All articles tagged with #judges
The Kepner family says they are at peace now that Timothy Hudson—Anna Kepner’s stepbrother accused of raping and murdering her aboard a Carnival Cruise—had his pretrial release revoked and was sent to jail ahead of his trial. Hudson, charged as an adult with murder and aggravated sexual abuse, has pleaded not guilty, and his custody ensures he cannot harm anyone else while the case proceeds.
A wave of federal rulings accuses Justice Department lawyers of dishonesty and withholding information, calling into question the long-held trust that government counsel will be candid in court; from Rhode Island's hospital records case to Chicago grand-jury transcripts and related matters, judges fault misrepresentations, redactions, and delays, prompting outside counsel investigations and debates over ethics, with experts warning that eroding candor could undermine the federal judiciary even as DOJ officials defend their conduct.
Six immigration judges were terminated by the Department of Justice, including Roopal Patel and Nina Froes who had blocked deportations of pro-Palestinian students Rümeysa Öztürk and Mohsen Mahdawi. The DOJ touted routine evaluations for impartiality and professionalism, while critics warn the firings could erode due process and reduce experienced immigrant-defense expertise on the bench.
Hours after Virginia judges unanimously named James W Hundley interim U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, the Trump administration fired him—marking a second such firing this month of a prosecutor appointed by judges—as Deputy AG Todd Blanche asserted the president makes the appointment, underscoring a clash over interim U.S. attorney authority.
A Reuters investigation found judges have ruled ICE detainees were held illegally more than 4,400 times since October, as the Trump administration expanded mass deportations and ICE custody rose to about 68,000. The administration pursued aggressive arrest quotas, while habeas petitions topped 20,000, with hundreds of court orders violated and officials urged to be held accountable for widespread due-process violations.
Producers of American Idol worry Carrie Underwood's past performance at Donald Trump’s inauguration and ensuing political scrutiny could polarize viewers, shifting conversation from contestants to judges and risking the show's mass appeal.
Five people—three from Indiana and two from Kentucky—were arrested in a coordinated multistate investigation tied to the shooting of Tippecanoe County Judge Steven P. Meyer and his wife at their home, described by police as a lengthy operation with hundreds of investigative hours.
House Speaker Mike Johnson said he’s “for it” on impeachment articles against judges perceived as antagonistic to President Trump, marking a shift in his stance and spotlighting Judge James Boasberg as a target in a revived conservative push—though GOP lawmakers acknowledge impeachment would be an extreme, uncertain path with uncertain votes.
The US has imposed sanctions on two ICC judges involved in investigating Israeli officials for potential war crimes in Gaza, citing concerns over politicized actions against Israel. The ICC condemned the sanctions, asserting they undermine judicial independence, while Israel and its officials rejected warrants issued by the ICC.
The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals appears inclined to uphold President Trump's authority to deploy troops to Portland, signaling a potential shift in judicial interpretation of presidential powers in domestic military actions, amid ongoing legal challenges and debates over the limits of military involvement in civil protests.
The U.S. is temporarily deploying around 600 military lawyers as immigration judges to address a backlog of nearly 4 million cases, with 150 expected to start soon, following changes that lowered qualification requirements and increased funding for immigration enforcement.
The Department of Justice has relaxed requirements for temporary immigration judges, removing the need for immigration law experience to address a significant staffing shortage and backlog of over 3.7 million cases.
Ryan Seacrest was notably absent from the announcement of American Idol Season 24, which will feature judges Carrie Underwood, Luke Bryan, and Lionel Richie returning, but his status as host remains unclear. The show is set to air in early 2026, with auditions beginning in September across the U.S. and worldwide.
American Idol will return for Season 24 in 2026 with judges Luke Bryan, Lionel Richie, and Carrie Underwood, marking Underwood's second season and the same panel from the previous year, with some speculation about her future involvement and Perry's departure to focus on her music career.
The ICC condemned the US sanctions on its judges and prosecutors, viewing them as an attack on its independence and impartiality, amid tensions over investigations into US and Israeli officials, with Israel and France expressing disapproval and the US citing concerns over alleged misconduct.