Senate Confirms Rebecca Taibleson to Seventh Circuit Despite Conservative Opposition

The Senate confirmed Rebecca Taibleson to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit by a vote of 52-46, filling the seat vacated by Judge Diane Sykes who assumed senior status on October 1, 2025. Taibleson, who served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Eastern District of Wisconsin, …

Senate Confirms Multiple Alabama District Court Judges in Late October

The Senate confirmed multiple Trump nominees to Alabama federal district courts in late October 2025, continuing the administration’s systematic reshaping of the federal judiciary. On October 21, Harold D. Mooty III was confirmed to the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Alabama …

Ninth Circuit Panel Allows Trump National Guard Deployment to Portland

A three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit ruled 2-1 to overturn a district court order blocking President Trump’s deployment of approximately 200 Oregon National Guard troops to protect a Portland ICE facility. Circuit Judges Ryan D. Nelson and Bridget S. Bade …

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. …

Senate Confirms Jennifer Mascott to Third Circuit Court of Appeals

The Senate confirmed Jennifer Mascott to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit by a vote of 50-47, marking Trump’s second appointee to this circuit in his second term. Mascott, a Catholic University law professor and former Trump White House lawyer, founded the Separation of Powers …

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 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, …

Ninth Circuit Upholds California Social Media Protection Law for Minors

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit issued a mixed ruling in NetChoice, LLC v. Bonta, largely upholding California’s Protecting Our Kids from Social Media Addiction Act (SB 976) while striking down one provision. The decision affirmed a district court’s denial of …

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 …

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’ …

NY Appeals Court Throws Out $527 Million Trump Fraud Judgment as "Excessive"

The New York Appellate Division, in a unanimous five-judge decision, threw out the $527 million civil fraud judgment against President Donald Trump and his companies, ruling the penalty was “excessive” and violated the Eighth Amendment’s prohibition on excessive fines. The appeals …

Federal court restrains LAPD use of less-lethal force against journalists

A federal judge issued a temporary restraining order on July 11, 2025, prohibiting LAPD from using less-lethal munitions, rubber bullets, and chemical agents against clearly identified journalists covering protests in Los Angeles. The order also bars police from forcibly removing journalists from …

Ninth Circuit extends stay keeping LA Guard/Marine deployment in place

Three-judge panel (2 Trump, 1 Biden appointees) unanimously grants stay after Judge Breyer ruled deployment exceeded authority. Court finds ‘colorable basis’ under Title 10 for 4,100 Guard troops and 700 Marines in LA. Rules governors have no veto power over federal deployment. Case …

Federal judge says Los Angeles Guard/Marine deployment likely unlawful

A federal district judge in Northern California ruled on June 12, 2025, that the Trump administration’s federalization of California National Guard and deployment of 700 active-duty Marines to Los Angeles likely violated the Posse Comitatus Act and principles of federalism. The judge found the …

Judge orders restoration of AP access to White House events

A federal judge on April 8, 2025, ordered the White House to restore Associated Press access to cover presidential events, finding that the administration’s February ban constituted viewpoint-based discrimination in violation of the First Amendment. The ruling came after AP was barred from …

Supreme Court declines to let firing of OSC chief take immediate effect

The Supreme Court temporarily kept Hampton Dellinger in place as Special Counsel pending further litigation over the president’s removal authority.

Associated Press barred from White House events; later restored by court

The White House blocked AP reporters from pooled access on Feb. 11 amid a naming dispute over the Gulf of Mexico (“Gulf of America”), with administration stating it has the right to punish AP reporters. On Apr. 8, a federal district court ordered access restored, finding viewpoint …

President fires Special Counsel Hampton Dellinger; litigation ensues

President Trump fired Hampton Dellinger from his position as head of the Office of Special Counsel via email on Friday night, February 7, 2025, stating simply “your position…is terminated, effective immediately.” Dellinger immediately sued, arguing his removal violated statutory …

SCOTUS overrules Chevron deference (Loper Bright v. Raimondo)

In a 6-3 decision, the Supreme Court overturned Chevron deference, eliminating the long-standing doctrine that required courts to defer to federal agencies’ reasonable interpretations of ambiguous statutes. This landmark ruling fundamentally reshapes administrative law, requiring courts to …

SCOTUS stays EPA 'Good Neighbor Plan' for cross-state smog program

The Supreme Court granted a 5-4 stay on June 27, 2024, blocking the EPA’s Good Neighbor Plan addressing interstate ozone pollution while litigation proceeds. Justice Gorsuch’s majority opinion found EPA failed to reasonably explain its methodology after some states left the program. The …

SCOTUS limits SEC use of in-house tribunals for civil penalties (SEC v. Jarkesy)

In a 6-3 decision on June 27, 2024, the Court held the Seventh Amendment requires jury trials when the SEC seeks civil penalties for securities fraud, ending the agency’s use of in-house administrative law judge proceedings for such cases. Chief Justice Roberts’ majority opinion found …

SCOTUS: Plaintiffs lack standing in social-media coercion case (Murthy v. Missouri)

The Supreme Court ruled 6-3 on June 26, 2024, that neither state nor individual plaintiffs established standing to enjoin federal officials over alleged coercion of social-media platforms. Justice Barrett’s majority opinion found plaintiffs failed to show government actions caused platforms to …

SCOTUS: No standing in challenge to mifepristone changes (FDA v. AHM)

The Supreme Court unanimously held the plaintiffs lacked Article III standing to challenge FDA’s 2016/2021 actions on mifepristone, leaving the agency’s changes in place. Justice Kavanaugh delivered the opinion, with the Court finding that the Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine failed to …