UNITED STATES v. SAFEHOUSE

No. 20-1422.

985 F.3d 225 (2021)

UNITED STATES of America v. SAFEHOUSE, a Pennsylvania nonprofit corporation; Jośe Benitez, as President and Treasurer of Safehouse Safehouse, a Pennsylvania nonprofit corporation v. U.S. Department of Justice; William P. Barr, in his official capacity as Attorney General of the United States; and William M. McSwain, in his official capacity as U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania United States of America, U.S. Department of Justice, United States Attorney General William P. Barr, and the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania William M. McSwain, Appellants.

United States Court of Appeals, Third Circuit.

Filed: January 12, 2021.


Attorney(s) appearing for the Case

William M. McSwain [ARGUED], Gregory B. David , John T. Crutchlow , Bryan C. Hughes , Erin E. Lindgren , Office of United States Attorney, 615 Chestnut Street, Suite 1250, Philadelphia, PA 19106, Counsel for Appellants.

Ronda B. Goldfein , Yolanda F. Lollis , Adrian M. Lowe , AIDS Law Project of Pennsylvania, 1211 Chestnut Street, Suite 600, Philadelphia, PA 19107, Ilana H. Eisenstein [ARGUED], Courtney G. Saleski , Megan E. Krebs , Ben C. Fabens-Lassen , DLA Piper, 1650 Market Street, One Liberty Place, Suite 5000, Philadelphia, PA 19103, Peter Goldberger , 50 Rittenhouse Place, Ardmore, PA 19003, Seth F. Kreimer , University of Pennsylvania School of Law, 3501 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104, Counsel for Appellees.

James G. Mann , Pennsylvania House of Representatives, P.O. Box 202228, Suite B-6 Main Capitol, Harrisburg, PA 17120, Counsel for Amici in support of Appellants Republican Caucus of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives and Republican Caucus of the Senate of Pennsylvania.

John M. Gore , Jones Day, 51 Louisiana Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20001, Counsel for Amici in support of Appellants Pat Toomey, Brian Fitzpatrick, Tom Cotton, John Joyce, Fred Keller, Mike Kelly, Daniel P. Meuser, Scott Perry, Guy Reschenthaler, Lloyd Smucker, and Glenn Thompson.

Jeffrey M. Harris , Consovoy McCarthy, 1600 Wilson Boulevard, Suite 700, Arlington, VA 22209, Counsel for Amici in support of Appellants Drug Policy Scholars and Former Government Officials.

Michael H. McGinley , Justin M. Romeo , Dechert, 2929 Arch Street, 18th Floor, Cira Centre, Philadelphia, PA 19104, Counsel for Amici in support of Appellants 20 Neighborhood Civic Associations and the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 5.

Loren L. AliKhan , Office of Attorney General of District of Columbia, Office of the Solicitor General, 400 6th Street, N.W., Suite 8100, Washington, D.C. 20001, Counsel for Amici in support of Appellees District of Columbia, State of California, State of Delaware, State of Illinois, State of Michigan, State of Minnesota, State of New Mexico, State of Oregon, State of Vermont, and State of Virginia.

Trevor C. Burrus , Cato Institute, 1000 Massachusetts Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20001, Counsel for Amici in support of Appellees Cato Institute, American Civil Liberties Union, and American Civil Liberties Union of Pennsylvania.

Ezekiel R. Edwards , American Civil Liberties Union, 125 Broad Street, 18th Floor, New York, New York 10004, Counsel for Amicus in support of Appellees American Civil Liberties Union.

Mary Catherine Roper , American Civil Liberties Union of Pennsylvania, P.O. Box 60173, Philadelphia, PA 19102, Counsel for Amicus Appellee American Civil Liberties Union of Pennsylvania.

Michael J. Engle , Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney, 50 South 16th Street, Two Liberty Place, Suite 3200, Philadelphia, PA 19102, Counsel for Amici in support of Appellees Dr. Alexis M. Roth, Dr. Stephen E. Lankenau, and 5th Square.

Virginia A. Gibson , Hogan Lovells US, 1735 Market Street, 23rd Floor, Philadelphia, PA 19103, Counsel for Amici in support of Appellees King County Washington, City of New York, City of Seattle, City and County of San Francisco, and City of Pittsburgh.

Ellen C. Brotman , Suite 1500, One South Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107, Counsel for Amici in support of Appellees AIDS United, American Medical Association, Association for Multidisciplinary Education and Research in Substance Use and Addiction, Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health, California Society of Addiction Medicine, Drug Policy Alliance, Foundation for AIDS Research, Harm Reduction Coalition, National Alliance of State and Territorial AIDS Directors, Network for Public Health, Pennsylvania Medical Society, Philadelphia County Medical Society, Positive Womens Network, Treatment Action Group, and Vital Strategies.

Michael D. LiPuma , Law Firm of Justin F. Robinette, Suite 1109, 325 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106, Counsel for Amici in support of Appellees Homeless Advocacy Project, Pathways to Housing Pennsylvania, Catholic Worker Free Clinic, Bethesda Project Inc., and St. Francis Inn.

Jennifer MacNaughton , City of Philadelphia, Law Department, 1515 Arch Street, Philadelphia, PA 19102, Counsel for Amici in support of Appellees Mayor Jim Kenney and Dr. Thomas Farley.

Brian T. Feeney , Jessica Natali , Kevin Rethore , Greenberg Traurig, 1717 Arch Street, Suite 400, Philadelphia, PA 19103, Counsel for Amici in support of Appellees Philadelphia Area Community Organizations.

Mark C. Fleming , Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale & Dorr, 60 State Street, Boston, MA 02109, Daniel Segal , Matthew A. Hamermesh , Hangley Aronchick Segal Pudlin & Schiller, One Logan Square, 18th & Cherry Streets, 27th Floor, Philadelphia, PA 19103, Counsel for Amici in support of Appellees Current and Former Prosecutors, Law Enforcement Leaders, and Former Department of Justice Official and Leaders.

Catherine M. Recker , Welsh & Recker, 306 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106, Counsel for Amicus in support of Appellees Professor Randy Barnett.

Mira E. Baylson , Cozen O'Connor, 1650 Market Street, One Liberty Place, Suite 2800, Philadelphia, PA 19103, Counsel for Amici in support of Appellees Religious Leaders in Philadelphia and Beyond.

Thomas A. Leonard, IV , Cozen O'Connor, 1650 Market Street, One Liberty Place, Suite 2800, Philadelphia, PA 19103, Counsel for Amici in support of Appellees Friends and Family of Victims of Opioid Addiction.

Before: AMBRO, BIBAS, and ROTH, Circuit Judges.


OPINION OF THE COURT

Though the opioid crisis may call for innovative solutions, local innovations may not break federal law. Drug users die every day of overdoses. So Safehouse, a non-profit, wants to open America's first safe-injection site in Philadelphia. It favors a public-health response to drug addiction, with...

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