A three-judge panel of the Richmond, Virginia, based U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit ruled on August 16 that people with a gender dysphoria diagnosis are considered to have a “disability” that entitles them to protection against discrimination under two federal statutes, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Vocational Rehabilitation Act. The 2-1 decision is the first in which a federal appeals court has found such individuals to be entitled … <Read More>
US Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit
4th Circuit Court of Appeals Rejects Constitutional Challenge to Gay Hate Crime Conviction
A divided panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit rejected a constitutional challenge by James William Hill, Jr., to his conviction under the federal Hate Crimes Act for assaulting a gay co-worker. United States of America v. Hill, 2019 U.S. App. LEXIS 17731, 2019 WL 2454848. According to Circuit Judge James A. Wynn, Jr., this was the first appellate case to take up the question whether the federal statute can … <Read More>