Wolf Run Mining Company v. Director, Office of Workers' Compensation Programs - Black Lung Benefits

The Fourth Circuit denied Wolf Run Mining Company's petition for review of a Benefits Review Board decision affirming an ALJ order awarding Black Lung benefits to miner Harold Baisden. The court found no legal error in the determination that the coal operator failed to rebut the statutory presumption that Baisiden's pneumoconiosis arose from coal mine employment. The petition was denied, preserving the benefits award.

Russell v. United States - Motion for New Trial Denied

The Fourth Circuit affirmed the district court's denial of Russell's Fed. R. Crim. P. 33 motion for a new trial in a 1991 criminal case. The appeals court found no reversible error and denied Russell's motion for bail pending appeal. This unpublished per curiam opinion is not binding precedent in the circuit.

US v. Walker - Supervised Release Revocation Affirmed

The Fourth Circuit affirmed Timothy Abel Walker's revocation of supervised release and 36-month sentence of imprisonment with no further supervised release. Walker challenged the procedural and substantive reasonableness of the sentence, arguing the district court erred in finding violations for failing to make restitution payments and maintain employment. The appellate court applied abuse-of-discretion review and upheld the revocation.

AG Secures 22-Year Prison Sentence for Snapchat CSAM Predator

Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier announced the Office of Statewide Prosecution secured a 22-year prison sentence for Miguel Giraldo, 20, of Kissimmee, after his conviction on 20 counts of Possession of Child Sexual Abuse Materials. The defendant was arrested following a cyber tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children regarding CSAM uploaded to Snapchat, and forensic examination of his phone revealed additional files depicting abuse of children as young as two years old.

Securitisation market diversifies; residential mortgages lose their dominance

DNB published statistical data showing the composition of the Dutch securitisation market has shifted significantly between 2020 and 2025. The share of non-mortgage loans in securitisations rose from 12% to 29%, with outstanding volume almost doubling to €8.5 billion. This growth was driven by non-bank entities including consumer credit companies and leasing firms securitising car loans, consumer loans, and SME equipment leases.

EU Design Act strengthens medical device design protection

Hogan Lovells analyzes the EU Design Act (effective May 1, 2025 with further reforms July 1, 2026) and its implications for medical device manufacturers. The reform extends design protection to digital and dynamic elements, strengthens enforcement against unauthorized digital replication and 3D printing, and addresses the repair clause for spare parts.

Trump Administration Announces Tariffs on Imported Patented Medication and Pharmaceutical Ingredients

Mayer Brown summarizes the Trump Administration's April 2, 2026 proclamation imposing sweeping tariffs on imported patented medications and active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962. The proclamation establishes a 100% ad valorem duty on products of companies without approved MFN pricing or onshoring agreements, effective July 31, 2026 for non-compliant companies and September 29, 2026 for others. The tariffs are justified on national security grounds, citing that 53% of US patented pharmaceuticals and 85% of patented APIs were produced abroad as of 2025.

FDA Grants Limited Enforcement Discretion for CBD Dietary Supplements

The FDA announced a new enforcement discretion policy for orally administered, hemp-derived CBD products effective April 1, 2026. The policy only applies to CBD dietary supplements meeting four criteria and provided to Medicare beneficiaries at the direction of a treating physician. CMS has established a Substance Access BEI program allowing participating organizations to offer up to $500 per year of hemp products to eligible Medicare beneficiaries.

FDA clarifies compounded GLP-1 policies, warns telehealth companies

FDA clarifies compounded GLP-1 policies, warns telehealth companies

CMS ACCESS Model and FDA TEMPO Pilot: Outcome-Based Payments and Digital Health

Offit Kurman analyzes CMS's ACCESS Model (a CMMI initiative) testing outcome-aligned payments tied to measurable clinical improvements for Medicare Part B providers, running concurrently with FDA's TEMPO pilot supporting digital health technology integration. The article details participation requirements, payment structures involving 50% upfront and 50% withheld amounts subject to reconciliation, and FDA enforcement discretion possibilities for digital health devices used within the model.