Media Mention: Chris Edwards Weighs in on High-Stakes Appeal Before the Fourth Circuit on Bloomberg Law

The Justice Department is seeking to revive dismissed charges against former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James. The case reaches the Fourth Circuit this month.

The courtroom dynamics will be as closely watched as the legal arguments themselves. Attorney Chris Edwards, co-chair of the appellate practice at Ward and Smith, shared his perspective on the case in the Bloomberg Law article “DOJ Tries to Revive Comey, James Charges at Key Appeals Court.”

The article examines the U.S. Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals’ upcoming review of the case, which turns on whether Lindsey Halligan, the former interim U.S. attorney who brought the original charges, was lawfully appointed under federal law. A three-judge panel is scheduled to hear consolidated arguments in Richmond, Virginia.

As a former Fourth Circuit clerk, Edwards spoke to the distinct procedural dynamics that shaped arguments before that court. He noted that the Fourth Circuit does not disclose its three-judge panels in advance, a practice that “presents a unique challenge” for attorneys preparing to argue before it. Edwards also pointed out that the legal questions at the center of this case extend beyond typical criminal matters, noting that the statutory interpretation and executive power issues involved “create some interesting cross-partisan valence.”

Read the full article here.