A federal statute bars from employment men who knowingly did not register for selective service before the age of 26.?? The plaintiffs in this case were federal civil service employees discharged from employment when it was learned they had not registered.? ?They challenged? the ban on various constitutional grounds. ?The district court rejected the claims on the merits but the First Circuit held 2-1 that the federal courts lacked jurisdiction to hear? the ?claims ?in ?the ?first ?place? because? the federal Civil Service Act provides an exclusive remedy through the Merit Systems Protection Board.?? The third judge on the panel would have held there was federal court jurisdiction for constitutional challenges by federal employees seeking equitable relief but would have rejected the claims on the merits.?Elgin v. Dep?t of the Treasury (10/17/11)