⚖ Oral Arguments, with Context

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United States v. Madrid — 5th Cir. (Jul 8, 2026)

No. 25-40161 Argued July 8, 2026 Published July 10, 2026; updated August 21, 2026

The Fifth Circuit hears United States versus Madrid. Anthony Madrid pleaded guilty to drug trafficking and to discharging a firearm during that crime, adding a mandatory ten-year consecutive sentence under Section 924(c). Through Section 2255, the federal procedure for challenging a conviction or sentence, he says that firearm conviction violates the Second Amendment because he fired to defend his home and family from masked men collecting a drug debt. The court must also decide whether the claim came too late or was waived in his plea agreement. Damonta Morgan of Forman Watkins represents Madrid. He will ask the court to reach the claim and vacate the firearm conviction. Assistant United States Attorney Bradley Visosky represents the government. He will contend that the procedural bars control and that the Second Amendment does not protect a firearm used during drug trafficking.

United States v. Madrid (No. 25-40161) — U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, argued July 8, 2026.

Sources
Argument audio — U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit (public domain, 17 U.S.C. § 105):https://www.ca5.uscourts.gov/OralArgRecordings/25/25-40161_07-08-2026.mp3
Argument listing — U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit:https://www.ca5.uscourts.gov/oral-argument-recordings/results?from=2026-07-08&to=2026-07-08
Argument calendar — U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit:https://www.ca5.uscourts.gov/court-calendars/sitting?d=2026-07-08
Section 2255 order — U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas:https://cases.justia.com/federal/district-courts/texas/txedce/1%3A2021cv00507/210126/19/0.pdf?ts=1741973843
Prior direct appeal — U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit:https://www.ca5.uscourts.gov/opinions/unpub/20/20-40031.0.pdf
28 U.S.C. § 2255 — U.S. House of Representatives:https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?edition=prelim&req=granuleid%3AUSC-prelim-title28-section2255
18 U.S.C. § 924(c) — U.S. House of Representatives:https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?edition=prelim&num=0&req=granuleid%3AUSC-prelim-title18-section924%28c%29
Hunter v. United States — Supreme Court of the United States:https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/25pdf/24-1063new_l5gm.pdf
Initial shooting report — The Dallas Morning News:https://www.dallasnews.com/news/crime/2019/01/30/cocaine-dealer-with-ak-47-shot-pregnant-girlfriend-son-while-fending-off-robbers-feds-say/
Damonta Morgan profile — Forman Watkins:https://www.formanwatkins.com/people/damonta-morgan/
Bradley Visosky profile — State Bar of Texas:https://www.texasbar.com/attorneys/member.cfm?id=208332
Bradley Visosky — U.S. Attorney's Office, Eastern District of Texas:https://www.justice.gov/usao-edtx/pr/deputy-attorney-general-recognizes-plano-federal-prosecutor

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