Institute for Justice

The Trump administration is preparing new sanctions against the International Criminal Court as part of an escalating effort to undermine the Hague-based tribunal, the Wall Street Journal reports. The move escalates a long-running conflict between Washington and the court, which has pursued cases involving US allies and American personnel. Critics see it as an attack on international justice, while supporters argue the court overreaches against the United States.

Germany's foreign minister visited the International Criminal Court in The Hague, pledging Berlin's full support for the institution despite US sanctions imposed under the Trump administration. The visit signals Germany's continued commitment to international justice, though it comes after Berlin also announced its own sanctions targeting ICC officials, creating a mixed picture of Europe's stance toward the court.

The U.S. government's sanctions on the International Criminal Court in early 2025 had swift, far-reaching effects. The measures cut off the ICC's chief prosecutor's access to Microsoft services, including email, highlighting how deeply dependent international institutions are on American technology firms. Observers say the episode raises questions about digital sovereignty and the vulnerability of global justice bodies to unilateral US pressure.

Venezuela's government and opposition have agreed to work together towards reforming the country's Supreme Court, one of the most contested institutions in the country's political crisis. The two sides appointed a committee to review how justices are selected, a step watchers see as a rare instance of cooperation between the rival camps, though scepticism remains about whether it will lead to real change.

The Trump administration has asked the US Supreme Court to let it deny hormone therapy to transgender inmates in federal custody. The request escalates a legal fight over medical care for transgender prisoners, pitting claims of institutional discretion and public cost against court rulings that withholding such treatment violates the constitutional ban on cruel and unusual punishment. The justices' response will shape how far correctional authorities must go in providing gender-affirming care behind bars.

The Justice Department has filed an appeal against a court ruling concerning the Kennedy Center, acting ahead of a deadline to remove President Trump's name from the institution. The case centers on the legal fight over the venue's naming, with the impending deadline adding urgency to the government's move. Details of the lower court's decision were not immediately available.

The UN human rights office is highlighting efforts to rebuild the justice system in Cabo Delgado, Mozambique, a province battered by years of armed conflict. Courts, police and legal services were disrupted as violence displaced hundreds of thousands, leaving residents with little access to legal recourse. Restoring judicial function is seen as key to resolving land disputes and human rights grievances as displaced families return home.

The US Supreme Court's summer recess has been far from quiet, with the justices continuing to issue emergency orders and significant rulings well into the traditional off-season. Legal observers note the court's increasingly active 'shadow docket' has eroded the long-standing pattern of a slow summer, keeping the institution in the headlines between terms.

German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul is traveling to The Hague for a visit to the International Court of Justice and the International Criminal Court, combined with discussions on the EU's budget strategy. The trip underlines Germany's positioning on international justice institutions at a time when they face political pressure, while Berlin weighs its stance on the European Union's next long-term budget.

The Institute for Justice, a US public interest law firm, has launched a new Education Entrepreneurship Project aimed at supporting people starting educational businesses as schools reopen and workers return for the fall. The initiative reportedly combines the group's litigation and advocacy work with efforts to help education entrepreneurs overcome regulatory barriers, tapping into renewed attention on schooling and work at the start of the academic year.

Residents of Pottstown, Pennsylvania have filed a second lawsuit against the borough, accusing local officials of trying to circumvent a court ruling by adopting a new rental inspection law. The case, backed by the Institute for Justice, challenges the borough's move as an attempt to continue warrantless inspections of rental properties that courts had already rejected. The dispute has drawn attention to ongoing tensions between the borough government and landlords over property rights.

Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett took part in a dedication ceremony for Benedictine College's new library in Atchison, Kansas. The Catholic liberal arts college marked the opening of the facility with the justice as a featured guest. The event drew local coverage, with attention focused on Barrett's continued public appearances at religious-affiliated institutions since joining the Supreme Court.

The Presidents' Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration has released guidance for colleges and universities on the Justice Department's immigration reporting opinion. The brief explains what the opinion means for institutional obligations around student and employee immigration information, and how campuses should respond to potential reporting demands or policy changes.

South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley is calling on Congress to fully fund the security funding request for the U.S. Supreme Court. The request would provide additional resources to protect the justices and the Court itself. Jackley's appeal adds a state-level voice to ongoing debates in Washington over security spending for federal institutions and officials.