Myrie v. AG — immigration — reversal — Ambro

Jarndyce and Jarndyce, I just learned from Wikipedia, is “a fictional court case from the novel Bleak House by Charles Dickens” which “has become a byword for seemingly interminable legal proceedings.”

The Third Circuit invoked that fictional case today in an opinion sending back — for a fifth time — a Panamanian citizen’s challenge to removal. From the start, the man has argued that, if sent back to Panama, gangs there would target him with impunity. This time, the basis for reversal was that the Board of Immigration erroneously reviewed only for clear error his claim that he likely would be tortured with official acquiescence if removed; the Third Circuit held that this was a mixed question of law and fact that the BIA should have instead reviewed de novo. The court also directed the BIA to consider the petitioner’s circumstantial evidence of official acquiescence to torture.

Joining Ambro were Chagares and Fuentes. Arguing counsel were Nathanael Kibler of Tennessee for the petitioner and Erica Miles for the government.

US v. Rodriguez — criminal — affirmance — Restrepo

The Third Circuit today affirmed a district’s denial of a motion for a sentencing reduction. The defendant argued that it was substantively unreasonable for the district court to deny his motion for a sentencing reduction based on a change to the Sentencing Guidelines after his sentencing. The most significant aspect of today’s ruling was that the court rejected the government’s argument that it lacked jurisdiction to review the appellate claims like the one raised here, joining three circuits and splitting with one.

Joining Restrepo were Chagares and Roth. Arguing counsel were Ronald Krauss of the MDPA federal defenders for the defendant and MDPA AUSA Carlo Marchioli for the government.