4th Circuit Case Commentaries

U.S.S.G. § 2K2.1(c)(1) Attempted-Murder Cross-Reference: Unpreserved Voluntary-Intoxication Claims Are Plain-Error Review and State-Law Intoxication Limits Can Sustain the Cross-Reference

Date: Mar 12, 2025

U.S.S.G. § 2K2.1(c)(1) Attempted-Murder Cross-Reference: Unpreserved Voluntary-Intoxication Claims Are Plain-Error Review and State-Law Intoxication Limits Can Sustain the Cross-Reference Case:...

Eleventh Amendment Dismissals Must Be Without Prejudice and Do Not Bar Individual-Capacity § 1983 First Amendment Retaliation Claims

Date: Mar 12, 2025

Eleventh Amendment Dismissals Must Be Without Prejudice and Do Not Bar Individual-Capacity § 1983 First Amendment Retaliation Claims Case: Arthur Love v. Larry Hogan Court: U.S. Court of Appeals for...

United States v. Sueiro (4th Cir. 2025): Court-Approval Digital-Access Conditions Validated Under § 3583(d)

Date: Mar 11, 2025

Targeted Digital-Access Supervised-Release Conditions Are Valid Under § 3583(d) When Justified by Online Offending, Third-Party Monitoring Limits, and Case-Specific Risk Case: United States v....

United States v. Gerald Wheeler: On-the-Record Rule 32.1 Confrontation Balancing and Meaningful “Good Cause” to Admit Hearsay at Revocation

Date: Mar 11, 2025

United States v. Gerald Wheeler: On-the-Record Rule 32.1 Confrontation Balancing and Meaningful “Good Cause” to Admit Hearsay at Revocation 1) Introduction In United States v. Gerald Wheeler (4th...

Registration-as-Assent in Online Subscriptions: Hyperlinked Terms Plus “Registering Signifies Agreement” Forms an Enforceable Arbitration Contract

Date: Mar 11, 2025

Registration-as-Assent in Online Subscriptions: Hyperlinked Terms Plus “Registering Signifies Agreement” Forms an Enforceable Arbitration Contract Case: Rohan Dhruva v. CuriosityStream, Inc. (4th...

United States v. Nixon: § 4A1.3 Upward Departures Limited to Enumerated “Reliable Information” and Similar Uncharged Conduct; Courts Must Use Incremental Analysis and Cannot Disregard Unrebutted Expert Evidence Without Reason

Date: Mar 11, 2025

United States v. Nixon: § 4A1.3 Upward Departures Limited to Enumerated “Reliable Information” and Similar Uncharged Conduct; Courts Must Use Incremental Analysis and Cannot Disregard Unrebutted...

Ambiguous “Molten Material” Sublimit Language Must Be Construed for the Insured Under South Carolina Law

Date: Mar 11, 2025

Ambiguous “Molten Material” Sublimit Language Must Be Construed for the Insured Under South Carolina Law 1. Introduction In JW Aluminum Company v. ACE American Insurance Company (4th Cir. Mar. 10,...

Reliance on Counsel’s Advice in Chapter 13 Bankruptcy: Enforcing Local Rules and Assessing Sanctions

Date: Mar 10, 2025

Reliance on Counsel’s Advice in Chapter 13 Bankruptcy: Enforcing Local Rules and Assessing Sanctions Introduction The case of Christine M. Sugar, Debtor - Appellant, v. Michael Brandon Burnett;...

New Insights on Statutes of Limitations in Civil Rights Claims: The Inquiry Notice Standard Reinforced

Date: Mar 10, 2025

New Insights on Statutes of Limitations in Civil Rights Claims: The Inquiry Notice Standard Reinforced Introduction The case of Demetric Simon v. Keith Gladstone, Robert Hankard, Wayne Jenkins,...

Inextricable Federal Nexus in PFAS Litigation: Expanding Removal Jurisdiction under 28 U.S.C. § 1442(a)(1)

Date: Mar 10, 2025

Inextricable Federal Nexus in PFAS Litigation: Expanding Removal Jurisdiction under 28 U.S.C. § 1442(a)(1) Introduction This commentary examines the recent decision of the United States Court of...

Delegation of Arbitrability to Arbitrators: Compelling Arbitration in BSAs

Date: Mar 10, 2025

Delegation of Arbitrability to Arbitrators: Compelling Arbitration in BSAs Introduction This commentary examines the recent decision from the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit in...

Constructive Possession and No-Knock Exception: New Precedents in Drug Distribution and Fourth Amendment Cases

Date: Mar 6, 2025

Constructive Possession and No-Knock Exception: New Precedents in Drug Distribution and Fourth Amendment Cases Introduction This commentary reviews the recent opinion of the United States Court of...

Battery Storage as a Non‐Generation Resource: Clarifying Exclusive Power Contract Obligations

Date: Mar 6, 2025

Battery Storage as a Non‐Generation Resource: Clarifying Exclusive Power Contract Obligations Introduction The case of APPALACHIAN POWER COMPANY v. FEDERAL ENERGY REGULATORY COMMISSION, with BLUE...

Judicial Discretion in Allocution Limitations: Affirming Controlled Mitigation Rights

Date: Mar 6, 2025

Judicial Discretion in Allocution Limitations: Affirming Controlled Mitigation Rights Introduction The case of UNITED STATES OF AMERICA v. CHAD MARQUES JENNINGS centers on a crucial constitutional...

Reaffirming Enhanced Sentencing Adjustments for Leadership and Obstruction: A New Standard in Federal Sentencing

Date: Mar 6, 2025

Reaffirming Enhanced Sentencing Adjustments for Leadership and Obstruction: A New Standard in Federal Sentencing Introduction The Judgment in UNITED STATES OF AMERICA v. BRANDON LLOYD DANIELS...

Establishing Standing in Discrimination Claims: The Imperative of a Concrete, Particularized Injury in Targeted Online Advertising

Date: Mar 6, 2025

Establishing Standing in Discrimination Claims: The Imperative of a Concrete, Particularized Injury in Targeted Online Advertising Introduction The case of Neuhtah Opiotennione v. Bozzuto Management...

Gowen Decision: Affirming Inmates’ Right to Retaliation-Free Grievance Expression under the First Amendment and Due Process

Date: Mar 6, 2025

Gowen Decision: Affirming Inmates’ Right to Retaliation-Free Grievance Expression under the First Amendment and Due Process Introduction The recent Fourth Circuit decision in the case of Jason Wayne...

Clarification on Concealment Money Laundering and Intended Loss in Sentencing

Date: Mar 6, 2025

Clarification on Concealment Money Laundering and Intended Loss in Sentencing Introduction The case of UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, Plaintiff - Appellee, v. CHUKWUDI MICHAEL OKWARA, a/k/a Collins Bird,...

New Precedent on Federal Jurisdiction in Arbitration Award Vacatur: The Friedler Standard

Date: Mar 6, 2025

New Precedent on Federal Jurisdiction in Arbitration Award Vacatur: The Friedler Standard Introduction The case at bar, Design Gaps, Inc.; David Glover; Eva Glover v. Shelter, LLC; Dr. Jason...

Municipal Liability and Pretrial Detainee Medical Claims Under Section 1983: Affirmation of Summary Judgment

Date: Mar 6, 2025

Municipal Liability and Pretrial Detainee Medical Claims Under Section 1983: Affirmation of Summary Judgment Introduction In the recent case of John H. Wright, Administrator of the Estate of Chad E....