US Courts

McClure v. Commissioner of Social Security - Social Security Benefits

Matthew McClure filed a civil complaint against the Commissioner of Social Security in the Northern District of California (Case No. 4:26-cv-02900) on April 3, 2026. The complaint seeks review of a Social Security determination under Title XIV (SSID). A motion to proceed in forma pauperis was filed simultaneously with the complaint.

In re Melson - Napue Error / Habeas Corpus

The California Court of Appeal vacated Alonzo Devon Melson's conviction due to a Napue violation—the prosecution failed to correct false testimony from two eyewitnesses during retrial, and defense counsel provided ineffective assistance by not impeaching the witnesses with their prior inconsistent statements to police. The court applied the constitutional standards from Napue v. Illinois (1959) and Glossip v. Oklahoma (2025) regarding the People's obligation to correct false witness testimony.

Keith Reilly v. United States Department of Labor - Whistleblower Retaliation

The Fourth Circuit denied Keith Reilly's petition for review of the Merit Systems Protection Board's dismissal of his whistleblower retaliation claims. Reilly, a former criminal investigator with the Department of Labor's Office of Inspector General, alleged the agency relieved him of duty and denied him subsequent positions in retaliation for his protected disclosures. The court found no reversible error in the Board's application of the burden-shifting framework under 5 U.S.C. § 1221(e).

US v. Gerald Hopper - Supervised Release Revocation Appeal Dismissed Moot

The Fourth Circuit dismissed Gerald Damone Hopper's appeal of a supervised release revocation judgment as moot. The court found that his revocation sentence had expired and he failed to identify any collateral consequences flowing from the revocation. The district court case was 3:95-cr-00119-TAW-SCR-1 in the Western District of North Carolina.

Grace v. Alamance County - Civil Rights Summary Judgment Affirmed

The Fourth Circuit affirmed summary judgment for defendants in a 42 U.S.C. § 1983 civil rights suit. The court held that plaintiff Michael Grace waived appellate review of claims related to his May 18, 2017 arrest by failing to file specific objections to the magistrate judge's statute of limitations determination. The district court's judgment is AFFIRMED.

US v. Reigle - Criminal Sentencing Appeal

The Fourth Circuit affirmed Sebastian Reigle's 30-month sentence for communicating threats to injure in interstate commerce under 18 U.S.C. § 875(c). The court rejected Reigle's procedural challenge claiming the district court failed to adequately consider his argument under 18 U.S.C. § 3553(a)(6) regarding unwarranted sentencing disparities.

Charles v. Buffaloe - Habeas Corpus Appeal

The Fourth Circuit dismissed James Benjamin Charles's appeal seeking review of the Western District of North Carolina's denial of his 28 U.S.C. § 2254 habeas corpus petition. The court denied a certificate of appealability and dismissed the appeal, finding Charles failed to demonstrate that reasonable jurists could find the district court's procedural ruling debatable or that he stated a debatable constitutional claim.

Marriage of Brand - Child Support and Parenting Time Modification

Colorado Court of Appeals Division I issued a non-precedential opinion in Marriage of Brand (No. 25CA0054), partially affirming and partially reversing a district court order modifying parenting time and child support. The court affirmed retroactive child support modification and prospective parenting time changes but reversed the child support calculation under the new parenting schedule, remanding for recalculation.

Peo v. Martinez-Fabela - Criminal Sentence Appeal

Colorado Court of Appeals affirmed the denial of Martinez-Fabela's motion to correct an illegal sentence under Crim. P. 35(a). The court rejected his challenge to his second degree kidnapping conviction (12-year consecutive sentence) based on claimed parental rights. The appellate court affirmed the denial but remanded for further proceedings consistent with the opinion. Case No. 24CA2036.

Peo v. Tonelli - Criminal Appeal Affirmed

The Colorado Court of Appeals, Division IV, affirmed the judgment of conviction against Nicolo Anthony Tonelli on charges of manslaughter and tampering with physical evidence. The defendant appealed his jury verdict conviction, but the appellate court upheld the lower court's ruling in a non-precedential opinion. The case originated from La Plata County District Court under case number 21CR492.