Law & Government
The Supreme Court's Next Big Immigration Case
Plus: Ken Burns’ The American Revolution is worth your time.
Lindsey Graham Is Outraged About Federal Surveillance Powers That Lindsey Graham Helped Create and Expand
The government can look at your phone records whenever it wants, but it's a different story when we're talking about his metadata.
America Is in a Golden Age. Are We Headed Toward a Roman Ending?
"Once you have an ever-expanding system of entitlements that you can't afford, that's often the beginning of the decline and fall," says historian Johan Norberg.
Congress Votes To Open Up the Epstein Files
There probably is no “client list,” but the files could help answer some pressing questions—and open the door to more revelations.
Misconduct in the James Comey Case Stemmed From a Reckless Rush To Indict Him
A magistrate judge says the government’s missteps may warrant dismissal of the charges against the former FBI director.
The Forgotten Classical Liberal Who Fought Jim Crow and Championed Immigration
Remembering the legacy of a principled legal activist.
The 'Emergency' That Demanded Huge Tariffs on Swiss Imports Is Now Over. So What Was the Emergency?
Trump's decision to reduce the tariffs on Swiss goods came just days after a Swiss delegation lavished the president with a variety of expensive gifts.
Missouri Town Will Pay $500K To Settle Lawsuit Over Deputy Shooting Blind and Deaf Dog
The Animal Legal Defense Fund says it's one of the largest settlements for the police killing of a dog.
This Gun Case Harks Back to Constitutional Concerns About the Limits of Federal Power That Now Seem Quaint
Congress justified that National Firearms Act of 1934 as a revenue measure—a rationale undermined by the repeal of taxes on suppressors and short-barreled rifles.
Heat Index Inside a South Florida Prison Hit 119 Degrees, Report Says
A lawsuit challenging extreme heat in a Florida prison collected temperature readings during the summer. It found brutal heat persisted day and night.
Less Indictable Than a Ham Sandwich
They say a grand jury would indict a ham sandwich. But failing to get indictments has been a hallmark of the second Trump administration.
The Art of the Presidential Health Cover-Up
Since long before Biden and Trump, presidents have been going to great lengths to keep their medical problems from the public.
Why Does SCOTUS Hear So Few Second Amendment Cases?
The right to keep and bear arms occupies a curious place in American legal history.
The Alien Enemies Act and the Major Questions Doctrine
The Trump administration's claims that illegal migration and drug smuggling qualify as an "invasion" or a "predatory incursion" under the Alien Enemies Act go against the major questions doctrine.
A Senate-Approved Bill Would Ban the Hemp-Derived THC Products That Congress Legalized in 2018
The appropriations bill, which the House is considering, would wipe out an industry that offers alternatives to cannabis consumers in states that still prohibit recreational marijuana use.
Jeffrey Epstein: Trump 'Spent Hours At My House' With Victim
Congressional investigators released emails from the late sex trafficker discussing how to leverage his relationship with the future president.
Trump Pardons Mountain Runner Michelino Sunseri, Who Was Prosecuted for Using an Unapproved Trail
The decision is consistent with the president's avowed concerns about "overcriminalization in federal regulations."
This Foreign Policy Precedent Might Aid Trump's Tariffs at SCOTUS
For the justices, the question is just how much deference the president deserves.
Greta Rideout's Landmark Rape Case Against Her Husband: 'I Did It for My Daughter'
Author Sarah Weinman's Without Consent tells the story of the legal and political battles to outlaw spousal rape in the U.S.
Supreme Court Refuses to Hear Case Seeking to Overturn Obergefell
This result is unsurprising, and was predicted by most analysts, including myself.
Reopening?
Plus: CCP lies about CPI, promising Trumpbucks from tariffs, and more...
California's Fast-Food Minimum Wage Hike Is Killing Jobs
You can’t legislate your way to prosperity.
You Can Thank This Ohio Klansman for Expanding Your Freedom of Speech
Brandenburg v. Ohio established the "imminent lawless action" standard. More than 50 years later, partisans keep trying to apply it selectively.
This Ruling Does Not Bode Well for Trump's Attempt To Portray Journalism as Consumer Fraud
On Thursday, a federal judge dismissed a lawsuit that echoed Donald Trump's claims against the Des Moines Register and pollster Ann Selzer.
Is Trump a Socialist?
Donald Trump’s new stock-buying strategy isn’t socialism, but it is a step toward a government-controlled economy.
Trump's Lawyer at the Supreme Court Cites a Letter from James Madison That Says Tariffs Are Taxes
During oral argument at the Supreme Court, Solicitor General D. John Sauer cited a letter by James Madison that completely undermines the administration’s case that its tariffs are legal.
Placing Climate Tort Litigation in Context (Updated)
Using tort law for environmental protection has a deeper historical pedigree than does resort to administrative regulation.
California's Aggressive Regulations Put Burgeoning AI Industry at Risk
Overly strict or poorly designed rules could slow beneficial uses of AI in healthcare, education, infrastructure, and public safety.
'Emergency' Has Become Washington's Favorite Loophole. It's Cost Taxpayers $15 Trillion.
Over the last decade, roughly one in every 10 dollars of budget authority has worn an emergency tag.
Justices Don't Buy Tariff Argument
Plus: Outrage at Heritage, air traffic might get throttled, and more...
On Tariffs, It Was Gorsuch vs. Trump at SCOTUS
The legal challengers to Trump's tariffs had a good day in court.
Federal Prosecutors Flesh Out Their Case Against James Comey. It Still Looks Shaky.
The government posits that the former FBI director tried to conceal his interactions with a friend who was publicly described as "a longtime confidant" and an "unofficial media surrogate."
America's Longest Government Shutdown Shows Why We Must Free Air Traffic Control from Politics
Nations that moved air traffic control out of politics have better tech, no shutdown chaos, and stable funding. Congress keeps choosing dysfunction instead.
Washington's State Capital Just Voted Against Increasing the Minimum Wage, Unemployment
Olympia residents apparently learned from Seattle’s experience that minimum wage hikes do not improve the welfare of the worst off in society.
Keep the Federal Government Closed
Americans need to go cold turkey from Uncle Sugar.
Trump's Economic Fallacies Are Legally Relevant in His Tariff Case
Trade deficits are not a "national emergency," and the president's import taxes won’t reduce them.
Abigail Spanberger Wins Virginia, Offers Democrats an Alternative to Mamdani's Socialism
"I don't care that much about what happens in the city of New York," Spanberger said on the campaign trail. Other Democrats should listen.
