Every decision we've summarized from United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit.
The Fourth Circuit reversed a summary judgment in a slip-and-fall case, holding that factual disputes regarding the open-and-obvious nature of a chemical hazard and the necessity of expert testimony on causation precluded a ruling as a matter of law.
The Fourth Circuit affirmed the conviction and sentence of a defendant convicted of firearm possession by a felon, rejecting Second Amendment challenges and finding any procedural error regarding the Armed Career Criminal Act enhancement harmless.
The Fourth Circuit affirmed Rami Mhana's convictions for money laundering and related crimes but reversed the district court's refusal to enter a forfeiture judgment. The appellate court held that forfeiture is mandatory under federal statute when the government meets specific prerequisites, regardless of restitution orders.
The United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit affirmed a lower court ruling that law enforcement did not violate due process by retaining seized motorcycles as evidence in a murder investigation. The court held that the Fourth Amendment defines the process due for property seizures in criminal cases, and no further notice or hearing was required while the investigation remained active.
The United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit affirmed the district court's denial of a motion for sentence reduction. The appellate court found no reversible error in the lower court's handling of the compassionate release request.
The United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit denied a petition for a writ of mandamus filed by Antonio Davis. The court found the petition moot because the district court had recently entered an order denying Davis's underlying motion.
The Fourth Circuit affirmed a district court dismissal of a whistleblower retaliation claim under Virginia law. The court held that the employee did not have an objectively reasonable belief that reported conduct by a non-employee guest violated workplace laws.
The Fourth Circuit affirmed a thirty-six-month prison sentence for illegal reentry after removal. The court found the sentence procedurally and substantively reasonable despite the defendant's argument that it was excessive.
The Fourth Circuit affirmed the revocation of Eric Lamount Whitener's supervised release and the three-month sentence imposed by the district court. The court found no due process violations, procedural errors, or inconsistencies in the sentencing conditions.
The Fourth Circuit affirmed summary judgment for the Town of Sunset Beach in a civil rights suit alleging municipal liability for a police officer's sexual assault. The court held that the town lacked notice of a pattern of similar constitutional violations necessary to establish deliberate indifference.