U.S. Fourth Circuit

The U.S. Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals and seven other federal circuits protect the right to record police. But in a recent decision, the Fourth Circuit takes that protection further, finding that livestreaming is also a protected activity under the First Amendment.

Huntington and Cabell County alleged that the three distributors failed to maintain controls that would have prevented the oversupply of addictive substances like Oxycodone. At trial, attorneys for McKesson argued that holding the companies liable would "force distributors to second-guess doctors' prescribing decisions."

A federal appeals court has found that a North Carolina school's dress code violated female students' constitutional rights. From its opening in 2000, Charter Day School enforced a strict dress code requiring female students to wear skirts, jumper skirts, or skorts exclusively. Until recently, this strict guideline was upheld regardless of the girls' personal comfort with wearing skirts. Needless to say, male students were allowed to wear pants or shorts.

South Carolina passed a law banning abortions after a heartbeat is detected—generally after six weeks of pregnancy and before many people know that they are expecting. The District Court enjoined the enforcement of the law, and the Court of Appeals affirmed. Governor Henry McMaster has now asked for further review, arguing that the Courts' reasoning on standing and severability was flawed.

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MCI Constructors, LLC. v. City of Greensboro, 09-1606, concerned a challenge to the district court's grant of the defendant-city's motion to confirm an arbitration award in the amount of $14,939,004 in a contract dispute concerning a construction of a wastewater treatment plant.