Federal Government

Chief judge in DC admonishes Pirro’s office to be civil in court

Chief U.S. District Judge James E. Boasberg admonished U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro’s staff to remain civil in court proceedings, expressing concern Friday about an escalating dispute between prosecutors and a federal magistrate judge.

Oct 3, 2025 4:15 PM CDT

How the federal judiciary will continue operations during shutdown

The federal judiciary will tap funding, such as court fee balances, to temporarily continue paid operations during the government shutdown.

Oct 2, 2025 2:40 PM CDT

Chief justice’s legacy, emergency docket, president’s power likely themes of new SCOTUS term

Three themes are likely to dominate the new U.S. Supreme Court term, which is set to begin Oct. 6, the first Monday of the month. (Despite the budgetary shutdown of the federal government, the court is expected to operate as normal on its fees and reserves—at least for now.)

Oct 2, 2025 9:53 AM CDT

Supreme Court allows Lisa Cook to remain on Fed board for now

The Supreme Court on Wednesday ruled that Federal Reserve governor Lisa Cook can remain in her job for now and announced it will take up a high-stakes case over President Donald Trump’s attempt to remove her from the central bank.

Oct 1, 2025 11:56 AM CDT

Court rules Trump’s US attorney in Nevada was unlawfully appointed

A federal judge on Tuesday disqualified President Donald Trump’s pick for U.S. attorney in Nevada, ruling that she had been unlawfully appointed—the second court ruling in as many months to cast doubt on the Justice Department’s novel strategy for retaining the president’s most controversial appointees in top prosecutorial roles.

Oct 1, 2025 10:14 AM CDT

Florida federal prosecutor fired after old alleged anti-Trump blog posts surface

Assistant U.S. Attorney Will Rosenzweig of the Southern District of Florida was fired by email last week when he was off work to observe Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year.

Oct 1, 2025 9:02 AM CDT

ABA calls on federal government to ensure immigrants receive due process

The ABA, a longtime advocate for immigrants’ rights, took a stand against some sweeping changes to the U.S. immigration system by President Donald Trump’s administration during its annual meeting in Toronto.

Oct 1, 2025 12:20 AM CDT

Judge blocks Kari Lake from laying off over 500 Voice of America staffers

U.S. District Judge Royce C. Lamberth temporarily blocked the layoffs of more than 500 Voice of America employees, delivering a setback to the Trump administration’s efforts to dismantle the United States’ international broadcasting agency.

Sep 30, 2025 10:24 AM CDT

Chemerinsky: New SCOTUS term includes cases that will have profound effect on law, American society

The October 2025 term officially begins, as always, on the first Monday in October, and once more there is a strong sense that it is going to be a momentous year in the U.S. Supreme Court. Although the justices have been officially in recess since June 27, it was a summer filled with unprecedented activity on the court’s emergency docket, as the justices considered the constitutionality of many actions taken by President Donald Trump's administration.

Sep 30, 2025 10:01 AM CDT

Supreme Court allows Trump to withhold $4B in foreign aid in case in which ABA is a plaintiff

The U.S. Supreme Court on Friday allowed the Trump administration to withhold $4 billion in foreign aid funds while the federal government awaits a decision by Congress on its request to rescind the appropriation.

Sep 29, 2025 12:14 PM CDT

Who is Lindsey Halligan, the interim US attorney prosecuting James Comey?

Before she was sworn in Monday as interim U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Lindsey Halligan, a 36-year-old former White House aide and Florida insurance lawyer, had no prosecutorial experience. Less than four days into her new role, she brought charges against former FBI director James B. Comey.

Sep 26, 2025 3:45 PM CDT

Trump signs memo ordering the enforcement of the death penalty in DC

President Donald Trump instructed top prosecutors in a memo on Thursday to pursue the death penalty “to the maximum degree practicable” in D.C., marking his latest move to exert control over law enforcement in the city.

Sep 26, 2025 9:35 AM CDT

Amazon will refund $1.5B to Prime subscribers in $2.5B settlement with FTC

E-commerce giant Amazon agreed Thursday to pay $1.5 billion in refunds to customers of its Prime subscription as part of a larger settlement with the Federal Trade Commission over allegations it tricked people into signing up for the free shipping service and made it difficult to cancel.

Sep 25, 2025 12:00 PM CDT

Jimmy Kimmel is back, but free speech concerns continue

According to First Amendment lawyers interviewed by the ABA Journal, Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr’s comments appear to conflict with U.S. Supreme Court precedent, including its 2024 ruling in National Rifle Association of America v. Vullo.

Sep 24, 2025 2:56 PM CDT

Trump administration fires immigration judges, even as it seeks to hire more of them

The Trump administration fired nearly 20 immigration judges this month, following the dismissal of more than 80 judges earlier this year.

Sep 24, 2025 2:36 PM CDT