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Georgia Supreme Court Opinions Published March 3, 2026

The Georgia Supreme Court affirmed a lower court's denial of a habeas corpus petition filed by Exzavious Gibson, challenging his 1990 murder and armed robbery convictions. The court found no actual conflict of interest that adversely affected his trial counsel's performance, despite a disclosure issue.

Barricks v. Wright - Excessive Force Appeal Affirmed

The Fourth Circuit affirmed a district court's decision denying qualified immunity to a sheriff's deputy accused of excessive force. The court found that disputed facts regarding the force used during an arrest necessitate a trial, affirming the appeal denial.

Custis v. Accomack County Sheriff's Office - Civil Rights Appeal

The Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed a district court's decision to dismiss a 42 U.S.C. § 1983 action. The dismissal was based on the plaintiff's failure to comply with the court's order to file a particularized complaint. The court found no reversible error in the district court's ruling.

Courtney Boyd v. United States - Compassionate Release Appeal Denied

The Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed a district court's denial of Courtney Omar Boyd's motion for compassionate release. The court found no abuse of discretion in the district court's determination that Boyd failed to demonstrate extraordinary and compelling reasons for release.

Brandon Thompson Appeal Dismissed by Fourth Circuit

The Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals dismissed Brandon J. Thompson's appeal of a district court order denying his motion for relief under 28 U.S.C. § 2255. The court found that Thompson failed to make the requisite showing for a certificate of appealability, thus denying the appeal.

US v. Terry White - Affirmation of Revoked Supervised Release Sentence

The Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed a district court's decision to revoke Terry Antonio White's supervised release and impose an 18-month prison sentence. The court found no meritorious grounds for appeal, concluding the sentence was not plainly unreasonable.

US v. Lloyd Royal III - Compassionate Release Appeal

The Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed a district court's denial of Lloyd Mack Royal III's motion for compassionate release under 18 U.S.C. § 3582(c)(1)(A). The court found no reversible error in the lower court's decision. This unpublished opinion does not constitute binding precedent.

US v. Daron Wright - Affirmation of Supervised Release Revocation

The Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed the district court's decision to revoke Daron Wright's supervised release, imposing a 10-month prison term and an 18-month supervised release term. The court found no meritorious grounds for appeal regarding the reasonableness of the sentence or ineffective assistance of counsel.

Cooper v. City of Wheeling - Malicious Prosecution Claim

The Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed in part, reversed in part, and remanded a malicious prosecution claim. The court found that the appellant's claim was not time-barred under the two-year statute of limitations but affirmed the dismissal of the claim against the City of Wheeling due to lack of municipal policy or custom allegations.

Beckford v. Elevance Health, Inc. - Employment Discrimination Appeal

The Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals vacated and remanded a district court's grant of summary judgment in favor of Elevance Health, Inc. The court found that the district court erred in its assessment of the prima facie case for employment discrimination, potentially shifting the burden of proof prematurely. The case involves claims of race discrimination under Title VII and other statutes.