A recent 5th Circuit decision, U.S. v. Posligua, 2025 WL 927324, No. 22-40393, (5th Cir. March 27, 2025), provides a nuanced look at whether judges must make a determination as to jurisdiction prior to taking certain actions (i.e. a change of plea) in MDLEA cases. Posligua, an Ecuadorian fisherman, was interdicted by the Coast Guard…