Court Error – Conditions of Supervised Release

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7^th Circuit Court of Appeals

Case Name: United States of America v. John W. Bloch

Case No.: 15-1648

Officials: POSNER, EASTERBROOK, and KANNE, Circuit Judges.

Focus: Court Error – Conditions of Supervised Release

Court did not err in setting conditions of supervised release – adequately explain and justified its terms.

“Finally, nothing about the district court’s questioning concerning Bloch’s supervised release conditions is vague or confusing. Bloch knew that “he could lodge an objection and purposefully declined to do so.” United States v. Murry, 395 F.3d 712, 717 (7th Cir. 2005) (applying waiver where district court twice asked defendant if he objected to jury instructions, and defendant responded that he did not). Before pronouncing its sentence, the district court asked “assuming [Bloch] continues to object to Supervised Release Condition 10, does the defense have any further objection to the proposed sentence?” Bloch responded that he did not “other than [the objection] previously stated.” Bloch undoubtedly understood that the district court’s question here applied not only to the proposed term of imprisonment but also to the proposed conditions of supervised release. And, the district court confirmed that Bloch had no further objections to the proposed sentence. All together, the district court asked Bloch three times if he had any concerns with the proposed conditions of supervised release. Other than objecting to the condition allowing for home visits, he said he did not have any.

Affirmed

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Attorney Derek A. Hawkins is the managing partner at Hawkins Law Offices LLC, where he heads up the firm’s startup law practice. He specializes in business formation, corporate governance, intellectual property protection, private equity and venture capital funding and mergers & acquisitions. Check out the website at www.hawkins-lawoffices.com or contact them at 262-737-8825.