Supreme Court rejects shielding identities of police attending Jan. 6 Capitol rally

The U.S. Supreme Court on July 8 declined a second request to shield the identities of police officers fighting a public records request seeking information about their attendance at the Jan. 6, 2021, rally at the U.S. Capitol. The four unidentified current and former Seattle law enforcement officers said they were investigated and cleared of wrongdoing in connection with their attendance at the rally, which was followed by a security breach at the U.S. Capitol. The officers argue that even though they have been cleared of any accusations of wrongdoing, Seattle officials have tarnished their reputations. Including the officers’ names … Continue reading Supreme Court rejects shielding identities of police attending Jan. 6 Capitol rally

Supreme Court clears way for mass federal layoffs

The Supreme Court on July 8 lifted a lower court order that prevented the Trump administration from carrying out job cuts en masse and restructuring federal agencies. The new ruling lifts U.S. District Judge Susan Illston’s May 22 order that temporarily stopped large-scale layoffs known as reductions in force from moving forward while the litigation continues in the lower courts. The case is Trump v. American Federation of Government Employees. The American Federation of Government Employees has said the planned reorganization of the federal government will lead to “hundreds of thousands of federal employees” losing their jobs. The Supreme Court … Continue reading Supreme Court clears way for mass federal layoffs

Federal judge orders Trump admin not to cut off Planned Parenthood funding

A federal judge on July 7 paused a provision in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act that temporarily prevents Planned Parenthood clinics from receiving Medicaid reimbursements. U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani of Massachusetts issued the temporary restraining order after regular … Continue reading Federal judge orders Trump admin not to cut off Planned Parenthood funding

9 Key Supreme Court decisions from this term

The Supreme Court closed out its 2024–2025 term with a series of high-profile decisions that are affecting major policy areas, as well as the nature of judicial authority itself. Here’s a breakdown of the biggest decisions of the term. 1. Nationwide Injunctions The Supreme Court issued a landmark opinion on June 27 in which it ruled against the practice of judges issuing nationwide injunctions. These are court orders that block policies for the whole nation rather than just the parties in the lawsuit. The recent proliferation of nationwide injunctions under Presidents Joe Biden and Donald Trump has provoked scrutiny over the nature … Continue reading 9 Key Supreme Court decisions from this term

Supreme Court tosses lower court decisions on transgender procedures

The Supreme Court on June 30 threw out several lower court rulings, directing judges to take a second look at their decisions in light of a recent ruling that upheld Tennessee’s ban on transgender procedures for minors. Three of the cases—from West Virginia, North Carolina, and Idaho—concern whether a state may exclude transgender surgeries from coverage under various health insurance plans. A fourth case concerns whether Oklahoma is violating the U.S. Constitution by requiring that birth certificates reflect a person’s sex at birth. The new orders were announced on the court’s order list. On June 18, the Supreme Court upheld … Continue reading Supreme Court tosses lower court decisions on transgender procedures