United States Fourth Circuit

Dismissal of an action under 42 U.S.C. section 1983 seeking preliminary and permanent injunctions against enforcement of a directive from a governor's office is affirmed where issuance of the directive in response to plaintiff's exercise of First Amendment rights did not give rise to an actionable claim for retaliation.

Appellate Information

• Argued 11/29/2005
• Decided 02/15/2006
• Published 02/16/2006

Judges

• Before NIEMEYER, LUTTIG, and TRAXLER, Circuit Judges.

Court

• United States Fourth Circuit

Counsel

• For Appellees:
  
• ARGUED:  Charles D. Tobin, Holland & Knight, Washington, D.C., for Appellants.  Margaret Ann Nolan, Assistant Attorney General, Office of the Attorney General of Maryland, Baltimore, Maryland, for Appellees.   ON BRIEF:  Judith F. Bonilla, Holland & Knight, Washington, D.C.;  Rachel E. Fugate, Holland & Knight, Tampa, Florida, for Appellants.  J. Joseph Curran, Jr., Attorney General of Maryland, Cynthia G. Peltzman, Assistant Attorney General, William F. Brockman, Assistant Attorney General, Baltimore, Maryland, for Appellees.  Kevin T. Baine, Adam L. Perlman, Zoe C. Scharff, Williams & Connolly, L.L.P., Washington, D.C., for Amici Supporting Appellants.