⚖ Oral Arguments, with Context

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US v. Alex Chin — 4th Cir. (Oct 27, 2026)

No. 25-4259 Argued October 27, 2026 Published October 29, 2026

The Fourth Circuit hears Alex Chin's appeal from child-exploitation convictions. Prosecutors say he pressured a minor in West Virginia to produce sexually explicit images. Chin was arrested in California in June 2022 and did not reach West Virginia until November, although a lawyer was already representing him there. His request to dismiss the charges for speedy-trial violations was denied. The judge ruled that the clock started when Chin appeared in the charging district, not when his lawyer filed papers there. The Speedy Trial Act generally sets a seventy-day trial deadline from the later of indictment or appearance in the charging court, with some delays excluded. David Schles, for Chin, will challenge that ruling and the use of a statement in an earlier lawyer's filing to attack Chin's credibility at trial. Impeachment in this context means challenging a witness's credibility, not removal from office. Jennifer Herrald, for the United States, will defend the convictions and sentence.

US v. Alex Chin (No. 25-4259) — U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, argued October 27, 2026.

Sources
Argument audio — official Fourth Circuit original:https://www.ca4.uscourts.gov/OAarchive/mp3/25-4259-20261027.mp3
Official recording, arguing counsel and argument date — October 27, 2026:https://www.ca4.uscourts.gov/oral-argument/oral-argument-audio-files
Official argument calendar — case 25-4259:https://www.ca4.uscourts.gov/cal/internetcalOct272026.pdf
Arrest, transfer delay and earlier speedy-trial ruling — December 21, 2022 district-court order, reproduced by Midpage; not the result of this appeal:https://app.midpage.ai/document/united-states-v-chin-1000220755275
Prosecution account of trial background and sentence — April 28, 2025 U.S. Attorney release:https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdwv/pr/registered-sex-offender-sentenced-37-years-prison-child-exploitation-crimes
Trial deadline and exclusions — Speedy Trial Act, 18 U.S.C. § 3161:https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/3161
Dismissal remedies — 18 U.S.C. § 3162:https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/3162
Witness credibility — Federal Rule of Evidence 607:https://www.law.cornell.edu/rules/fre/rule_607
Statements attributed to an opposing party or agent — Federal Rule of Evidence 801(d)(2):https://www.law.cornell.edu/rules/fre/rule_801
Other-acts evidence — Federal Rule of Evidence 404(b):https://www.law.cornell.edu/rules/fre/rule_404
Separate statutory elements — Blockburger v. United States, Supreme Court majority, 1932:https://tile.loc.gov/storage-services/service/ll/usrep/usrep284/usrep284299/usrep284299.pdf
Lesser-included offenses, underlying felonies and congressional authorization — Whalen v. United States, Supreme Court majority, 1980:https://tile.loc.gov/storage-services/service/ll/usrep/usrep445/usrep445684/usrep445684.pdf
Production offense — 18 U.S.C. § 2251(a):https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/2251
Enticement offense — 18 U.S.C. § 2422(b):https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/2422

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