11th Circuit: Gregory Grimes v. Warden Decision Issued

On September 9, 2026, a document was filed in the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit in the case of *Gregory Grimes v. Warden, Calhoun State Prison*, designated for the Non-Argument Calendar and marked "NOT FOR PUBLICATION."

This filing, identified as Document 13-1 under case number 26-11950, indicates an ongoing appellate proceeding involving an individual, Gregory Grimes, and the Warden of Calhoun State Prison. The designation of the case for the "Non-Argument Calendar" signifies that the court has determined that oral argument is not necessary, often because the facts and legal arguments are sufficiently clear from the briefs, or the appeal is frivolous. The "NOT FOR PUBLICATION" label is equally significant, meaning the court does not intend for this decision to serve as binding precedent for future cases, although its specific precedential value may vary depending on the Eleventh Circuit's internal rules regarding citation of unpublished opinions.

The legal context for this matter primarily involves federal appellate procedure and potentially habeas corpus law, given the involvement of a prison warden. The Eleventh Circuit, which covers federal appeals from Alabama, Florida, and Georgia, operates under the Federal Rules of Appellate Procedure and its own local rules. These rules govern the criteria for placing cases on the non-argument calendar and the precedential effect of unpublished opinions. While unpublished opinions are generally not binding, attorneys may still cite them for persuasive authority in certain circumstances, depending on the specific circuit's rules. The underlying action likely originated from a federal district court within the Eleventh Circuit's jurisdiction, possibly a petition for writ of habeas corpus challenging the legality of Grimes's detention.

Key parties in this proceeding are Gregory Grimes, the appellant or petitioner, and the Warden of Calhoun State Prison, the appellee or respondent. The United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit is the judicial body overseeing this appeal. For practitioners, this development underscores the importance of understanding the procedural nuances of federal appellate practice, particularly the implications of non-argument calendars for case strategy and the limited precedential value of unpublished decisions. Attorneys should always consult the Eleventh Circuit's local rules regarding the citation of unpublished opinions. The excerpt does not report the outcome of this specific filing or the overall appeal, so its ultimate impact on the parties remains unknown.