US v Och — 1st Cir. (Nov 4, 2026)
The First Circuit hears the appeal of a Massachusetts psychiatrist convicted of illegally prescribing controlled drugs. The case grew out of prescriptions for Adderall and Xanax issued to undercover officers. The jury convicted him of three drug-distribution counts while acquitting him of other charges. The question running through this argument is where authorized medical care ends and criminal prescribing begins. Federal rules permit registered doctors to prescribe controlled substances for legitimate medical purposes in the usual course of professional practice. Once a doctor produces evidence of authorization, prosecutors must prove beyond a reasonable doubt that he knowingly or intentionally acted outside it. That is more than simply showing that his care fell below professional standards. As you listen, distinguish the medical standard that defines an authorized prescription from what the government must prove about the doctor's state of mind.
US v Och (No. 25-1741) — U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit, argued November 4, 2026.
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