from possessing firearms. Defendant Gerson Armando Romero Salazar appealed his conviction after unsuccessfully arguing the statute violates the Second Amendment.

•Gerson Armando Romero Salazar was convicted under 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(5)(A) for being an undocumented immigrant in possession of a firearm

•The defendant challenged the federal statute as facially unconstitutional under the Second Amendment

Federal Circuit

Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals

10th Circuit Upholds Prison Term for Repeat Child Pornography Offender

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit affirmed a district court's decision to revoke supervised release and impose an additional prison sentence on Robert Lynn Harris, who was convicted of child pornography possession in 2024 while serving lifetime supervised release from a 2015 conviction.

•Harris violated lifetime supervised release from 2015 child pornography conviction by possessing child pornography again in 2024

•District court revoked supervised release and imposed two-year prison term in addition to 120-month sentence for new offense

West Virginia Supreme Court

West Virginia Supreme Court Upholds Termination of Father's Rights

The West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals affirmed a circuit court's decision to terminate a father's parental rights to his newborn child. The court cited the father's extensive criminal history, domestic violence against the child's mother, and ongoing substance abuse issues.

•West Virginia Supreme Court affirmed termination of father's parental rights to newborn

•Father had extensive criminal history including domestic violence and drug offenses

West Virginia Supreme Court

West Virginia Supreme Court Affirms Termination of Mother's Parental Rights

The West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals affirmed a Nicholas County circuit court's decision to terminate a mother's parental and custodial rights to her two children. The mother had argued the lower court erred in failing to grant her an improvement period and in terminating her rights.

•West Virginia Supreme Court affirmed circuit court's termination of mother's parental rights to two children

•Mother argued she should have been granted improvement period before termination

West Virginia Supreme Court

West Virginia Supreme Court Upholds Parental Rights Termination

The West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals affirmed a circuit court's decision to terminate a mother's parental rights after she failed to protect her 10-year-old daughter from sexual abuse. The court rejected the mother's procedural arguments in a memorandum decision filed January 29, 2026.

•West Virginia Supreme Court affirmed termination of mother's parental rights for failing to protect 10-year-old daughter from sexual abuse

•Child disclosed abuse by 'man in black' who was later identified as the mother's brother living in the home