Whitmer, Nessel slam ruling overturning convictions of man accused in plot to kidnap governor

"Today’s decision by the Michigan Court of Appeals doesn’t change the underlying facts: Joseph Morrison and other men supported an effort to kidnap and murder Governor Whitmer,” said Chief of Staff JoAnne Huls. “They committed crimes, and they must be held accountable. Releasing them poses a danger to the public and letting them walk is a threat to our democracy. We do not agree with today’s decision, which invites a culture of fear and violence in Michigan and the country.”…

 https://www.michiganpublic.org/criminal-justice-legal-system/2026-06-09/whitmer-nessel-slam-ruling-overturning-convictions-of-man-accused-in-plot-to-kidnap-governor

 

Marc Elias issues warning amid National Guard ruling

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uAfYaazu2lc

 

The Next Conservative Civil War Is Coming - POLITICO

Prominent members of the conservative legal movement have been publicly speaking out against Bove's nomination, arguing that he would be more loyal to Trump than the rule of law. That in turn has sparked a backlash against Bove's critics from Trump allies eager to install a new set of judges who may be less tied to the old guard on the right...

https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2025/06/16/emil-bove-nomination-conservative-legal-civil-war-00405837 

 

4 takeaways from Trump’s loss in his immunity case - The Washington Post

But for now, the courts have decisively rejected Trump's novel claims, with significant implications for what lies ahead. Below, some takeaways…

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/02/06/trump-immunity-takeaways/

The 5th Circuit Court of Appeals is breaking every rule in the book.

It's one thing for conservative judges to reach conservative outcomes. It's something else entirely for them to ignore the Supreme Court and standard court procedures in order to reach those outcomes. Yet in recent months, that's exactly what the radical U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit—which has jurisdiction over Texas, Louisiana, and Mississippi—has been consistently doing...

https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2022/01/fifth-circuit-ignores-supreme-court-breyer.html

How Trump reshaped the fifth circuit to become the ‘most extreme’ US court

…One publicly mourned the "moral tragedy of abortion". Another suggested that same-sex marriage "imperils civic peace". A third tweeted negatively about Hillary Clinton using the hashtags #CrookedHillary, #basketofdeplorables and #Scandalabra…

https://www.theguardian.com/law/2021/nov/15/fifth-circuit-court-appeals-most-extreme-us

NSA surveillance exposed by Snowden ruled unlawful - BBC News

The surveillance of millions of Americans' telephone records first came to light in 2013. Now, the US Court of Appeals has ruled intelligence leaders who publicly defended the program lied. And Mr Snowden has said he feels vindicated by the ruling.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-54013527

Appeals Court Rejects Justice Department Effort To Shut Down Michael Flynn Case : NPR

A federal appeals court has declined to order a criminal case against Michael Flynn dismissed. Instead, it ruled Monday that a judge can hear arguments about the Justice Department's motivations for dropping the case against President Trump's former national security adviser. The 8-2 decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, keeps alive a Department of Justice case that Attorney General William Barr had ordered dropped in May. The court also refused to remove U.S. District Judge Emmet Sullivan, who has been overseeing the case. ....
https://www.npr.org/2020/08/31/908002412/appeals-court-rejects-justice-department-effort-to-shut-down-michael-flynn-case

Appeals court appears wary of dropping Flynn charges | TheHill

A federal appeals court on Tuesday appeared unsympathetic to arguments that it should order a district court judge to dismiss criminal charges against former national security adviser Michael Flynn. The full D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals reheard oral arguments about how the Flynn case should proceed at the lower court after the Department of Justice (DOJ) suddenly moved to withdraw its case against the former adviser to President Trump.
https://thehill.com/regulation/court-battles/511512-appeals-court-appears-wary-of-dropping-flynn-charges

DC Appeals Court Gives Flynn Case New Life, Hands Bill Barr a Defeat in his quest to Dismiss Case - YouTube

The DC Federal Circuit Court of Appeals today rejected Mike Flynn and Bill Barr's attempt to stop the full court - all dozen judges - from hearing the case. A majority of the appellate court judges voted in favor of reviewing the prior decision (by the three-judge panel) in which two of the three judges said Judge Sullivan should be required to dismiss Flynn's case. That opinion has now been "vacated" and all 12 judges will hear the case. The court set an argument in the Mike Flynn case for 9:30 a.m. ET on August 11. ...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2I33k-KTIc0

The Amicus Show! (Opening Arguments podcast OA394)

Today’s episode takes an in-depth look at the concept of an amicus brief, explaining why we filed one in the Flynn case, what it means, and what’s next for the guy who sold out his country… and his partner.

We begin with a brief update on the Flynn trial (in the District Court for the District of Columbia) and the mandamus action pending in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit.

Then, it’s time to talk about all the various amicus briefs that were filed, with special attention to a pro-Flynn brief filed by the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. Why does this liberal group want Judge Sullivan to grant the government’s motion? Listen and find out!

After a breakdown of all the amicus, we talk about the case in which Lt. Gen. Flynn was supposed to be the star witness for the government — the case against Flynn’s partner, Bijan Rafiekian. Find out what’s up next for Kian, and how this all involves friend of the show G. ZACHARY TERWILLIGER!

After all that, it’s time for a brand-new #T3BE, this one involving… real property. Can Thomas manage to figure out the relationship between a buyer, a mortgagor, a developer, and an unsigned deed? Listen and find out, and play along if you want on social media!
Interview:
https://openargs.com/oa394-the-amicus-show/

Detroit students have the right to an education, federal appeals court rules

"If replicated, this ruling could raise the level of education for disadvantaged students across the nation," one scholar said.
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/education/detroit-students-have-right-education-federal-appeals-court-rules-n1191046

GOP loses lawsuit claiming they have a constitutional right to gerrymander Michigan – Raw Story

On Wednesday, a federal appeals court threw out a lawsuit from the Michigan GOP claiming that a newly-created independent redistricting commission violates their constitutional rights. In Michigan Republican Party v. Benson, the Sixth Circuit rejected the GOP’s argument, and will not block the commission from proceeding.
https://www.rawstory.com/2020/04/gop-loses-lawsuit-claiming-they-have-a-constitutional-right-to-gerrymander-michigan/

McConnell aims to elevate unqualified judge to powerful appeals court after just 5 months on bench

Remember when Sen. Mitch McConnell blew off the second stimulus response bill to take a long weekend back in Kentucky? Yes, it was just under three weeks ago, but in novel coronavirus time that’s 30 years. Anyway, Mitch took that long weekend just as the shit was hitting the fan to celebrate with Brett Kavanaugh and a guy named Justin Walker, who McConnell had secured a federal judgeship for just a few months previous. Now, thanks to that undeserved promotion, Walker is up for a much bigger job: Trump has nominated him to the powerful U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit.
https://www.dailykos.com/story/2020/4/3/1934045/-McConnell-aims-to-elevate-unqualified-judge-to-powerful-appeals-court-after-just-5-months-on-bench

EPA loses case seeking modeling behind Obama mileage rollback - The Hill

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) was wrong to withhold information about how it devised its new fuel efficiency standards, a panel of judges ruled just a day after the Trump administration rolled back Obama-era mileage standards.
https://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/490675-epa-loses-case-seeking-modeling-behind-obama-mileage-rollback

A year at the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals shows Trump’s devastating impact.

With the help of Senate Republicans, Donald Trump spent the first three years of his presidency remaking the federal judiciary in his own image. The president has appointed 133 district court judges, 50 appeals court judges, and two Supreme Court justices—meaning about one-fifth of the nation’s federal trial judges, and one-fourth of its federal appellate judges, are Trump appointees. These jurists are leading a conservative revolution that will upend decades of precedent and enshrine reactionary policies into the law.
https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2019/12/fifth-circuit-trump-judges-devastating.html

A court just brutally ripped the mask off Trump’s cruelty - The Washington Post: Opinion

In blocking Trump's "Remain in Mexico" policy, the court exposes a terrible truth....
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2020/02/28/court-just-brutally-ripped-mask-off-trumps-cruelty/

Appeals court unanimously strikes down Medicaid work requirements - The Washington Post

DC Circuit says Arkansas program was 'arbitrary and capricious' in ruling against Trump policy....
https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/appeals-court-unanimously-strikes-down-medicaid-work-requirements/2020/02/14/2fe1007a-4f43-11ea-b721-9f4cdc90bc1c_story.html

U.S. appeals court upholds risk payments to health insurers - Reuters

A U.S. appeals court upheld the validity of a federal program governing the payment of billions of dollars to insurers under the Affordable Care Act, reversing a lower court ruling that had prompted the White House to temporarily suspend payments.
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-obamacare-risk-payments-decision/u-s-appeals-court-upholds-risk-payments-to-health-insurers-idUSKBN1YZ1BW

Latest anti-Obamacare court decision means major uncertainty about health care heading into 2020

A federal appeals court has once again put the future of the Affordable Care Act in jeopardy, and this time it has managed to create a giant muddle. Rather than moving to overturn the law entirely—as Republicans want—or upholding the law entirely—as Democrats want—the Fifth Circuit kinda sorta ruled against Obamacare, but sent the key question of whether to overturn it entirely back to the lower court, where it will take a good long time to resolve. That means that we may go into the 2020 elections with this question hanging over us.
https://www.dailykos.com/story/2019/12/19/1906730/-Latest-anti-Obamacare-court-decision-means-major-uncertainty-about-health-care-heading-into-2020