Supreme Court Temporarily Blocks Full SNAP Payments to 42 Million Americans

The Supreme Court on Friday evening, November 7, 2025, temporarily blocked a federal court order requiring the Trump administration to provide full SNAP benefits to approximately 42 million Americans for November during the ongoing government shutdown. Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson issued the …

Supreme Court Issues Emergency Stay Allowing Trump Administration to Withhold $4 Billion in SNAP Food Benefits

The Supreme Court issued an administrative stay at least temporarily allowing the Trump administration to withhold approximately $4 billion in SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) payments affecting 42 million Americans, blocking a federal district court order that had required full …

Supreme Court Hears Landmark Tariff Case, Justices Express Deep Skepticism of Trump's Emergency Powers

The Supreme Court heard nearly three hours of oral arguments on November 5, 2025, in the consolidated cases Learning Resources, Inc. v. Trump and Trump v. V.O.S. Selections, addressing whether the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) authorizes President Trump to unilaterally impose …

Supreme Court to Review Trump's Federalization of National Guard in Chicago, Nationwide Implications

On October 29, 2025, the U.S. Supreme Court took the rare step of requesting additional briefing in a high-profile emergency case challenging President Trump’s federalization of the National Guard in Chicago for immigration enforcement, signaling the Court is grappling with fundamental …

Supreme Court Reargues Louisiana v. Callais, Threatens Voting Rights Act

The Supreme Court heard rare second-round oral arguments in Louisiana v. Callais, a case that could fundamentally weaken or eliminate Section 2 of the 1965 Voting Rights Act. The case questions whether Louisiana’s creation of a second majority-Black congressional district (which elected Rep. …

Supreme Court Begins 2025-2026 Term with Focus on Executive Power and Voting Rights

The Supreme Court began its 2025-2026 term on October 6, 2025, with a docket featuring critical cases on executive power, voting rights, and constitutional law. The October session includes 10 oral arguments over five days, with several cases that could fundamentally reshape American governance.

Key …

Supreme Court Uses Emergency Docket to Expand Presidential Power

The Supreme Court ruled on 23 Trump administration policies via its emergency ‘shadow docket’ since Trump’s return to office, backing the administration in 21 cases without full arguments or normal deliberative processes. The Court allowed mass federal purges, foreign aid cuts, …

Supreme Court Allows Trump to Withhold $4B in Foreign Aid Through Illegal 'Pocket Rescission'

The Supreme Court voted 6-3 along ideological lines to allow Trump to freeze $4 billion in congressionally-approved foreign aid targeting UN development assistance, international peacekeeping, and humanitarian programs. Trump used a ‘pocket rescission’—a Nixon-era tactic not deployed …

Supreme Court Allows Trump to Fire FTC Commissioner Slaughter, Threatens Independent Agencies

The Supreme Court cleared the way for Trump to fire FTC Commissioner Rebecca Slaughter, overturning lower court rulings that had ordered her reinstatement after Trump fired her and fellow Democrat Alvaro Bedoya in March 2025. The Court agreed to hear arguments in December on whether to overturn …

Supreme Court Agrees to Reconsider Humphrey's Executor, Review Trump's Power to Fire Agency Heads

The Supreme Court agreed to hear a rush appeal deciding whether President Trump acted lawfully in firing board members leading independent federal agencies, setting up oral arguments for December 2025. The case will reconsider the landmark 1935 precedent Humphrey’s Executor v. United States, …

Heritage Foundation Publishes 800-Page Constitutional Guide as Trump's Judicial Roadmap

The Heritage Foundation released an 800-page ‘Guide to the Constitution’ featuring contributions from Trump appointees and prefaced by Justice Samuel Alito, serving as Trump’s blueprint for Supreme Court nominations and legal interpretation. The guide promotes an originalist …

Trump Administration Petitions Supreme Court for Emergency Review of Tariffs Ruling

The Trump administration filed an expedited emergency petition with the Supreme Court seeking to overturn the Federal Circuit’s August 29 ruling that declared Trump’s sweeping tariffs illegal under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA). The government asked the Court to …

Supreme Court Allows Trump to Remove FTC Commissioner, Gutting Agency Independence

In a 5-4 decision, the Supreme Court’s conservative majority, led by Chief Justice John Roberts, allowed President Trump to fire Federal Trade Commission Commissioner Rebecca Slaughter before her term ends, overturning nearly 90 years of regulatory independence precedent established in …

Federal Circuit Court Rules Trump Tariffs Violated IEEPA, Exceeded Presidential Authority

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit ruled 7-4 that President Trump unlawfully exceeded his emergency powers authority when imposing sweeping tariffs under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA). The full court held that Trump’s ‘reciprocal tariffs’ …

Supreme Court lifts injunctions, enables mass firings at 19 federal agencies

In a controversial 8-1 decision, the Supreme Court lifted lower court injunctions blocking the Trump administration’s mass firing plans, enabling reductions of up to 50% in 19 federal agencies. The ruling temporarily permits widespread federal workforce terminations, with Justice Ketanji Brown …

Trump systematically dismantles post-Watergate institutional safeguards

President Trump has systematically undermined post-Watergate institutional safeguards by firing inspectors general, challenging civil service protections, and seeking to neutralize oversight mechanisms established after the Nixon era. Key actions include dismissing Merit Systems Protection Board …

Federal Courts Rule Trump's IEEPA Tariffs Illegal in Multiple Cases

Federal judges across multiple courts ruled that President Trump’s use of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) to impose unilateral tariffs was illegal and exceeded presidential authority. On May 29, 2025, U.S. District Judge Rudolph Contreras granted a preliminary …

Supreme Court Hearing Challenges Presidential National Guard Federalization Powers

Ongoing federal court cases challenge the president’s authority to unilaterally federalize state National Guard units, with multiple states filing legal challenges to Trump’s deployment of California’s National Guard. The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the president …

Supreme Court Confronts Systemic Emoluments Violations

In a landmark hearing, the Supreme Court began addressing complex constitutional challenges surrounding executive branch financial entanglements. The court explored unprecedented legal territory regarding potential emoluments violations, signaling a willingness to directly examine potential …

Trump Administration Escalates Judicial Oversight Tensions

The Trump administration initiated unprecedented legal actions challenging judicial independence, including multiple court orders blocking administrative actions and mounting tensions between the executive and judicial branches. Multiple federal courts issued restraining orders against sweeping …

Supreme Court Attempts to Mitigate Constitutional Emergency Powers Dispute

In an extraordinary session, the Supreme Court issues an emergency order clearing the way for President Trump to fire two Democratic-appointed independent agency leaders, revealing deep institutional tensions. The fragmented 6-3 ruling exposes unprecedented challenges to constitutional checks and …

Federal Judges Establish Precedent for Presidential Accountability

In a landmark series of rulings spanning multiple federal appeals courts and culminating on April 10, 2025, federal judges significantly reaffirmed and expanded legal frameworks for holding the executive branch accountable. The decisions centered on critical constitutional issues including …

Trump Invokes Emergency Powers Act (IEEPA) to Impose Unprecedented Reciprocal Tariffs

President Trump declared a national emergency under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act of 1977 (IEEPA) to impose sweeping ‘reciprocal tariffs,’ marking the first time in IEEPA’s 48-year history that a president used the emergency statute—designed for genuine national …

Supreme Court Continues to Sidestep Definitive Ruling on Presidential Emoluments

Despite ongoing concerns about potential Emoluments Clauses violations, the Supreme Court has continued to avoid definitively ruling on the constitutional questions surrounding presidential financial conflicts. Previous cases from 2021 were dismissed as moot, leaving unclear legal standards about …

Supreme Court Conducts Unprecedented Hearing on Presidential Emoluments

The Supreme Court held a rare emergency hearing addressing multiple constitutional challenges to the Trump administration’s foreign financial entanglements. Legal scholars described the proceedings as a watershed moment in constitutional law, with justices probing the boundaries of …

Supreme Court Confronts Unprecedented National Guard Federalization Crisis

The Supreme Court heard critical arguments challenging President Trump’s authority to unilaterally federalize state National Guard units during the 2025 constitutional crisis. At least 23 Republican-led states support the deployment, while 22 Democratic-led states oppose it. The case centers …

Federal Judges Address Escalating Threats to Judicial Independence

Chief Justice John Roberts led a critical federal judicial conference highlighting unprecedented challenges to judicial independence. Roberts warned about four major threats: escalating violence against judges, intimidation tactics, disinformation spread through social media, and potential political …

Federal Courts Struggle with Unprecedented Emoluments Enforcement

In a landmark series of cases, federal courts grappled with complex emoluments clause violations by the Trump administration. Multiple district and appellate courts issued conflicting rulings, exposing deep systemic challenges in holding executive branch officials accountable for foreign financial …

Federal Courts Grapple with Unprecedented Emoluments Enforcement Challenge

In February 2025, the Supreme Court and federal district courts reached a critical impasse over presidential emoluments enforcement. Following a pattern established in previous cases, the Court repeatedly declined to resolve substantive questions about Trump’s potential constitutional …

Trump Signs Unconstitutional Executive Order Challenging Birthright Citizenship

On January 20, 2025, President Trump signed an executive order challenging birthright citizenship, targeting children born to non-citizen or undocumented parents. The order, which directly mirrors Project 2025 recommendations, seeks to reinterpret the 14th Amendment’s citizenship clause, …

JD Vance Sworn In as 50th Vice President, Positioned for Potential Constitutional Crisis Management

JD Vance is inaugurated as the 50th Vice President of the United States on January 20, 2025, sworn in by Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh in an indoor ceremony at the U.S. Capitol Rotunda. At 40 years old, Vance becomes the third-youngest VP in history, the first Millennial generation VP, and …

Supreme Court Overturns Chevron Deference, Reshaping Administrative Law

In a landmark 6-2 decision, the Supreme Court overruled the 40-year-old Chevron deference doctrine in Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo, fundamentally altering the balance of power between courts and federal agencies. The ruling requires courts to independently interpret ambiguous statutes rather …

Supreme Court Strikes Down Biden $400 Billion Student Loan Forgiveness as Executive Overreach

The Supreme Court ruled 6-3 that President Biden’s plan to cancel up to $430 billion in student loan debt exceeded executive authority under the HEROES Act. The plan would have forgiven up to $20,000 for Pell Grant recipients and $10,000 for other borrowers, affecting 43 million Americans. …

ProPublica Exposes Two Decades of Undisclosed Thomas-Crow Gifts

ProPublica publishes investigation revealing Clarence Thomas accepted luxury trips and gifts from Harlan Crow for over 20 years without disclosure, triggering Supreme Court ethics crisis

Supreme Court Blocks Biden OSHA Vaccine Mandate as Executive Overreach

The Supreme Court ruled 6-3 to block President Biden’s OSHA mandate requiring businesses with 100+ employees to enforce COVID vaccination or weekly testing, affecting 84 million workers. The Court held that while OSHA can regulate ‘occupational dangers,’ it lacks authority to …

Supreme Court Strikes Down CDC Eviction Moratorium as Unauthorized Executive Action

The Supreme Court ruled 6-3 to block the Biden administration’s CDC eviction moratorium covering areas with high COVID transmission, finding the agency exceeded its statutory authority. The Court held that ‘[i]f a federally imposed eviction moratorium is to continue, Congress must …

Supreme Court Rules Partisan Gerrymandering Beyond Federal Court Jurisdiction

The Supreme Court rules 5-4 in Rucho v. Common Cause that partisan gerrymandering claims present “political questions beyond the reach of the federal courts,” effectively eliminating federal judicial oversight of even extreme partisan redistricting. The decision gives state legislatures …

Supreme Court Upholds Ohio's Aggressive "Use It Or Lose It" Voter Purge System

The Supreme Court rules 5-4 to uphold Ohio’s aggressive voter purge system—the most severe in the nation—that removes voters from registration rolls if they fail to vote in a single federal election and don’t return a mailed confirmation notice. Justice Samuel Alito’s majority …

Supreme Court Rules Warrantless Cell Phone Searches Unconstitutional in Riley v. California

The United States Supreme Court unanimously rules in Riley v. California that police generally may not, without a warrant, search digital information on a cell phone seized from an individual who has been arrested. Chief Justice John Roberts writes the landmark opinion, declaring that “cell …

Supreme Court backs broad discovery in Argentina debt case (Alito joined majority); Singer's fund later benefited

In Republic of Argentina v. NML Capital (2014), the Supreme Court held that the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act does not bar post‑judgment discovery into a foreign sovereign’s assets, facilitating creditor collection efforts including by Paul Singer’s NML Capital. Justice Samuel Alito …

Supreme Court Guts Voting Rights Act in Shelby County v. Holder Decision

The Supreme Court strikes down Section 4(b) of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 in a 5-4 decision, effectively nullifying Section 5’s preclearance requirement that prevented jurisdictions with histories of racial discrimination from changing voting laws without federal approval. Chief Justice …

ALEC States Immediately Implement Voter Restrictions After Shelby County Decision

Within hours of the Supreme Court’s 5-4 Shelby County v. Holder decision striking down Section 4 of the Voting Rights Act, ALEC-affiliated states began implementing voter suppression laws that had been previously blocked by federal preclearance requirements. Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott …

Justice O'Connor Expresses Regret Over Bush v. Gore Damage to Court Reputation

Former Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, who voted with the majority in Bush v. Gore, publicly admits the case “gave the court a less-than-perfect reputation” and suggests the Court should have declined to hear it. Her statement that “Maybe the court should have …

Supreme Court Citizens United Decision Unleashes Unlimited Corporate Spending

Supreme Court ruled 5-4 that corporations can spend unlimited amounts on elections through independent expenditures, enabling creation of Super PACs and dark money networks. The decision dramatically reshaped campaign finance, allowing corporations and unions to spend unlimited funds on independent …

Supreme Court Protects Cheney Energy Task Force Secrecy

In Cheney v. United States District Court, the Supreme Court rules 7-2 to protect the secrecy of Vice President Cheney’s Energy Task Force meetings with oil executives. The Court vacates a lower court order requiring disclosure of task force participants and documents, ruling that federal …

Bush Administration Establishes Faith-Based Initiative Infrastructure for Systematic Constitutional Transformation

President Bush signed Executive Orders establishing the White House Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives, directing billions in federal funding to religious organizations while allowing employment discrimination based on religious beliefs. By 2006, faith-based organizations received …

Powell Authors Bellotti Decision Granting Corporations First Amendment Political Rights

Justice Lewis Powell authors the majority opinion in First National Bank of Boston v. Bellotti, holding for the first time that corporations have First Amendment rights to influence political ballot questions through unlimited expenditures. Powell’s 5-4 decision directly implements his 1971 …

Supreme Court Decides Buckley v. Valeo, Unleashing Corporate Money in Politics

The Supreme Court ruled in Buckley v. Valeo that spending money on elections is a form of free speech protected by the First Amendment. While upholding contribution limits, the decision struck down expenditure limits, creating a fundamental asymmetry that would enable unlimited corporate influence …

Supreme Court Decides Buckley v. Valeo, Unleashing Corporate Money in Politics

In a landmark constitutional law decision, the Supreme Court ruled in Buckley v. Valeo that political expenditures constitute a form of speech protected by the First Amendment, fundamentally transforming campaign finance jurisprudence. The Court established a critical distinction between campaign …

Powell Helps Implement Corporate Blueprint in Buckley v. Valeo Equating Money with Speech

Justice Lewis Powell joins the Supreme Court’s landmark decision in Buckley v. Valeo (424 U.S. 1), which fundamentally reshaped campaign finance law by equating money with political speech. The Court upheld contribution limits to prevent corruption while striking down expenditure limitations …