United States DC Circuit

A rider to the District of Columbia (D.C.) appropriations act, which denies the District authority to enact laws reducing penalties associated with marijuana, is an exercise of Congress's exclusive power to define the D.C.'s legislative authority, and implicates no First Amendment concerns of D.C. citizens.

Appellate Information

• Decided 10/04/2002
• Published 10/04/2002

Judges

• Before:  TATEL and GARLAND, Circuit Judges, and WILLIAMS, Senior Circuit Judge.

Court

• United States DC Circuit

Counsel

• For Appellant:
  
• Michael S. Raab, Attorney, U.S. Department of Justice, argued the cause for appellant.   On the briefs were Roscoe C. Howard, Jr., U.S. Attorney, Mark B. Stern and Alisa B. Klein, Attorneys, U.S. Department of Justice.


• For Appellees:
  
• Alexei M. Silverman argued the cause for appellees.   With him on the brief were Gregg H. Levy and James M. Garland., Julie M. Carpenter was on the brief for amicus curiae DKT Liberty Project in support of appellees.