District of Columbia

Top DC prosecutor announces new election fraud unit, though authority and scope are unclear

The top federal prosecutor in Washington, D.C., is leading a new initiative to investigate election fraud cases.

Mar 18, 2025 2:12 PM CDT

Citing ‘anti-democratic takeover’ by ‘activist’ plaintiffs, Trump seeks money bond for injunction requests

President Donald Trump is directing federal agencies to seek a money bond when plaintiffs file federal lawsuits against the administration that seek temporary restraining orders or preliminary injunctions.

Mar 13, 2025 3:38 PM CDT

Top House Judiciary Democrat seeks probe of US attorney Ed Martin

Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Maryland) is calling for the Justice Department’s inspector general to investigate the interim U.S. attorney in Washington, D.C., accusing controversial prosecutor Ed Martin of violating the law and repeatedly ignoring legal ethics as he seeks to root out people he perceives as undermining President Donald Trump’s agenda.

Mar 13, 2025 3:20 PM CDT

Trump order targeting Perkins Coie is ‘affront to the Constitution,’ suit says; judge sees ‘chilling harm of blizzard proportions’

Updated: Perkins Coie has won a temporary restraining order in a lawsuit filed against the Trump administration over a directive targeting the law firm and its clients.

Mar 13, 2025 9:56 AM CDT

Third federal appeals court rejects Trump administration bid on birthright citizenship

The 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals at Boston on Tuesday refused to allow President Donald Trump’s order on birthright citizenship to take effect, joining two other federal appeals courts that also ruled against the administration on the issue.

Mar 12, 2025 12:05 PM CDT

Foreign-aid pause likely unconstitutional, federal judge rules in ABA case

A federal judge ruled Monday that the Trump administration’s “sudden, blanket suspension of congressionally appropriated” foreign aid was likely arbitrary and capricious in violation of the Administrative Procedure Act and was likely a violation of the constitutional separation of powers.

Mar 11, 2025 11:42 AM CDT

DC Circuit allows federal watchdog’s removal pending expedited appeal; US argued he had gone ‘rogue’

Updated: The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit on Wednesday allowed the Trump administration to remove the leader of the Office of Special Counsel when it granted an emergency government request to stay a federal judge’s order pending appeal.

Mar 6, 2025 11:15 AM CST

DOJ files complaint against federal judge for alleged hostility against government lawyer

The U.S. Department of Justice filed a misconduct complaint Friday for alleged “hostile and egregious misconduct” by a federal judge presiding in a challenge to an executive order that says gender dysphoria conflicts with military troop readiness.

Feb 24, 2025 12:27 PM CST

Could courts run out of options if federal officials defy court orders?

The question was considered during President Donald Trump’s first term in office: What would happen if his administration ignored a court order? Now, news articles are considering the issue once again, and commentators are using the term “constitutional crisis” to describe worst-case scenarios.

Feb 20, 2025 2:56 PM CST

Contempt sought against US officials for alleged ‘brazen defiance’ of court order on foreign-aid funds

Updated: U.S. government defendants showed alleged “brazen defiance” of a federal judge’s order requiring continued funding of many foreign-aid programs and should be held in civil contempt, according to an emergency motion filed in one of two consolidated lawsuits.

Feb 20, 2025 11:17 AM CST

Morgan Lewis, plaintiff settle alleged age, race bias case

Morgan, Lewis & Bockius and a patent prosecution specialist who sued for alleged age and race bias have agreed to dismiss the case.

Feb 19, 2025 9:01 AM CST

Ruling in ABA lawsuit, federal judge blocks pause on foreign aid but does not order Trump to act

A federal judge in Washington, D.C., has issued a temporary restraining order that allows some foreign assistance programs to continue, for now, in a lawsuit filed by the American Bar Association and other plaintiffs.

Feb 18, 2025 12:11 PM CST

DC church controls Proud Boys trademark as result of judge’s decision

A Washington, D.C., judge has transferred interest in a trademark owned by Proud Boys International, a far-right group, to a church that its members vandalized in December 2020.

Feb 4, 2025 1:59 PM CST

Giuliani contempt decision blocks him from doing this, putting his Florida condo at risk

Disbarred lawyer Rudy Giuliani is “in dire jeopardy” of having to turn over his Palm Beach, Florida, condo to two Georgia election workers who sued him for defamation after a federal judge held the former New York City mayor in civil contempt Monday, according to a report by Politico.

Jan 7, 2025 10:34 AM CST

Lawyer v. Attorney: Are all titles created equal?

Updated: “Tomayto,” “tomahto”—what’s in a name? In the legal field, the distinction between an attorney and a lawyer could be a big deal, despite the fact that few attorneys or lawyers even know the difference.

Jan 6, 2025 8:53 AM CST