Free Republic

The Richmond, Virginia-based 4th Circuit Court of Appeals on Wednesday voted 9-6 to keep the block on DOGE’s access to social security data. The court’s entire slate of judges (en banc) weighed in on Wednesday: Chief Judge Diaz (Obama), Judge King (Clinton), Judge Gregory (Clinton), Judge Wynn (Obama), Judge Thacker (Obama), Judge Harris (Obama), Judge Heytens (Biden), Judge Benjamin (Biden), and Judge Berner (Biden) voted to deny the motion to stay. Judge Wilkinson (Reagan), Judge Niemeyer (George H.W. Bush), Judge Agee (George W. Bush), Judge Richardson (Trump), Judge Quattlebaum (Trump), and Judge Rushing (Trump) voted to grant the motion to...

The Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals on Wednesday dismissed a lawsuit filed by Maryland and D.C. alleging that President Trump is violating the Emoluments Clause of the Constitution, finding that they did not have the standing to sue the president. The ruling is a major win for Trump, who has frequently sought to prevent others from reviewing his private financial records. Breaking.

A federal appeals court has found that a 40-foot-tall cross on a Maryland state highway median just outside Washington violates the U.S. Constitution. A three-judge panel of the 4th U.S. Circuit of Appeals in Richmond ruled Wednesday that the 92-year-old monument known as the Bladensburg cross amounts to government sponsorship of a particular religion. […] The American Humanist Association said it endorses Christianity while ignoring non-Christian veterans. …

A ruling by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit finds that carrying a gun—even lawfully—is justification for police to treat you as suspect until evidence proves otherwise. This turns the normal approach to policing on its head, limiting Fourth Amendment protections normally in place for those considered innocent until proven guilty. In fact, Ammoland reported that Judge James A. Wynn opined, “Individuals who carry firearms—lawfully or unlawfully—pose a categorical risk of danger to others and police officers, in particular.” Wynn added, “Individuals who choose to carry firearms [therefore] forego certain constitutional protections afforded to individuals who elect...

A federal appeals court today dismissed one of the highest-profile challenges to President Obama's healthcare reform law. The 4th Circuit Court of Appeals said Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli does not have a legal right to sue over the law's requirement that most people buy insurance. The court vacated a lower court's ruling in the case and instructed the lower court to dismiss the suit. The Supreme Court is almost certain to have the final say on whether the coverage mandate is constitutional. Most legal observers expect the court to hear arguments during the term that begins in October and...