The drone operator argued that federal court had jurisdiction to decide whether the drone was flying in national airspace or over private property. But court said no that is not core issue and if there is no federal question then there is no jurisdiction and case must be dismissed with no review of evidence. Guy should have filed in local small claims court if he could not get restitution out of criminal case. Cant make a federal case out of everything.
Ah yes, very sorry for my ignorance of the US judicial system, I should have referred to District judge(?) (here in the UK we have High Court judges and Magistrates)
(From article linked by OP) 'On Monday, a judge presiding over a Bullitt County District Court hearing dismissed all charges against William Merideth without prejudice, which means the Bullitt County prosecutor could refile the charges before a grand jury. John Wooldridge, the County Attorney, did not immediately respond to Ars’ request for comment.
According to local television station WDRB, Judge Rebecca Ward found that because three witnesses said that they saw the drone "below the tree line," the drone flight was a violation of privacy. "
"He had a right to shoot at this drone, and I'm going to dismiss this charge," Judge Ward said.
The drone’s pilot, David Boggs, meanwhile, previously gave Ars footage showing that the drone was well over 200 feet in the air before it was shot down.
But according to Boggs, the judge didn't bother to look at all the evidence, preferring to rely solely on three witnesses who testified in support of Merideth.'
Hence my previous comment.