United States Fourth Circuit - Opinion Summaries

CONSOLIDATION COAL CO. v. HELD

Administrative Law, Government Benefits, Health Law
In a coal miner and smoker's claim for benefits under the Black Lung Benefits Act, in finding the existence of pneumoconiosis the administrative law...

US v. WORRELL

Criminal Law & Procedure, Sentencing, Evidence
The district court did not erroneously exclude expert testimony on an unmedicated medical condition, in convicting defendant for mailing threatening...

US v. SHAW

Criminal Law & Procedure, Sentencing
The district court did not commit plain error requiring correction under U.S.S.G. section 5G1.1, by using a sentencing range of 360 months to life...

FREILICH v. UPPER CHESAPEAKE HEALTH, INC.

Administrative Law, Civil Rights, Health Law, Labor & Employment Law
After termination of medical staff privileges, a physician's action alleging 1) the unconstitutionality of federal statutes granting immunity to peer...

YOUNG v. NEW HAVEN ADVOCATE

Civil Procedure, Cyberspace Law, Injury & Tort Law, Media Law
Personal jurisdiction over a Connecticut newspaper and certain staff members was not constitutionally proper in Virginia, based on the posting of...

US v. MONDRAGON

Admiralty, Asset Forfeiture, Criminal Law & Procedure, Property Law & Real Estate
In a civil forfeiture case against property allegedly connected to drug trafficking, the government's complaint met the particularity in pleading...

THOMPSON v. POTOMAC ELEC. POWER CO.

Civil Rights, Labor & Employment Law
A Title VII employment discrimination claim, alleging unlawful denial of training opportunities, and retaliation for complaints, was not actionable...

CAPITOL INDEMNITY CORP. v. AULAKH

Banking Law, Contracts
The issuance of surety bonds does not constitute a credit transaction as defined under the Equal Credit Opportunity Act and its Virginia counterpart.

FLUE-CURED TOBACCO COOP. STABILIZATION CORP. v. US ENVTL. PROT. AGENCY

Administrative Law, Civil Procedure, Environmental Law, Health Law
An Environmental Protection Agency Report, classifying secondhand smoke as a known carcinogen, was not a reviewable agency action under the...

FRANKS v. ROSS

Civil Rights, Environmental Law, Property Law & Real Estate
In an action alleging racial discrimination in the siting of landfills for construction, numerous federal claims against a county were timely because...