BLUE NOTES BLOG
A legal blog of the Federal Defender Program, Atlanta, GeorgiaThe Blue Notes Blog is penned by the staff of the Federal Defender Program and addressed to our local community of attorneys who represent men and women charged with crimes (or challenging state convictions) in the federal courts of the Northern District of Georgia.
The authors aim to fortify ourselves and our community with an entertaining, informative stream of news of the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals, of our own district court, and of the marvelous attorneys, our band of brothers and sisters, who stand with our clients each and every day.
The Eleventh Circuit Board
Clevon Webster allegedly used stolen social security numbers to apply for government benefits. The...
Welcome, Jordan Singleton!
Spring Seminar – Planting the Seeds of Knowledge
It’s our favorite time of year – training time! Come hang out in the garden and gather some...
Update: Tuesday Group Moving to Thursdays in March
Did you know that every Tuesday for more than forty years, the lawyers at the Federal Defender...
The Eleventh Circuit Board
All criminal statutes are inherently vague to some degree. Even so, under the due process clause,...
The Eleventh Circuit Board
In US v. Brooks, the Eleventh Circuit stretched the meaning of “same course of conduct” far past...
Attorney General Issues New DOJ Memo
Two weeks ago, the newly-minted Attorney General, Pam Bondi, issued a newly-minted...
Welcome, Dr. Nicole Jackson!
Cert Alert! Rivers v. Lumpkin
Habeas. It’s a twisted procedural maze. It feels like there is no escape. And a second or...
Cert Alert! Esteras v. US
The Supreme Court has granted cert in Esteras v. United States, 23-7483. Section 3583(e) of Title...
Know the Rules! – Federal Rules of Evidence Amendments Effective December 1
Amendments to the evidence rules took effect December 1. There is a new rule for illustrative aids...
Know the Rules! – Federal Rules of Evidence Amendments Effective December 1
Amendments to the evidence rules took effect December 1. There is a new rule for illustrative aids...
Welcome, Darold Bradley!
Cert Alert! Esteras v. US
The Supreme Court has granted cert in Esteras v. United States, 23-7483. Section 3583(e) of Title...
Welcome, Casey Hall!
© Belinda Rogers, Federal Defender Program
Welcome, Jessica Hicks!
© Belinda Rogers, Federal Defender Program
St. Crispin’s Day Preview: Artificial Intelligence & the Criminal Legal System
[By Wes Bryant] Emily Prokesch will teach us all about artificial intelligence. She will cover the...
St. Crispin’s Day Preview: We’re Off to See the Wizard!
[By Nicole Kaplan] The theme for this year's St. Crispin's Day is The Emerald City. So, who wants...
St. Crispin’s Day Preview: How Do We Handle the Press?
The media will be talking about our clients. Or at least some of our clients. So how do we decide...
St. Crispin’s Day Preview: Cooperation and Safety-Valve Proffers and What to Do When it All Goes South
Mandatory minimums and high drug guidelines lead to grave punishments. In search of a better...
St. Crispin’s Day: Keynote Speaker Jarrett Adams
The Federal Defender Program will host the annual St. Crispin's Day Celebration on October 23-24,...
The Eleventh Circuit Board
More than twenty years ago, the Supreme Court upheld the legality of warrantless searches of...
Welcome, Kelyn Smith!
© Belinda Rogers, Federal Defender Program
Welcome, Emily Gilbert!
© Belinda Rogers, Federal Defender Program
The Eleventh Circuit Board
In United States v. Hernandez, the Eleventh Circuit entered the fray of a circuit split. The split...
Welcome, Chelsea Champion!
© Belinda Rogers, Federal Defender Program
Welcome, Joe Blum!
© Belinda Rogers, Federal Defender Program
Welcome, Rosalyn Chang!
© Belinda Rogers, Federal Defender Program
The Parade Begins for FDP’s New Drum Major For Justice
© Roland Wright, Federal Defender Program
Can inaction equal violence?
In a case sure to confound philosophers as well as criminal law practitioners, the Supreme Court...
The amendments are coming! The amendments are coming!
One if by land and two if by sea, no more acquitted conduct for thee! The Sentencing Commission...
Boot Camp Basics – April 30th!
Listen up, you raw recruits (and seasoned veterans)! The Federal Defender wants you! Come brush up...
Who ya gonna call? Ghostbusters! (Or Matt and Nicole)
Retroactive Guideline changes are here! And so are changes to the artist formerly known as...
The Eleventh Circuit Board
In US v. Moore, we see another swing and miss on a justification defense―the appeals court...
St. Crispin’s Day Draws Nigh
We are but a week away from the annual St. Crispin's Day Celebration CLE. We will host the two-day...
The Eleventh Circuit Board
A jury found that Edward Walker brought three women from Connecticut to Florida to engage in...
Preview: St. Crispin’s Day CLE 2023
We are but a month away from the annual St. Crispin's Day Celebration CLE. We've built two days of...
The Eleventh Circuit Board
Have you ever received a written judgment only to scratch your head because you cannot recall the...
The Eleventh Circuit Board
This week's theme: the plain-error standard. An objection at the sentencing hearing will save a...
The Eleventh Circuit Board
If the Supreme Court takes a long summer hiatus, and it does, then we hope you'll forgive us for...
The Eleventh Circuit Board
Over the last 12 months, the active judges on the Eleventh Circuit resolved an average of 628...
Senate Confirms Nancy Abudu
At long last, the Senate has confirmed Nancy G. Abudu to the Eleventh Circuit bench. The final...
The Tuttle Report
Judge Beverly Martin retired 18 months ago, yet her seat on the Eleventh Circuit bench remains...
The Eleventh Circuit Board
Federal prosecutors convinced a jury to convict Clark Downs of production of child...
US v. Smith: An ACCA Win on Multiple Georgia Predicates
We don't often feature unpublished opinions, but this one is too good to pass up. Congratulations...
The Eleventh Circuit Board
Did you ever wonder what sentences are being doled out for clients prosecuted for COVID-related...
The Eleventh Circuit Board
In our local appeals court, wayward doctors are having a moment. In two recent opinions, the...
US v. Jackson: An Easter Egg Hunt for Christmas?
Written by Nicole M. Kaplan In December, the Eleventh Circuit decided the Jackson case, which...
The Safety Valve Provision & US v. Garcon
Written by Nicole M. Kaplan In the bad old days, if your client had more than one criminal history...
What’s going on with robbery predicates?
Once upon a time, the question in this title would have seemed ridiculous. Any conviction labeled...