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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Friday-October 22, 2004


MEDIA ADVISORY

RALEIGH - Oral argument in the case of IN RE: ROBERT V. MATTHEWS (United States v. North Carolina's Original Copy of the Bill of Rights), has been scheduled in the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit in Richmond, Virginia. Details are as follows:

WHAT: Oral Argument - In re: Matthews

WHEN: Tuesday - October 26, 2004

TIME: 9:30 a.m.

WHERE: United States Courthouse

Room 420

1100 East Main Street

Richmond, Virginia

This case involves North Carolina's original copy of the Bill of Rights, which was transmitted to the State of North Carolina by President George Washington on behalf of the first Congress. The document disappeared from North Carolina at the end of the Civil War but was recovered in March 2003. This appeal of U. S. District Judge Terrence W. Boyle's finding--that the State of North Carolina is the true owner of its original copy of the Bill of Rights--was filed by Robert V. Matthews, who asserts an ownership interest in the document.

News releases are available on the U. S. Attorney's web page at www.usdoj.gov/usao/nce within 48 hours of release.