⚖ Oral Arguments, with Context

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B.R. v. Fairfax County School Board — 4th Cir. (Sep 17, 2026)

No. 25-1836 Argued September 17, 2026 Published October 3, 2026

The Fourth Circuit hears B.R. v. Fairfax County School Board. B.R. alleges that, as a middle-school student, she was sexually harassed and assaulted by other students, and that school officials failed to respond adequately to her reports. She sued the School Board under Title IX, which prohibits sex discrimination in education programs receiving federal funds. She also brought claims against individual school employees. A jury found for the School Board in 2024, and B.R. now challenges that result on appeal. Her position is that legal errors at trial undermined the verdict. This is a civil lawsuit about the school's responsibilities, not a criminal prosecution of the other students.

B.R. v. Fairfax County School Board (No. 25-1836) — U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, argued September 17, 2026.

Sources
Argument audio — Fourth Circuit official recording:https://www.ca4.uscourts.gov/OAarchive/mp3/25-1836-20260917.mp3
Argument date and counsel — Fourth Circuit official listing:https://www.ca4.uscourts.gov/oral-argument/oral-argument-audio-files
Case background and anonymity — Fourth Circuit's 2021 opinion in the same lawsuit:https://www.ca4.uscourts.gov/opinions/211005.P.pdf
Case background — district court's February 2024 damages opinion (court text on CaseMine):https://www.casemine.com/judgement/us/67946aa5f2278e6a6076a1ca/amp
Counsel appearances and appeal filings — court docket displayed by Justia:https://dockets.justia.com/docket/circuit-courts/ca4/25-1836
Trial result — original joint statement by SSAIS and I Have The Right To (advocacy):https://stopsexualassaultinschools.org/jury-rules-against-survivor-in-sex-abuse-cover-up-case-at-fairfax-county-public-schools/
Appellant supporters' stated appeal concerns — original public statement (advocacy):https://www.change.org/p/stop-fairfax-county-from-punishing-a-sexual-assault-survivor-with-250-000-in-court-costs
Title IX — 20 U.S.C. Section 1681, official statutory text:https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/USCODE-2021-title20/pdf/USCODE-2021-title20-chap38-sec1681.pdf
Title IX — Davis v. Monroe County Board of Education:https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/USREPORTS-526/pdf/USREPORTS-526-629.pdf
Expert testimony — Federal Rules of Evidence 702 and 704:https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CPRT-119HPRT61923/pdf/CPRT-119HPRT61923.pdf
Expert reliability and helpfulness — Daubert v. Merrell Dow Pharmaceuticals:https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/USREPORTS-509/pdf/USREPORTS-509-579.pdf
Ultimate-issue opinions — Diaz v. United States, Rule 704 discussion:https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/23pdf/602us1r39_2b8e.pdf

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