United States Fourth Circuit

Because a U.S. citizen being detained on American soil was captured in a zone of active combat operations abroad, a Defense Department advisor's declaration was a sufficient basis upon which to conclude the detention was constitutional under the Commander In Chief's war powers.

Appellate Information

• Argued 10/28/2002
• Decided 01/08/2003
• Published 01/08/2003

Judges

• Before WILKINSON, Chief Judge, and WILKINS and TRAXLER, Circuit Judges.

Court

• United States Fourth Circuit

Counsel

• For Appellees:
  
• ARGUED:  Paul Clement, Deputy Solicitor General, United States Department of Justice, Washington, D.C., for Appellants.  Frank Willard Dunham, Jr., Federal Public Defender, Norfolk, Virginia, for Appellees.   ON BRIEF:  Paul J. McNulty, United States Attorney, Gregory G. Garre, Assistant to the Solicitor General, David B. Salmons, Assistant to the Solicitor General, Lawrence R. Leonard, Managing Assistant United States Attorney, United States Department of Justice, Washington, D.C., for Appellants.  Larry W. Shelton, Assistant Federal Public Defender, Geremy C. Kamens, Assistant Federal Public Defender, Norfolk, Virginia, for Appellees.  David B. Rivkin, Jr., Lee A. Casey, Darin R. Bartram, Baker & Hostetler, L.L.P., Washington, D.C., for Amici Curiae Ruth Wedgwood, et al.   Shayana Kadidal, Barbara Olshansky, Michael Ratner, William Goodman,Center for Constitutional Rights, New York, New York, for Amici Curiae Center for Constitutional Rights, et al.  Steven D. Benjamin, Richmond, Virginia;  Donald G. Rehkopf, Jr., Brenna & Brenna, Rochester, New York, for Amicus Curiae Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers.  Steven R. Shapiro, Lucas Guttentag, Arthur N. Eisenberg, Robin Goldfaden, American Civil Liberties Union Foundation, New York, New York;  Rebecca K. Glenberg, American Civil Liberties Union of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia, for Amici Curiae ACLU, et al.