Court Opinion

ID: 9497475
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-05 16:52:14.314498+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:58:13.037707
License: Public Domain

WIDENER, Circuit Judge,
dissenting:
I respectfully dissent. I would not overrule Lane v. United States, 529 F.2d 175 (4th Cir.1975).
I am in agreement, in general terms, with the reasons expressed in the Introduction to and in Part I of Judge Luttig’s dissenting opinion, and, as well, I agree with Part II of Judge Motz’s dissenting opinion.
I would add a word. The result obtained by the majority was predicted more than 200 years ago in the Eleventh Essay of Brutus, the conclusion of which I quote here:
When the courts will have a precedent before them of a court which extended its jurisdiction in opposition to an act of the legislature, is it not to be expected that they will extend theirs, especially when there is nothing in the constitution expressly against it? and they are au-thorised to construe its meaning, and are not under any controul?
This power in the judicial, will enable them to mould the government, into almost any shape they please. The manner in which this may be effected we will hereafter examine.
Brutus XI, 31 January 1788.