Appealed From: U.S. Court of Appeals, Federal Circuit
Subjects: Due Process Clause; Employment

At Issue: Whether government may prosecute a federal employee for denying misconduct that was the subject of investigation, eliminating what has been called a "right to lie."

Decision: In a unanimous decision, the justices ruled that government agencies can punish employees who lie while they are under investigation for misconduct related to their jobs.

• Read the full text of the LaChance v. Erickson decision at the Findlaw Internet Legal Resources Web site.

• The full text of the lower court decision is available at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit Web site.

Sources: The Washington Post, Supreme Court, The United States Law Week (a Bureau of National Affairs, Inc. publication)