Legal news covering major trials, court decisions, federal courts, appellate rulings, and notable cases in the American judicial system.
U.S. District Judge Jeannette Vargas invalidated the Trump administration's policy suspending immigrant visas for applicants from 75 nations, ruling it violated a 1965 law barring nationality discrimination. Immigration advocates praised the decision as a critical victory for the rule of law and family reunification.
The U.S. 10th Circuit Court of Appeals issued a 2-1 stay reversing Judge Sweeney's blanket waiver, preventing thousands of college athletes from returning to their former schools pending appeal. With only 15 days remaining until Week 1 of the 2026 season, players like Indiana's Stephen Daley and Kellan Wyatt are ineligible, while Arkansas's Caleb Wooden and Sean Williams have joined their teams.
President Donald Trump filed a motion in Florida federal court to block the BBC from subpoenaing his children and son-in-law in his defamation lawsuit. His legal team characterized the request as a politically-charged discovery campaign, while the broadcaster argued the family members hold relevant records protected by Secret Service agents.
A Texas appeals court reduced a $50 million defamation verdict against Infowars founder Alex Jones to $1.5 million, citing statutory caps. Jones remains liable for $4.1 million in compensatory damages to Heslin and Lewis, which he intends to appeal further. Despite these legal victories, the Sandy Hook victims' families have yet to collect any money from Jones.
The US Department of Justice announced it will appeal a federal appeals court decision that quashed subpoenas for New York Attorney General Letitia James's office records. The 2nd Circuit ruled that Acting U.S. Attorney John A. Sarcone lacked lawful authority to issue the subpoenas targeting James's civil cases against Donald Trump and the NRA, with no criminal charges filed against James.
Aristocrat Constance Marten has received permission to appeal her 14-year prison sentence for the manslaughter of her newborn daughter, Victoria. She is also seeking to overturn her gross negligence conviction regarding the child's death in a South Downs tent during a 2023 flight from authorities.
Erin Patterson's legal team is appealing her triple murder conviction, arguing that a hotel booking shortage forced the jury to share accommodation with prosecution members, a key police witness, and journalists. Her barrister contends this contamination of the jury pool makes a retrial the only proper remedy for the alleged unfairness.
A Washington, D.C., appeals court overturned a $130,000 damages judgment against conservative activist James O'Keefe, ruling the award violated his First Amendment rights. The case involved undercover videos published by Project Veritas regarding alleged Democratic-linked violence at Trump rallies during the 2016 election.
The New Yorker argues that social media users are embracing conspiracy theories regarding Lindsay Clancy's criminal trial, despite legal claims of postpartum psychosis. The article contends that algorithm-driven platforms amplify baseless narratives framing the defendant as innocent and framed by her husband.
A federal judge ruled former Abercrombie & Fitch CEO Mike Jeffries fit to stand trial on sex-trafficking charges, citing medical testimony and phone recordings that he understands legal proceedings. Prosecutors allege the defendants used modeling promises to lure men to drug-fueled parties in New York City and the Hamptons.