Case Explained: UNITED STATES OF AMERICA v. MARCUS TROY MOODY

Court: United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit Filed: 2026-06-04 The Fourth Circuit dismissed in part and affirmed in part the district court’s denial of Marcus Troy Moody’s 28 U.S.C. § 2255 motion. The court affirmed the denial of relief on Claim 1, which alleged ineffective assistance of counsel for providing incorrect advice regarding mandatory minimum sentences under 18 U.S.C. § 924(c). Applying de novo review to legal conclusions and clear error review to factual findings, the court held that Moody failed to demonstrate that his trial counsel’s performance fell below an objective standard of reasonableness or that he was prejudiced by such performance. Consequently, relief on this claim was denied. The court dismissed the remainder of the appeal regarding Moody’s other claims because the district court had not issued a certificate of appealability for those issues, and the appellate court concluded that Moody failed to make a substantial showing of the denial of a constitutional right required under 28 U.S.C. § 2253(c) to obtain such a certificate. Do It For The Case Law is a news reporting service. Nothing in this episode constitutes legal advice.