All articles tagged with #federal court
A federal judge denied Trump's third attempt to transfer the New York hush-money case from state court to federal court, ruling that the payments to Stormy Daniels were private conduct not connected to his presidency and not protected by presidential immunity; the case remains in state court and is headed back to the 2nd Circuit for further review.
Judge Alvin Hellerstein denied Trump's bid to move the New York hush-money case to federal court for a third time, ruling the presidential-immunity argument isn’t new or legally sufficient; Trump plans an appeal. The case concerns a $130,000 payment to Stormy Daniels to influence the 2016 election; Trump was convicted in 2024 on 34 counts of falsifying business records and received an unconditional discharge in 2025, though the conviction remains on his record. The ruling references the 2024 Supreme Court immunity decision and a 2nd Circuit reconsideration order in evaluating whether the acts were official presidential acts.
A federal judge rejected former President Trump's latest bid to relocate the hush-money case to federal court, ruling he waited too long to pursue broader immunity protections from prosecution.
A federal judge rejected Trump’s third attempt to transfer his New York hush-money conviction from state to federal court, ruling he waited too long after his May 2024 conviction and the Supreme Court’s immunity decision to seek removal. The case remains in state court, and Trump has filed an appeal with the Second Circuit.
A federal judge denied Donald Trump’s bid to move his New York hush-money case from state court to federal court, ruling that the alleged private conduct surrounding reimbursements to Michael Cohen is not an official presidential act and thus not within presidential immunity. Trump has appealed, and while the case remains in state court, the ruling follows a prior appellate direction to reassess in light of immunity rulings.
Manhattan Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein rejected former President Trump’s bid to move or erase the hush-money case, ruling that presidential immunity does not shield the state prosecution and that a cover-up of an affair isn’t within a president’s official duties. The May 2024 conviction for falsifying business records tied to a $130,000 payment to Stormy Daniels stands, and Trump’s team says it will appeal, calling it a ‘second bite at the apple’ that the court disfavored.
A Manhattan federal judge struck down the Trump administration’s 75-country immigrant visa ban, ruling it violated federal law and exceeded the secretary of state’s authority by effectively denying visas based on nationality rather than an individual’s finances or qualifications. The decision, which allows for potential appeals, found that officers were ordered to refuse visas from these countries even when applicants could support themselves. The ruling notes that the ban affected family- and job-based visa applicants from nations across regions and clarifies that nonimmigrant visas were not impacted.
A federal judge ruled that former Abercrombie & Fitch CEO Mike Jeffries is competent to stand trial on sex trafficking and prostitution charges, reversing a prior finding of incompetence due to dementia and late-onset Alzheimer's. The decision followed review of medical records and more than 21 hours of audio from 109 calls, with the trial set to begin October 26. The court will provide accommodations for his age (81) and cognitive impairments, including a reduced schedule, breaks, and daily transcripts. If convicted, he faces a potential life sentence. The charges arise from a global sex-trafficking operation uncovered after a BBC investigation.
A Democratic congresswoman and Kennedy Center trustee filed an emergency motion to block the center’s board from re-adding President Donald Trump’s name to the building, arguing the actions violate a federal court ruling and Congress’s mandate to honor John F. Kennedy. The request seeks a temporary injunction before planned signage changes amid a dispute over board actions and fundraising tied to the renaming and branding of the center.
A federal judge ordered the release of Melissa L. Farris, 41, who was accused of vandalizing the World War II Memorial in Washington; prosecutors had sought pre-trial detention, arguing she posed a flight risk.
An 18-year-old La Jolla teen, Tyler Muehl, pleaded guilty in federal court to violating the Marine Mammal Protection Act after a viral video showed him repeatedly kicking a sea lion at La Jolla Cove; the incident prompted a NOAA investigation, and he faces up to a year in prison and a $100,000 fine, with sentencing scheduled for Oct. 20.
During a monthlong federal trial over a string of 2023 armed robberies and a carjacking in the Washington, D.C., area, jurors found a Chinese yuan and a white powder in evidence that prosecutors and investigators hadn’t disclosed. The judge admonished the lapse and instructed jurors to disregard the items, but Joyner was later convicted on 13 counts and faces a 31-year mandatory minimum after a partial verdict left 15 counts unresolved.
A federal judge issued a preliminary injunction blocking New York's mask requirement for ICE officers, while allowing the state’s ban on 287(g) cooperation agreements to proceed, highlighting a broader clash between New York officials and the federal government over immigration enforcement.
A federal judge in Illinois dismissed the DOJ's attempt to obtain unredacted statewide voter registration data, marking the department's 19th straight loss in its nationwide voter-roll litigation. The court held Title III of the Civil Rights Act does not authorize the attorney general to seize live state voter databases or compel sensitive data, and found DOJ failed to show a legitimate purpose or factual basis for the demand; the decision follows a similar New Jersey ruling and leaves the DOJ to appeal rather than amend the claim.
President Trump plans to break ground on Sept. 1 for a new 'world-class' golf course on National Park Service land near the White House, a move that would replace the public East Potomac course and draw opposition from local residents and preservationists; a lawsuit by the DC Preservation League challenges the process, a federal judge questioned whether there has been a final agency action, and the White House has not disclosed plans or secured required sign-offs. A debris pile from East Wing renovations containing toxic metals was found at the site, complicating the project.