United States Fourth Circuit

In consolidated criminal cases involving defendants' objections, for the first time on appeal, to the sentences imposed by the sentencing courts, the circuit court rules that such unpreserved objections are to be subjected to plain-error review.

Appellate Information

• Argued 12/03/2009
• Decided 01/28/2010
• Published 01/28/2010

Judges

• Before MICHAEL, MOTZ, and GREGORY, Circuit Judges.

Court

• United States Fourth Circuit

Counsel

• For Appellees:
  
• (Nos.08-5125, 08-5126) ARGUED:Gregory Bruce English, English & Smith, Alexandria, Virginia, for Appellants. Richard Daniel Cooke, Office of the United States Attorney, Richmond, Virginia, for Appellee. ON BRIEF:Mark K. Tyndall, Richmond, Virginia, for Appellant Tavarras Rhodes. Dana J. Boente, Acting United States Attorney, Alexandria, Virginia, for Appellee. (No. 08-5132) ARGUED:David Wilson Plowden, Office of the Federal Public Defender, Greenville, South Carolina, for Appellant. William Jacob Watkins, Jr., Office of the United States Attorney, Greenville, South Carolina, for Appellee. ON BRIEF:W. Walter Wilkins, United States Attorney, Columbia, South Carolina, for Appellee. (No. 09-4341) ARGUED:Benjamin Thomas Stepp, Office of the Federal Public Defender, Greenville, South Carolina, for Appellant. William Jacob Watkins, Jr., Office of the United States Attorney, Greenville, South Carolina, for Appellee. ON BRIEF:W. Walter Wilkins, United States Attorney, Columbia, South Carolina; David C. Stephens, Assistant United States Attorney, Office of the United States Attorney, Greenville, South Carolina, for Appellee.