Federal Government

US recognized 11th Circuit precedent prevented release of Epstein grand jury records in Florida, judge says

Precedent by a federal appeals court with jurisdiction over Florida prevents release of grand jury records in the multimillionaire financier Jeffrey Epstein case, a fact recognized by the government, a federal judge in the Southern District of Florida ruled Wednesday.

Jul 24, 2025 2:22 PM CDT

9th Circuit upholds nationwide injunction in challenge to Trump’s restrictions on birthright citizenship

The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals at San Francisco has upheld a nationwide preliminary injunction that blocks President Donald Trump’s curtailment of birthright citizenship, finding that a U.S. Supreme Court decision restricting such injunctions does not foreclose universal relief in a lawsuit by four states.

Jul 24, 2025 12:03 PM CDT

‘Small and mighty in numbers,’ solo and small firm lawyers help challenge Trump administration agenda

Updated: Some BigLaw firms are reluctant to oppose administration policies after President Donald Trump pursued disfavored law firms with punitive executive orders. But others outside BigLaw are willing to litigate, the New York Times reports.

Jul 23, 2025 11:50 AM CDT

Judges’ move to oust Trump US attorney pick Habba triggers a showdown

Federal judges in New Jersey declined Tuesday to appoint Alina Habba, President Donald Trump’s pick for U.S. attorney in the state, to continue serving in that role, delivering a resounding rebuke to one of his administration’s most polarizing Justice Department appointees and teeing up a showdown over who would lead the office.

Jul 23, 2025 9:59 AM CDT

US will appeal decision finding punitive executive order against Jenner & Block violates First Amendment

The federal government on Monday filed notice that it will appeal a federal judge’s decision blocking a punitive executive order against Jenner & Block that threatened its employees’ security clearances and put its clients’ government contracts at risk.

Jul 22, 2025 9:42 AM CDT

Interim US attorney gets new title after judicial panel rejection for permanent position

The clock was ticking for John Sarcone III, the interim U.S. attorney for the Northern District of New York. Picked by U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi, Sarcone was slated to lead the Northern District of New York on a more permanent basis. While awaiting U.S. Senate confirmation, Sarcone needed the seal of approval by a panel of federal judges before his interim term of 120 days expired.

Jul 21, 2025 1:56 PM CDT

DOJ will no longer terminate ABA’s domestic violence training grants

The U.S. Department of Justice has decided to end its bid to cancel the ABA’s grants that support domestic violence and sexual assault survivors.

Jul 21, 2025 12:10 PM CDT

FBI targets Detroit judge and her father in public corruption probe

A sealed federal search warrant shows a Detroit judge and her father are at the center of an FBI investigation involving alleged conspiracy, wire fraud and bribery, according to the Detroit News, which published details of the document last week.

Jul 21, 2025 9:58 AM CDT

Mandatory reporting law includes conversations from confession if child abuse is suspected

Is a new Washington state law, which requires priests to report suspected child abuse or neglect, including information from confessions, an assault on the Catholic Church and thousands of years of religious doctrine and practice? That’s what the U.S. Justice Department says, asserting that it won’t sit “idly by when states mount attacks on the free exercise of religion.”

Jul 21, 2025 9:23 AM CDT

Pirro clears Senate Judiciary Committee vote for D.C. U.S. attorney

Jeanine Pirro came one step closer to becoming the District of Columbia’s full-time U.S. attorney Thursday after the Senate Judiciary Committee voted to send her nomination to the Senate floor for a final vote.

Jul 18, 2025 10:35 AM CDT

As Democrats walk out, Republicans advance judicial nomination of Emil Bove

The Senate Judiciary Committee voted Thursday morning to advance President Donald Trump’s controversial judicial nominee Emil Bove amid objections from Democratic senators, who walked out of the hearing in protest before the vote.

Jul 18, 2025 9:40 AM CDT

DOJ fires Maurene Comey, prosecutor involved in Epstein, Diddy cases

Federal prosecutor Maurene Comey, who worked on the criminal cases of Jeffrey Epstein and his associate Ghislaine Maxwell, was fired Wednesday, according to two people familiar with the matter. Comey, the daughter of former FBI director James B. Comey, was also a prosecutor in the recent trial of Sean Combs,…

Jul 17, 2025 10:45 AM CDT

White House preps for legal fight over firings—despite court victory

The Trump administration is gearing up for an intense legal battle over its plans to fire federal workers, even after a victory in the Supreme Court last week cleared the way for President Donald Trump to resume his attempts to slash government.

Jul 16, 2025 9:45 AM CDT

Justice Department unit defending Trump policies is losing nearly two-thirds of its lawyers, report says

Sixty-nine out of about 110 lawyers who defend Trump administration policies at the Justice Department have voluntarily left or are planning to leave, according to a list reviewed by Reuters. Reuters was able to confirm the departure of all but four of the lawyers on the list through court records…

Jul 15, 2025 12:57 PM CDT

Education funding freeze violates ‘multiple statutory and regulatory commands,’ says suit by Democratic states

A lawsuit filed Monday by Democratic officials in 24 states and the District of Columbia seeks the release of billions of dollars in federal education funding that has been frozen by the U.S. Department of Education and the Office of Management and Budget. The decision to withhold $6.8 billion for…

Jul 15, 2025 12:34 PM CDT