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Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals

Tenth Circuit Reviews Immigration Case Against DHS Secretary Noem

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit is reviewing *Mukantagara v. Noem*, a case where Agnes Mukantagara and her son challenge the termination of her refugee status by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. The case comes after a district court dismissed their lawsuit for lack of subject-matter jurisdiction.

•Agnes Mukantagara and son appeal dismissal of lawsuit challenging termination of her refugee status

•District court dismissed case for lack of subject-matter jurisdiction, limiting federal court review

Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals

10th Circuit Affirms Dismissal of FBI Employee's Title VII Suit

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit affirmed a district court's dismissal of a Title VII employment discrimination lawsuit filed by former FBI employee Bernardo Matias Perez against Attorney General Pamela Bondi and the FBI. The appeals court ruled without oral argument on Jan. 12, 2026.

•Former FBI employee Bernardo Perez lost his Title VII discrimination appeal against Attorney General Bondi

•The Tenth Circuit unanimously affirmed dismissal under Rule 12(b)(6) without oral argument

•Federal appeals court upheld dismissal of prisoner civil rights lawsuit under 42 U.S.C. § 1983

11th Circuit Affirms Dismissal of Alabama Prisoner's Civil Rights Case

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit affirmed a district court's dismissal of a Section 1983 civil rights lawsuit filed by Alabama state prisoner Chris Dwayne Williams against four Alabama Department of Corrections employees. The appeals court upheld the lower court's finding that Williams failed to state sufficient facts to support his claims.

•Case involved Alabama state prisoner suing four Department of Corrections employees

•Eleventh Circuit affirmed Antoine Johnson's conviction for felon-in-possession of firearm charges

11th Circuit Upholds Felon-in-Possession Conviction in Johnson Case

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit affirmed Antoine Johnson's conviction for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, rejecting his challenges to the denial of his motion to suppress and claims of insufficient evidence for sentencing enhancement.

•Court rejected challenges to denial of motion to suppress evidence from traffic stop

•Eleventh Circuit affirmed 132-month sentence for Gary Handford's felon-in-possession conviction

11th Circuit Affirms 132-Month Sentence for Convicted Felon's Gun Possession

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit upheld a 132-month prison sentence for Gary Handford, who was convicted of possession of a firearm as a convicted felon. The sentence was significantly above federal guidelines but below the statutory maximum.

•Sentence was nearly four times above guidelines range of 30-37 months but below 180-month statutory maximum

Jan 12, 2026•5 min read

•Eleventh Circuit affirmed Wilson's drug conspiracy and money laundering convictions from Middle District of Florida

11th Circuit Affirms Drug Conspiracy Conviction in Florida Case

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit affirmed Alfonso Leon Wilson's convictions for drug conspiracy and unlawful monetary transactions, rejecting his arguments that insufficient evidence warranted a new trial rather than judgment on lesser charges.

•Wilson argued insufficient evidence warranted new trial rather than lesser-included offense judgment

Third Circuit Court of Appeals

Third Circuit Affirms Dismissal in Centre County Civil Rights Case

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit issued a non-precedential opinion affirming the dismissal of Dale Morgan's civil rights lawsuit against Centre County law enforcement officials. The case stemmed from a 2019 identity theft incident involving a fake driver's license bearing Morgan's information.

•Third Circuit affirmed dismissal of Dale Morgan's Section 1983 civil rights claims against Centre County law enforcement

•Case originated from 2019 identity theft incident where suspect used fake license with Morgan's personal information

•Juan Antonio Garcia, a former police officer, received a 310-month federal prison sentence for attempting to produce child pornography and entice a minor

11th Circuit Upholds 26-Year Sentence for Ex-Cop in Child Exploitation Case

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit affirmed a 310-month prison sentence for Juan Antonio Garcia, a former police officer who pleaded guilty to attempting to produce child pornography and enticing a minor. The appeals court rejected Garcia's claims of ineffective assistance of counsel in a decision filed Jan. 12, 2026.

•The Eleventh Circuit rejected Garcia's appeal and claims of ineffective assistance of counsel in a per curiam decision

Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals

10th Circuit Denies Colorado Prisoner's Habeas Appeal Certificate

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit denied a certificate of appealability to Colorado prisoner Craig Martin Stice, who sought to challenge a district court's rejection of his federal habeas corpus petition. Stice, representing himself without an attorney, was convicted in 2018 on multiple counts of child sexual assault.

•Tenth Circuit denied certificate of appealability to pro se prisoner Craig Stice

•Stice was convicted in 2018 on eight counts of child sexual assault involving his roommate's daughter