United States Fourth Circuit

In a 42 U.S.C. section 1983 action alleging an illegal search, summary judgment for Defendant-Officers is affirmed, where Defendants' entry into Plaintiffs' house did not constitute an assault, and Defendants' pointing of firearms at Plaintiffs was reasonable in light of Plaintiffs' failure to allow Defendants entry into the house.

Appellate Information

• Decided 05/06/2009
• Published 05/06/2009

Judges

• Before WILLIAMS, Chief Judge, and TRAXLER and KING, Circuit Judges.

Court

• United States Fourth Circuit

Counsel

• For Appellees:
  
• ARGUED:  Steven Karl Barentzen, Washington, D.C., for Appellants.   R. Joseph Sher, Office of the United States Attorney, Alexandria, Virginia;  Laura Rose Handman, Davis, Wright & Tremaine, L.L.P., Washington, D.C., for Appellees.   ON BRIEF:  Nancy A. Luque, Mitka T. Baker, DLA Piper US, L.L.P., Washington, D.C., for Appellants.  Chuck Rosenberg, United States Attorney, Dennis C. Barghaan, Jr., Assistant United States Attorney, Office of the United States Attorney, Alexandria, Virginia, for the Federal Appellees.  Brigham J. Bowen, Davis, Wright & Tremaine, L.L.P., Washington, D.C., for Appellee Rita Katz.