United States v. McDonnell
Case Details
- Case No.: 15-4019
- Jurisdiction: 4th Circuit Court of Appeals
Key Topics in the Case
Documents
Prior Decision
On appeal from the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, Hon. James R. Spencer, case below No. 3:14-CR-12 (E.D. Va. 2014).
The District Court’s “Official Act” instruction improperly altered the federal-state balance without a clear statement from Congress. Ambiguous criminal provisions must be interpreted strictly against the government.
Author(s)
John D. Cline, Law Office of John D. Cline, San Francisco, CA; David B. Smith, Smith & Zimmerman, PLLC, Alexandria, VA.
