Verdict . News

Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals

Jan 6, 2026•4 min read

11th Circuit Rejects Felon's Second Amendment Gun Challenge

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit rejected a convicted felon's constitutional challenge to federal gun possession laws in *United States v. Will David Parr*. The defendant argued that 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1) violates the Second Amendment following recent Supreme Court precedents.

•Eleventh Circuit rejected Will David Parr's Second Amendment challenge to federal felon-in-possession law

•Court upheld conviction under 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1) despite recent Supreme Court gun rights decisions

Supreme Court of New Jersey

Jan 6, 2026•4 min read

N.J. Supreme Court Reviews Jury Instructions in Murder Case

The New Jersey Supreme Court issued a per curiam decision in State v. Michael Owens, examining whether trial courts must instruct juries on passion/provocation manslaughter as a lesser-included offense without defense counsel's request and whether domestic assault evidence should be separated from murder charges.

•New Jersey Supreme Court reviewed whether trial courts must give passion/provocation manslaughter jury instructions without defense counsel's request

•Appellate Division ruled evidence must "jump off the proverbial page" to require sua sponte lesser-included offense instructions

•Christopher Sellers' life sentence without parole affirmed for 2019 murder of Thedarious Mitchell

Jan 5, 2026•4 min read

Georgia Supreme Court

Georgia Supreme Court Upholds Life Sentence in Sellers Murder Case

The Georgia Supreme Court affirmed the murder conviction of Christopher Sellers, who was sentenced to life without parole for the 2019 shooting death of Thedarious Mitchell in DeKalb County. The court rejected Sellers' arguments challenging the sufficiency of evidence and jury instructions.

•Georgia Supreme Court rejected challenges to evidence sufficiency and jury instructions

Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals

Jan 2, 2026•5 min read

10th Circuit Rules on Allocution Rights in Supervised Release Cases

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit issued a ruling in United States v. Miller addressing whether district courts must personally invite defendants to speak during supervised release revocation hearings. The case arose after Dominic Miller was sentenced to 24 months imprisonment for supervised release violations without being given the opportunity to allocute before the court.

•Tenth Circuit addressed whether district courts must personally invite defendants to speak during supervised release revocation hearings

•Dominic Miller was sentenced to 24 months imprisonment without being personally invited to allocute before the court

Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals

Jan 2, 2026•4 min read

9th Circuit Affirms Gun Ban for Undocumented Immigrants Under Bruen Framework

The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed the conviction of Oscar Vazquez-Ramirez for illegally possessing a firearm while undocumented, rejecting his Second Amendment challenge. The court applied the Supreme Court's Bruen framework and overruled its previous intermediate scrutiny standard.

•Ninth Circuit affirmed conviction under federal law prohibiting undocumented immigrants from possessing firearms

•Court overruled its 2019 Torres precedent that applied intermediate scrutiny to immigration-based gun restrictions

Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals

Jan 2, 2026•2 min read

4th Circuit Affirms Gun Conviction After Mental Health Commitment

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit affirmed James Gould's federal firearms conviction, rejecting his Second Amendment challenge to laws prohibiting gun possession by those previously committed to mental institutions. The published decision concluded a case that began when police found Gould with a shotgun in his West Virginia home.

•Fourth Circuit affirmed James Gould's conviction for illegal gun possession after mental health commitment

•Court rejected Second Amendment challenge to federal law prohibiting firearm possession by those involuntarily committed

•Supreme Court of Guam reviewed convictions for aggravated assault and firearm possession in drive-by shooting case

Dec 30, 2025•4 min read

Supreme Court of Guam

Guam High Court Reviews Evidence Destruction in Drive-By Shooting Case

The Supreme Court of Guam issued an opinion in *People of Guam v. Jared John Santos*, addressing whether destroyed security video evidence affected the defendant's convictions for aggravated assault and unlawful firearm possession. The case involved a drive-by shooting in Hågat where crucial video evidence was lost before trial.

•Central issue involved destroyed security video evidence that allegedly showed events before the shooting

Connecticut Supreme Court

Dec 30, 2025•4 min read

Connecticut Supreme Court Rules on Firearm Possession Under Protective Orders

The Connecticut Supreme Court issued a decision in State v. Enrrique H., addressing the criminal possession of firearms by individuals subject to protective orders. The case involved convictions for both criminal possession of a firearm and criminal violation of a protective order.

•Connecticut Supreme Court decided State v. Enrrique H., involving firearm possession under protective orders

•Defendant convicted on conditional pleas for criminal firearm possession and protective order violation

Supreme Court of Virginia

Dec 18, 2025•4 min read

Virginia Supreme Court Reverses Appeals Court in Probation Case

The Virginia Supreme Court reversed a Court of Appeals decision that had overturned a probation violation finding against Derek Brawner for failing to pay court costs. The high court ruled there was sufficient evidence to support the original violation finding.

•Virginia Supreme Court reversed Court of Appeals decision that had overturned Derek Brawner's probation violation finding

•Original violation was based on Brawner's failure to pay $3,373 in court costs as required by his probation terms