“The Walton Standard” – Abuse-of-Discretion Review of Self-Representation in Supervised-Release Revocations 1. Introduction United States v. Eric Arthur Walton, No. 23-4314 (4th Cir. Jul. 28, 2025),...
Post-Chevron Persuasive Deference & Transient Residency under SORNA Comprehensive Commentary on United States v. Jason Kokinda, 4th Cir., 28 July 2025 1. Introduction United States v. Jason Kokinda...
Clarifying Risk Allocation in Appeal Waivers after Guideline Amendments – A Commentary on United States v. Tovis Richardson (4th Cir. 2025) 1. Introduction The Fourth Circuit’s published decision in...
Decoupling Possessory Delay from Subsequent Searches: The Fourth Circuit’s “Wrong-Sovereign” Principle in United States v. Krueger Introduction United States v. Andrew David Krueger, No. 24-4328 (4th...
“No Court Before Completion”: The Fourth Circuit’s Robust Re-statement of the Complete Arbitration Rule Introduction In Wheeling Power Company – Mitchell Plant v. Local 492, Utility Workers Union of...
Fourth Circuit Limits the “Intervening-Event” Defense in FSMA Whistle-blower Litigation Introduction In Wilbert Finley v. Kraft Heinz Inc., the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit...
United States v. Sanders: Fourth Circuit Re-Affirms Deference to § 2B1.1 “Sophisticated Means” Commentary and Validates the “Secretive or Irregular Transaction” Intent Instruction Introduction In...
“Prospective Ineffectiveness” – Hicks v. Frame Sets a Present-Tense Limit on Excusing Habeas Exhaustion for State Delay Introduction Hicks v. Frame, No. 23-6447 (4th Cir. July 23, 2025), is a...
Commissions on Insurance Premiums Are Not “Fees” Under Maryland’s Credit Grantor Closed End Credit Provisions (CLEC) 1. Introduction In Paul French v. 21st Mortgage Corporation, the United States...
Hammock v. Watts: The Fourth Circuit Lowers the Pleading Bar and Narrows Qualified Immunity in Prison Food-Safety and Free-Exercise Litigation Introduction In Terrence Hammock v. Gail Watts, the...
Clarifying Prejudice Under Rule 11: The Fourth Circuit Re-Defines When a Mis-Stated Maximum Penalty Warrants Vacatur of a Guilty Plea Introduction In United States v. Edin Solis-Rodriguez, No....
United States v. Ford – 2025: Fourth Circuit Endorses “Minimal-Colloquy” Standard for Waiver of Counsel and Clarifies Harmless-Error Doctrine for Rule 43 Violations Introduction United States v....
United States v. John: Fourth Circuit Re-Affirms the “No-Particular-Investigative-Techniques” Instruction and Reiterates the Heavy Burden for Rule 29 Insufficiency Claims Introduction In United...
Bright-Line Buffer Zones & the First Amendment: Hebb v. City of Asheville (4th Cir. 2025) United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, Published Opinion • Decided 23 July 2025 • No. 24-1383...
The Turner Rule: How Temporal Gaps and Intervening Misconduct Defeat Causation in ADA & FMLA Retaliatory-Termination Claims 1. Introduction Annette Turner, a Wal-Mart stocker suffering from...
Fourth Circuit Clarifies Reliance Requirement under North Carolina UDTPA and How to Apply the Statutory Cap on Punitive Damages in Multi-Claim Actions I. Introduction In CPI Security Systems, Inc. v....
The “Robertson Rule” – When Federal Sovereign Immunity Mirrors State Workers’ Compensation Exclusivity Introduction Katrina Robertson v. United States (4th Cir. July 22 2025) squarely addresses the...
Coffman v. Nexstar Media Inc. (4th Cir. 2025): Clarifying that Only “Objectively Reasonable” Accommodation Requests Trigger Protection under the WVHRA Introduction Leanna Coffman, an Account...
Holt v. Hull: Fourth Circuit Clarifies that Pre-Trial Detention Credits Do Not Transfer Across Unrelated Virginia Jurisdictions Absent a “Same-Act” Nexus 1. Introduction Michael Warren Holt brought a...
Rise for Animals v. Washington: Fourth Circuit Re-calibrates Informational Standing— “A Plausible Statutory Entitlement to the Specific Information Sought” as an Article III Gatekeeper 1....