All articles tagged with #judiciary
A federal judge ruled the Defense Department violated a court order by imposing strict reporting limits and by issuing a new press policy at the Pentagon; the policy was struck down, the judge ordered the reinstatement of New York Times reporters' press passes, and directed a sworn compliance declaration by April 16, with some escort-based access restrictions remaining and the Pentagon planning to appeal.
A Texas district judge issued a 14-day temporary restraining order delaying enforcement of new rules that would restrict hemp-derived products like smokable THCA flower, in a lawsuit arguing regulators overstepped their authority by bypassing lawmakers. The pause lets the broader case proceed as plaintiffs challenge a post-decarboxylation “total delta-9 THC” calculation; a hearing on a longer injunction is set for April 23. The suit also targets steep new licensing fees, while Texas moves forward with medical cannabis licensing expansion and public polls show Texans divided on cannabis policy.
Democrats won a blowout in Wisconsin, flipping control of the Wisconsin Supreme Court to a liberal bloc and securing a 4-3 majority that will influence the state's judiciary through the 2028 elections and beyond, potentially shaping redistricting and election-law decisions.
A federal judge ordered construction of President Trump’s White House ballroom halted until Congress authorizes the project, marking a legal check on White House renovations. The live brief also notes King Charles III’s April U.S. state visit, a ruling that Trump’s NPR/PBS funding order violated the First Amendment, and other Trump-related items including CBP One migration-status reversals, a Penn subpoena dispute, a class-action suit by fired FBI agents, JD Vance’s forthcoming faith memoir, consideration of LOCUST anti-drone lasers near Fort McNair, a Russian oil tanker docking in Cuba, and Trump’s video rendering of a planned Miami presidential library.
A federal judge criticized parts of the Pentagon's revamped press policy as 'weird' and Kafkaesque, partially striking down the old policy while considering the New York Times' bid to force compliance after its reporters had their credentials revoked; the hearing focused on access to press space, escorted entry, and the potential chilling effect of anonymity provisions, with the government arguing the policy aims to curb leaks and journalists contending it infringes First Amendment rights. A ruling on the Times' motion remains pending and the court asked for a briefing on the policy's legal basis.
The Iran–US war has disrupted ICE’s efforts to deport Iranian nationals, with removal flights to Iran paused amid the conflict. Courts are reevaluating detention rules for those with final orders of removal, granting bond or release in several cases where removal seems unlikely in the near term. While the administration says it will pursue deportations where possible, travel-document hurdles and the war are constraining enforcement and prolonging custody for some detainees.
Brazil's former president Jair Bolsonaro was ordered to serve his 27-year coup-related sentence at home under humanitarian house arrest for an initial 90 days due to health problems (pneumonia and kidney issues), with reassessment and possible medical checks later; the decision came from Supreme Court justice Alexandre de Moraes after prosecutors paved the way, and follows prior refusals and ongoing health concerns.
Chief Judge Renee Bumb appointed Robert Frazer as US attorney for New Jersey, ending a weeks-long leadership clash after rulings found the office’s leadership structure unlawful. The DOJ worked with the court on Frazer’s appointment, a move that should resume prosecutions that had been delayed by the dispute and could guide similar arrangements in other districts.
About 54% of voters rejected the government’s plan to overhaul how judges and prosecutors are supervised in a referendum, delivering a major domestic setback to Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and signaling weaker political standing ahead of next year’s elections.
Giorgia Meloni’s bid to reform the judiciary was rejected by voters (54% no) with high turnout (about 59%), a blow to her political standing that energizes a fractured opposition and raises the prospect of an early general election next year, though timing hinges on Italy’s president and parliament dynamics.
New Jersey judges appointed Robert Frazer, a long-time federal prosecutor, as acting U.S. attorney, ending a months-long clash between the courts and the Justice Department over leadership of the office; Frazer replaces a rotating slate of interim appoinments after court rulings found earlier arrangements unlawful and signals that prosecutions can resume with DOJ backing.
Allegations of sexual misconduct against International Criminal Court Prosecutor Karim Khan remain under review by the ICC's executive branch. Khan has temporarily stepped aside while the probe continues. An outside panel reportedly concluded that the factual findings do not establish misconduct, but the disciplinary process remains confidential and no decisions have been made, all happening amid U.S. sanctions and broader strains on the court.
Italy votes on a constitutional reform pushed by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni to overhaul the judiciary; a “yes” could boost her mandate, while opponents warn it threatens democracy. The reform would separate career paths for judges and prosecutors and create new disciplinary bodies, with turnout and public understanding shaping the outcome and Meloni's political standing.
A Missouri judge voided the ballot summary for a Trump-backed redistricting plan, potentially delaying a voter referendum as protests erupt outside the Capitol over the newly drawn U.S. House districts.
A federal judge in Oregon is set to grant Washington and 20 other states’ motion for summary judgment, blocking a Trump-era Health and Human Services directive that would pressure providers to stop treating transgender youth and threatened to exclude them from Medicaid/Medicare. The judge said the declaration exceeded statutory authority and bypassed required rulemaking, and, once formalized, the ruling would preserve access to gender-affirming care for transgender youth in the involved states.