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Blair Coleman v. Frank Kendall, Secretary of the Air Force

Paid petition · United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, No. 22-1591 · judgment July 26, 2023


Certiorari denied · February 20, 2024
Pre-decision estimate: 2% cert probability

Before the decision, well below the 4.1% base rate, with no standout signals pointing toward a grant.

Question presented

The United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit held that a veteran who was constructively and retroactively placed on the Temporary Disability Retired List (“TDRL”) at a 50% disability rating was not entitled to a medical examination prior to removal from the TDRL and medical separation at a 10% disability rating. The court also found that the decision of the Physical Disability Board of Review (“PDBR”) to separate the veteran at a 10% disability rating was not arbitrary and capricious. Does 10 U.S.C. § 1210 or 38 C.F.R. § 4.129 require a medical examination prior to removal from the TDRL or the reduction of a disability rating? If not, was the PDBR’s determination of a 10% disability rating arbitrary and capricious?

Counsel of record

For petitioner
John Wesley Brooker
UNC School of Law Clinical Programs

For respondent
Elizabeth B. Prelogar
Solicitor General

Case

Conference history
Distributed for 1 conference

Proceedings

  1. Feb 20 2024
    Petition DENIED.
  2. Jan 17 2024
    DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 2/16/2024.
  3. Jan 11 2024
    Waiver of right of respondent Kendall, Sec. Air Force to respond filed.
  4. Dec 18 2023
    Petition for a writ of certiorari filed. (Response due January 19, 2024)