Second Circuit Notes Split Re Sentencing under Criminal Rule 11(c)(1)(C) and Recourse to Resentencing

Per U.S. v. Walker, Slip Copy, 2009 WL 983031 (2d Cir. Apr. 14, 2009):

As the Government correctly notes in its 28(j) letter, there is currently a circuit split on the legal issue of whether defendants sentenced under Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure Rule 11(c)(1)(C) plea agreements may ever have recourse to resentencing pursuant to § 3582(c)(2). We need not resolve this issue for our Circuit today, however, because the district court in this case provided sufficient justification for its determination that it would not resentence Walker even if given the opportunity.

Seventh Circuit Notes Split Re When a Copyright Registration Application is Complete

Per Brooks-Ngwenya v. Indianapolis Public Schools, --- F.3d ----, 2009 WL 996998 (7th Cir. Apr. 15, 2009):

Compliance with the registration requirements of 17 U.S.C. § 411(a) is not a condition of copyright protection but is a prerequisite to suing for infringement. 17 U.S.C. § 411(a); Automation By Design, Inc. v. Raybestos Prods. Co., 463 F.3d 749, 752 n. 1 (7th Cir.2006). The circuits have split over whether registration is complete when an application is made or only after the Copyright Office has acted on the application. Compare Action Tapes, Inc. v. Mattson, 462 F.3d 1010, 1013 (8th Cir.2006) (application is sufficient), and Positive Black Talk Inc. v. Cash Money Records, Inc., 394 F.3d 357, 365 (5th Cir.2004) (same), with Jennette v. United States, 77 Fed.Cl. 126, 131 (2007) (action on application is required); La Resolana Architects, PA v. Clay Realtors Angel Fire, 416 F.3d 1195, 1201 (10th Cir.2005) (same); cf. Chicago Board of Education v. Substance, Inc., 354 F.3d 624, 631 (7th Cir.2003) (“an application for registration must be filed before the copyright can be sued upon”).

11th Cir. Notes Split Re Whether Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 32(i)(1)(A) Requires the District Court to Personally Ask Defendant about PSI

Per U.S. v. Martinez, Slip Copy, 2009 WL 839093 (11th Cir. Apr. 1, 2009):

Martinez contends that the district court plainly erred, under Fed.R.Crim.P. 32(i)(1)(A), in failing to personally ask him whether he had read the PSI [presentence investigation report]prior to sentencing. . . . [T]he parties have not cited, and research does not reveal, any binding case law requiring a district court to personally address the defendant to determine whether he read and discussed the PSI with counsel, and other circuits are split on the issue. See United States v. Romero, 491 F.3d 1173, 1179-80 & n. 3 (10th Cir.2007) (noting a circuit split on the issue).

11th Cir. Discusses Split Re Impact of IIRIRA on Section 212(c) of the INA

Per Ferguson v. U.S. Attorney General, --- F.3d ----, 2009 WL 824434 (11th Mar. 31, 2009):

INS v. St. Cyr addressed the way that two statutory amendments to the INA-namely, AEDPA and IIRIRA-impacted § 212(c), 8 U.S.C. § 1182(c).

. . .

The circuits are split on how to apply St. Cyr to aliens outside of the guilty plea context. The majority of circuits to address the issue have held that IIRIRA does not have an impermissible retroactive effect on aliens who relied on § 212(c) relief in deciding to go to trial. See Hernandez-Castillo v. Moore, 436 F.3d 516, 520 (5th Cir.2006); Montenegro v. Ashcroft, 355 F.3d 1035, 1036-37 (7th Cir.2004); Rankine v. Reno, 319 F.3d 93, 102 (2d Cir.2003); Chambers v. Reno, 307 F.3d 284, 290-93 (4th Cir.2002); Dias v. INS, 311 F.3d 456, 458 (1st Cir.2002) (“[A]pplication of the new statutory limitations on discretionary relief does not have an impermissible retroactive effect on those aliens who would have been eligible for discretionary relief when they were convicted of a felony after trial.”).

. . .

Although our Court has not squarely decided the retroactivity issue splitting the circuits, we have come close to doing so on two occasions. We have all but said that St. Cyr 's retroactivity analysis does not apply to aliens who were convicted after a trial-as opposed to a guilty plea-and that § 212(c) relief is, therefore, not available to such aliens.