All articles tagged with #courts
A federal court blocked Alabama from using a congressional map designed to give Republicans an edge in six of seven districts, ordering the state to use the previous map for now. The decision is a win for Democrats in the ongoing national battle over how districts are drawn and could prompt a redraw or an appeal to the Supreme Court by Alabama’s Republican-led legislature.
A MIT/USC study reports AI-generated text now appears in about 18% of self-represented filings, with pro se dockets up about 64% in the first 180 days after AI tools became common, and non-prisoner pro se filings rising to 16.8% in FY2025, prompting caution about frivolous AI-assisted lawsuits and the strain on courts (the study isn’t peer‑reviewed yet).
Two federal judges rejected the Justice Department's effort to compel Maine and Wisconsin to turn over their voter rolls, marking a setback for federal attempts to oversee voter-roll updates in these states.
A federal judge in Manhattan blocked routine arrests by federal agents inside or around three immigration courthouses, ruling that such detentions require exceptional circumstances and should not disrupt court proceedings, effectively ending a Trump-era practice. Arrests may still occur off-site or at courthouses only in cases of serious public-safety threats; the ruling covers 26 Federal Plaza, 201 Varick Street, and 290 Broadway and was praised by immigrant-rights groups.
Former President Donald Trump filed a motion to dismiss a $10 billion lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service, arguing the claims lack merit and should be dismissed.
A federal judge issued a preliminary injunction blocking four core provisions of Texas Senate Bill 4, delaying most of the 2023 immigration law just before it was set to take effect, while allowing the provision permitting police to arrest people suspected of illegal entry to proceed. Civil rights groups argued the measures infringe on federal immigration authority and could lead to racial profiling, while Texas officials contend SB4 mirrors federal policy and defends state borders; the ruling follows prior appellate actions and ongoing litigation over the law.
The Texas Supreme Court rejected Gov. Greg Abbott’s effort to remove Rep. Gene Wu for his role in a quorum-break over a mid-decade redistricting map, ruling the Legislature could restore a quorum without court intervention and leaving the door open to future judicial involvement only if internal remedies fail.
An Australian court upheld a ruling in favor of a transgender woman and doubled the damages awarded against a female-only app in a discrimination case.
POLITICO’s new database tracks 11,000+ federal cases challenging ICE detention under Trump, with more than 10,000 rulings adverse to the administration; the analysis highlights due-process concerns and detention-length issues, and the dataset will be updated as new rulings emerge.
The South Carolina Supreme Court overturned Alex Murdaugh’s 2023 murder convictions, citing improper external influences on the jury, and ordered a new trial, though Murdaugh remains imprisoned on a separate federal sentence.
Missouri's Supreme Court upheld the Republican-drawn redistricting map, expanding GOP representation from 6-2 to 7-1 by breaking up a Kansas City–area Democratic seat and rejected a Democratic referendum effort to suspend the map, effectively clearing it for use in November. The Secretary of State can rule on the referendum by late July, which could delay or suspend the map, but the near-term timing around the August primaries makes that unlikely, marking another GOP win in redistricting amid broader court-driven partisan map battles.
Massachusetts prosecutors blasted a judge for a five-to-six-year sentence with three years’ probation handed to Tyler Brown, a repeat offender who had pleaded guilty to armed assault with intent to murder and had previously fired on Boston officers. They had sought 12 years in prison plus five years’ probation. Brown, released in January, allegedly fired 50–60 rounds at cars along Memorial Drive in Cambridge on Monday, leaving two men critically injured, before being shot by a state trooper and a Marine licensed to carry, and hospitalized. He faces two counts of armed assault with intent to murder.
A Utah judge refused a blanket media ban in the Charlie Kirk murder case, allowing courtroom cameras under case-by-case access rules, while postponing the preliminary hearing to July 6 due to substantial discovery and the need for defense review.
A Utah judge refused to ban media coverage in the Charlie Kirk murder case, allowing courtroom cameras under a request-based process, and postponed the preliminary hearing to July 6 due to the large volume of discovery, while addressing media-access on a case-by-case basis and noting ongoing motions.
Trump officials are shown defying lower court rulings in what appears to be an unprecedented display of executive power, raising concerns about checks and balances as legal battles unfold and prompting questions about the boundaries of presidential authority.