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Judicial deference

California National Guard members in Los Angeles | Apex/Mega/DFBEV/Newscom

Executive Power

The 9th Circuit Rejects Trump's Audacious Claim That He Can Use the National Guard However He Likes

Although the appeals court said the president probably complied with the law he invoked to justify his California deployment, it emphasized that such decisions are subject to judicial review.

Jacob Sullum | 6.20.2025 2:30 PM

President Donald Trump at the G7 summit | Kyodo/Newscom

Executive Power

Trump Argues That He Can Take Over a State's National Guard Whenever He Feels Like It

The government's lawyer told a 9th Circuit panel the president's deployments are "unreviewable," so he need not even pretend to comply with the statute on which he is relying.

Jacob Sullum | 6.18.2025 4:05 PM

J.D. Vance and Donald Trump, with the Supreme Court between them | Illustration: Eddie Marshall | Ken Cedeno | UPI | Newscom | ChatGPT

J.D. Vance

What J.D. Vance Gets Wrong About Judicial Deference to Executive Power

The federal courts are supposed to be a bulwark against presidential overreach, not a rubber stamp.

Damon Root | 5.30.2025 11:42 AM

Donald Trump appears by video link at his sentencing in New York | Brendan McDermid/UPI/Newscom

Donald Trump

Trump's Latest Defeat Is One of Many Decisions That Suggest SCOTUS Won't Rubber-Stamp His Agenda

Despite some notable wins, the president-elect's overall track record shows he cannot count on a conservative Supreme Court to side with him.

Jacob Sullum | 1.10.2025 4:10 PM

Wynn Hospital in downtown Utica | N.Y. Governor's Office

Eminent Domain

The Government Took a Developer's Land and Gave It to a Competitor. In New York, That's Business As Usual.

The case gives the Supreme Court an opportunity to revisit a widely reviled decision that invited such eminent domain abuses.

Jacob Sullum | 12.27.2024 3:05 PM

Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch | Jabin Botsford/Zuma Press/Newscom

Executive Power

Two SCOTUS Cases Show How an Unaccountable Administrative State Hurts 'Ordinary People'

Contrary to progressive criticism, curtailing bureaucratic power is not about protecting "the wealthy and powerful."

Jacob Sullum | 7.3.2024 12:01 AM

herrings | 16:9clue/Flickr

Executive Power

SCOTUS Repudiates Doctrine That Gave Agencies a License To Invent Their Own Authority

The Court says Chevron deference allows bureaucrats to usurp a judicial function, creating "an eternal fog of uncertainty" about what the law allows or requires.

Jacob Sullum | 6.28.2024 12:50 PM

Chief Justice John Roberts | Saul Loeb/UPI/Newscom

SEC

SCOTUS Rules SEC's In-House Handling of Securities Fraud Cases Violates the Right to Trial by Jury

The decision rejects a system in which the agency imposes civil penalties after investigating people and validating its own allegations.

Jacob Sullum | 6.27.2024 2:05 PM

Chief Justice John Roberts | CNP/AdMedia/Sipa/Newscom

Second Amendment

Has SCOTUS Replaced One Kind of Unbridled Discretion With Another in Second Amendment Cases?

Although critics say the Court’s current approach is unworkable, it has been undeniably effective at defeating constitutionally dubious gun regulations.

Jacob Sullum | 6.26.2024 12:01 AM

Chevron Doctrine

Whether Chevron Stands or Falls, Any Deference Should Be Based Upon Delegation, Not Ambiguity

Some thoughts on the most important issue in Relentless and Loper Bright.

Jonathan H. Adler |The Volokh Conspiracy | 2.3.2024 2:29 PM

Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch | CNP/AdMedia/Newscom

Supreme Court

SCOTUS Ponders the Ambiguity of 'Ambiguous' and Other Chevron Doctrine Puzzles

The justices seem inclined to revise or ditch a 1984 precedent that requires deference to executive agencies' statutory interpretations.

Jacob Sullum | 1.18.2024 3:30 PM

herrings | 16:9clue/Flickr

Separation of Powers

The Chevron Doctrine Discomfits the Weak

Excessive judicial deference gives administrative agencies a license to rewrite the law in their favor.

Jacob Sullum | 1.17.2024 12:01 AM

The furious response to a seemingly modest judicial reform reflects a broader dispute about the role of courts in a democracy. | Gili Yaari/Zuma Press/Newscom

Rule of law

Why Israelis Are Taking to the Streets

The furious response to a seemingly modest reform reflects a broader dispute about the role of courts in a democracy.

Jacob Sullum | 7.26.2023 12:01 AM

A 2007 debate provoked by Judge Richard Posner anticipated the current controversy over judicial power in Israel. | Abel Uribe/TNS/Newscom

Rule of law

A 2007 Debate Provoked by Richard Posner Illuminates the Current Clash Over Judicial Power in Israel

The appeals court judge argued that the Israeli Supreme Court had usurped the role of legislators.

Jacob Sullum | 7.10.2023 4:55 PM

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu | Chris Emil JanßEn/Zuma Press/Newscom

Courts

In the Israeli Battle Over Judicial Review, Democracy Is the Problem, Not the Solution

Opponents of the reforms favored by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's coalition should acknowledge the threat posed by unconstrained majority rule.

Jacob Sullum | 3.16.2023 5:30 PM

Administrative Law

Ohio Supreme Court Rejects Deference to Agency Statutory Interpretations

A new opinion concludes Ohio courts need not defer to agency interpretations. The justices are not unanimous, but no justice writes in favor of deference.

Jonathan H. Adler |The Volokh Conspiracy | 12.29.2022 10:34 AM

featureimmunity | Barrett Boeker; WBRZ. District Attorney Samuel C. D’Aquilla; WBRZ. Priscilla Lefebure; courtesy of Rutherford Law

Criminal Justice

Absolute Immunity Puts Prosecutors Above the Law

By giving powerful law enforcement officials absolute immunity from civil liability, the Supreme Court leaves their victims with no recourse.

Billy Binion | 12.17.2022 6:00 AM

Voting With Your Feet

My New Article on "How Judicial Review Can Help Empower People to Vote with Their Feet"

The article challenges longstanding conventional wisdom claiming that judicial review of democratically enacted laws is at odds with popular political choice.

Ilya Somin |The Volokh Conspiracy | 1.13.2022 5:09 PM

Administrative Law

When Super Deference Is Not So Super

"Super Deference and Heightened Scrutiny" forthcoming in the Florida Law Review

Jonathan H. Adler |The Volokh Conspiracy | 4.21.2021 11:36 AM

Supreme-Court-building-Wikimedia | Wikimedia

Supreme Court

Does the Supreme Court Need Fixing? If So, Why and How?

Decisions that progressives don't like are not necessarily a sign that something has gone horribly wrong.

Jacob Sullum | 10.27.2020 6:05 PM

CoronavirusEpidemicDown | Ffikretow/Dreamstime.com

Coronavirus

My Jotwell Review of Lindsay Wiley and Steve Vladeck's "Coronavirus, Civil Liberties, and the Courts"

They argue that courts should engage in "normal," not specially deferential judicial review of coronavirus emergency measures.

Ilya Somin |The Volokh Conspiracy | 6.29.2020 1:38 PM

politicslaw | Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Supreme Court

Kagan and Gorsuch Clash Over Judicial Deference to the Administrative State

Who will rein in the ever-expanding administrative state?

Damon Root | 10.24.2019 6:00 AM

zumaglobaleight125290 | Greg Lovett/ZUMA Press/Newscom

Supreme Court

John Paul Stevens Is Still Trying To Defend the Kelo Debacle

In his new memoir, the retired justice seeks to justify his awful eminent domain ruling.

Damon Root | 5.16.2019 1:25 PM

Volokh Conspiracy

What Constitutional Lawyers can Learn from Spiderman

Constitutional law could be improved by taking account of the principle that "with great power, comes great responsibility."

Ilya Somin |The Volokh Conspiracy | 11.16.2018 7:16 PM

Judiciary

What Do Judges Think of Chevron?

It appears that Justice Neil Gorsuch is far from the only one who questions the wisdom of Chevron deference and other findings from a new survey of federal judges.

Jonathan H. Adler |The Volokh Conspiracy | 3.11.2018 5:50 PM

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