Federal courts

The US Supreme Court has ruled that states may use the federal SAVE database to verify the citizenship status of people registering to vote. The decision lets states cross-check voter rolls against federal immigration records, a move supporters say protects election integrity and critics warn could disenfranchise eligible voters and raise privacy concerns.

A federal judge has temporarily paused the Trump administration's move to bar CNN from the White House, allowing the network's reporters back into the building. The ruling is the latest twist in an escalating fight between the administration and major news outlets over press access, with CNN broadcasting the network's return and critics and supporters trading arguments over press freedom and presidential authority.

A federal judge has ordered the White House to respond by 12:30 PM to accusations that it is not complying with a court order concerning press access. The ruling escalates a standoff between the administration and news organizations over journalists' credentials and access. The tight deadline signals the judge's impatience with delays, and legal observers are watching closely for how the administration justifies its position.

A U.S. appeals court has upheld the government's designation of artificial intelligence company Anthropic as a supply chain risk. The ruling maintains the Pentagon-related classification, meaning the AI firm remains restricted from certain federal contracting and procurement channels. The decision is seen as significant for the AI industry, raising questions about how national security reviews will treat major AI providers and their government business.

The city of New Orleans has petitioned the U.S. Supreme Court to review a Louisiana state law that eliminates the clerk's office of the Orleans Parish criminal court. The dispute raises questions over local control of the criminal justice system's administrative operations. The state law effectively abolishes the independently elected criminal clerk's position, a change the city is now contesting at the federal level.

The Mexican government has filed a lawsuit against Meta in federal court, accusing the company of human rights violations. News outlet Milenio reported the case, which has drawn wide attention. Details of the alleged violations and the specific relief Mexico is seeking in court have not been fully disclosed.

The Supreme Court has agreed to consider when, if ever, federal district courts may review disputes over veterans' benefits. The case will clarify the limits of judicial oversight of claims decisions affecting former service members, an issue with significant consequences for veterans seeking to challenge benefit determinations in court.

A federal court has issued a temporary halt to the scheduled execution of a Tennessee woman on death row. The woman, one of the few female inmates facing execution in the United States, had been set to die by lethal injection. The stay is temporary while legal questions are reviewed, and it remains unclear whether the execution will ultimately proceed. Details on the grounds for the court's decision have not yet been fully disclosed.

Pennsylvania election official Schmidt said a Supreme Court ruling on a federal citizenship database will not change the state's election plans. The assurance comes amid ongoing national debate over voter eligibility checks and the use of federal data in election administration, with officials in Pennsylvania seeking to reassure voters that ballot access and procedures remain unchanged.

Major oil companies are once again asking the US Supreme Court to intervene in a wave of climate-related lawsuits brought by states and municipalities seeking damages for climate change impacts. The companies want the justices to block or limit these cases, arguing they belong in federal rather than state courts. The Supreme Court's decision on whether to hear the dispute could determine the future of dozens of climate liability suits pending across the United States.

The US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit has ruled that a district court did not provide sufficient reasoning when it denied a request for sanctions and attorney's fees in a patent-related case. The appellate decision sends a signal that lower courts must adequately explain such denials. IP and litigation observers are noting the ruling's implications for how fee and sanctions motions are handled.

The US Supreme Court has added a deportation case to its December argument calendar, expanding an already significant docket on immigration and removal proceedings. The move means the justices will hear challenges to federal deportation authority alongside other high-profile disputes this term. Details of the specific case and the parties involved have not yet been widely reported.

Pennsylvania election official Schmidt said a Supreme Court ruling involving a federal citizenship database will not change the state's election plans. The statement aims to reassure voters and local officials that Pennsylvania's voting procedures remain on track despite ongoing national legal battles over voter records and citizenship verification.

A federal district court has rejected the Justice Department's Office of Legal Counsel interpretation of the statute governing how the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is funded. The ruling challenges the legal basis for the bureau's current funding structure, which draws money directly from the Federal Reserve rather than congressional appropriations. The decision is expected to feed into ongoing litigation and political disputes over the CFPB's independence and finances.

Four West Virginia University athletes, including Lorient and Chambers, have been granted an additional year of college eligibility following a federal court ruling. The decision affects their ability to compete in another season at WVU, reflecting a growing trend of legal challenges to NCAA eligibility rules that has produced similar rulings for athletes at other schools.

The Department of Justice has filed a complaint against judges over comments they made regarding an immigration enforcement surge. The move escalates tensions between the Justice Department and the judiciary over how courts are handling and commenting on the administration's stepped-up immigration crackdown. Further details about which judges are named and the specific allegations were not immediately available.

A federal judge has ordered the Bureau of Prisons to restore union protections, according to a New York Times report. The ruling directs the federal prison agency to reinstate protections for correctional officers and other staff who organize collectively. The decision follows legal challenges to actions that stripped those workplace rights, and it is being followed for its implications for federal employee labor rights.

A federal judge has ruled in favor of four West Virginia University athletes, granting them eligibility to compete for the Mountaineers. The decision is the latest in a wave of court cases in which college athletes have sought extra years of eligibility through legal action. The ruling affects WVU's rosters ahead of upcoming seasons.

A discrimination and hostile work environment case is moving forward in the US District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin. Bloomberg Law reported on the filing, though details of the parties and allegations were not included in the headline. Workplace discrimination suits in federal court routinely draw attention from employment lawyers and civil rights observers tracking how courts handle such claims.

The Federal Reserve has finalized an overhaul of its annual bank stress tests, the checks that measure whether large US lenders can withstand economic shocks. The changes come after banks criticized the tests as too volatile and opaque, and after a court challenge. Industry groups have welcomed greater transparency, while some critics worry the tests may become less demanding.

The US Supreme Court has issued an order temporarily allowing the federal government to continue deporting migrants to third countries while a legal challenge to the practice proceeds through the courts. The interim ruling means removals to countries other than the migrants' home nations may resume, with the justices leaving the underlying dispute unresolved for now.

A US judge has ruled that the federal government can deport the leader of Wisconsin's largest mosque on national security grounds. The decision hands immigration authorities authority to remove the cleric, and the ruling is likely to be challenged on appeal by his legal team and supported by mosque members.