federal courts

A US judge has ruled against President Trump's ban blocking certain media outlets from White House access, overturning the exclusion in a significant rebuke to the administration's press restrictions. The decision is drawing wide attention as a test of press freedom and presidential power, with the story among the most discussed news items globally.

CNN has been allowed back into the White House after a federal judge paused the Trump administration's ban on the network from press access. The ruling temporarily blocks the administration from excluding CNN, restoring the network's ability to cover briefings and events. The dispute has drawn wide attention as a test of press freedom and the limits of presidential power over media access.

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 allows states conducting voter roll checks to access the Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements records. Supporters frame it as a tool for election integrity, while voting rights groups warn it could discourage eligible voters from registering and raise privacy concerns.

Mexico has filed a lawsuit against Meta in federal court, accusing the company of human rights violations. News of the legal action, first reported by Milenio, has drawn significant attention as one of the most discussed stories internationally. The case marks a notable escalation between the Mexican government and the US tech giant, though the specific allegations behind the suit have not yet been detailed.

News organisations CNN, MS NOW and Politico have asked a federal judge to extend a court order blocking a White House ban affecting them. The filing asks that the existing block remain in place while the legal challenge proceeds, keeping the administration's restrictions on hold. The dispute is being closely watched as a test of press access and First Amendment protections.

Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito will not take part in a pending case concerning climate change, meaning the justices will likely decide the matter with only eight members. His decision to recuse himself raises questions about how the court will handle a case with direct implications for federal climate policy.

A court has struck down conditions imposed by the Trump administration that tied anti-terrorism funding to election-related demands. The Brennan Center for Justice highlighted the ruling, which removes restrictions the administration had attached to grants meant to counter terrorism. The decision is being read as a rebuke of efforts to leverage federal security funding for electoral ends, and it restores access to the affected money for recipients.

The Trump administration has asked the US Supreme Court to let it enforce limits on gender-affirming care for transgender inmates in federal prisons. The request asks the justices to allow the policy to take effect while legal challenges proceed, and it lands amid ongoing national battles over transgender healthcare and prison rights.

The Electronic Frontier Foundation is pressing the DC Circuit court to strike down a drone flight restriction that effectively criminalized recording immigration enforcement agents from the air. The group argues the restriction blocks lawful First Amendment activity by preventing aerial documentation of immigration operations. The case is drawing attention from civil liberties advocates concerned about oversight of federal immigration agents.

A federal judge has ordered the White House to respond by 12:30 PM to allegations that it is not complying with a court order concerning press access. The development escalates a running legal dispute between the administration and news organisations over reporters' access to presidential events, and raises the prospect of further court action if the administration's response is deemed inadequate.

The Trump administration has asked the US Supreme Court to allow restrictions on gender-affirming health care for transgender inmates in federal prisons. The request asks the justices to permit the government to limit such care while litigation over the policy continues, adding to a series of legal battles over transgender rights that have reached the nation's highest court.

The US Supreme Court has ruled that states may use a federal citizenship verification tool when checking whether people registering to vote are US citizens. The decision addresses concerns over noncitizen voting, but its practical effect is expected to be limited because changes come too close to the midterm elections to significantly alter voter rolls or procedures this cycle.

CNN, MS NOW and Politico have asked a federal judge to stop President Trump from reviving a ban on their reporters' access to the White House. The news organisations are seeking a court order to preserve their access, arguing the move restricts press freedom. The dispute reopens a running battle between the administration and major US news outlets over media access.

A federal judge has blocked a Trump-era immigration rule that restricted eligibility for federally funded programs. The ruling stops the rule from being enforced while legal challenges proceed. Critics of the rule had argued it unfairly limited access to services for immigrant families, while supporters said it protected public resources. The decision is part of a broader wave of litigation over immigration policies introduced during the Trump administration.

The Bernalillo County Clerk in New Mexico says mail-in ballot operations are proceeding on schedule following a Supreme Court decision against a White House election plan. The clerk's assurance is meant to reassure local voters that ballot delivery and processing in New Mexico's most populous county will not be disrupted by the federal court outcome.

A federal judge has reinstated a $7 billion solar energy program serving low-income families that the Trump administration had scrapped. The ruling restores funding for the initiative for now, but an appeal is expected, meaning the program's future remains uncertain as the legal fight continues.

A federal court has ruled that Washington, D.C.'s parole and supervised release system discriminates against people with disabilities. The decision, highlighted by the ACLU of the District of Columbia, finds the system failed to accommodate disabled people under supervision. Advocates say the ruling could force reforms in how parole conditions and support services are administered across the capital's criminal justice system.

A federal court ruling could undermine Wisconsin's law prohibiting AI-generated child sexual abuse material. The decision raises questions about whether the state statute can survive legal scrutiny, and may prompt lawmakers to revise the law. Observers are watching closely because similar bans exist in other states and could face comparable challenges if courts find the Wisconsin measure legally flawed.

The Trump administration has asked the Supreme Court to lift a court block on its policy concerning transgender inmates, reportedly involving housing or treatment rules in federal prisons. The emergency request asks the justices to allow the policy to take effect while litigation continues. The move is drawing attention from civil rights groups and supporters of the administration's prison policies.

Maine Senator Susan Collins is running her first re-election campaign since voting to confirm Supreme Court justices who later helped overturn federal abortion rights. Her 2022 vote for Brett Kavanaugh has become a central issue, with opponents and voters revisiting her assurances that Roe v. Wade would remain settled law. Coverage from Spectrum News and PBS highlights how the abortion decision continues to shape her race.

A U.S. appeals court has upheld the government's designation of AI company Anthropic as a supply chain risk, a ruling with implications for the Pentagon's ability to restrict the firm's involvement in defense-related procurement. The decision settles a legal challenge to the designation and keeps Anthropic subject to the restrictions that come with it. The case is drawing attention because it pits national security concerns against one of the leading American artificial intelligence developers.

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.

Immigrants' rights advocates, including the Asian Law Caucus, have filed a federal lawsuit challenging a new executive order from President Trump on birthright citizenship. The suit argues the order is unlawful and targets efforts to end automatic citizenship for children born in the United States. Legal battles over the order are expected to move quickly through the courts.

A federal judge has ruled that the Trump administration cannot withhold counterterrorism funding from states as a way to force changes to election procedures. The decision blocks an attempt to pressure states through federal homeland security grants. The ruling limits the administration's use of funding conditions to influence how states run elections.

The US Supreme Court has ruled that the Trump administration may, for the time being, continue using its revamped federal voter eligibility database, which is used to check voter rolls against citizenship and other records. The decision is an interim one, allowing the database's use while legal challenges proceed. Supporters see it as a step toward election integrity; critics worry it could enable improper purges of eligible voters.

Courts have ruled against prediction market operator Kalshi in a further setback, with judges finding that its event contracts must comply with state and federal gambling laws rather than being treated solely as regulated financial instruments. The decisions add to Kalshi's mounting legal defeats as regulators and states challenge its expanding sports and event betting markets.

The Supreme Court has reinstated a federal immigration database, a decision arriving just ahead of the November election. Attention is now turning to whether Arizona officials will deploy the database, a state long at the center of immigration enforcement battles. Observers are weighing how the ruling could affect state-level checks and enforcement practices, and what role immigration policy will play in campaign debates heading into the vote.

A federal court ruling has cleared a path for the opening of a Jewish charter school in Oklahoma, according to Education Week. The decision marks a significant development in the debate over religiously affiliated charter schools, which critics say violates church-state separation but supporters view as an expansion of school choice.

The Cato Institute argues that the Supreme Court's decision to reauthorize the SAVE student loan repayment program is being overstated by some commentators, and that its practical impact is smaller than claimed. The SAVE plan, an income-driven repayment scheme for federal student borrowers, has been a frequent target of litigation and political debate, making any court action on it headline-worthy.

A federal court has ruled that prediction market operator Kalshi is subject to Tennessee's gambling laws in relation to its sports event contracts. The decision means Kalshi cannot treat its sports contracts as federally regulated financial products exempt from state gaming rules, and could face enforcement in Tennessee. The ruling is being watched closely as states increasingly challenge prediction markets offering sports wagering without state licenses.

The U.S. Supreme Court is scheduled to hear a climate-related case involving the City of Boulder, Colorado, on Monday. The case centers on the city's efforts to hold energy companies accountable for climate change damages, a dispute that could shape how similar local climate lawsuits proceed across the country. Observers are watching closely for implications on federal versus local authority over climate policy.

A Cuban man has spent a year in Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention in Texas, and his case is now being used to test the reach of a Supreme Court ruling on detention authority. The report examines how federal immigration authorities have held him long-term despite legal questions about the limits of that power. His situation highlights the ongoing tension between immigration enforcement practices and constitutional limits on prolonged detention.

A court has again rejected the Trump administration's effort to cut off funding for the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. The ruling blocks, for now, attempts to zero out the agency's budget, which is financed by the Federal Reserve rather than congressional appropriations. The decision preserves the consumer watchdog's operations while litigation over the administration's authority to reshape independent agencies continues.

A federal court has ruled that the Pentagon can designate AI company Anthropic as a supply chain risk, according to the El Dorado News-Times. The decision allows the Defense Department to maintain the designation against the San Francisco-based artificial intelligence firm, a move with potential implications for its ability to work with the US government and defense contractors.

A Supreme Court ruling concerning a disputed election may conflict with existing state law, according to reporting by Honolulu Civil Beat. The ruling raises questions about how election disputes should be resolved when federal judicial decisions and state statutes point in different directions. Further details about which state, which election, and the specific legal provisions involved were not provided in the available information.

A federal judge has ordered the Justice Department to release files related to Jeffrey Epstein, warning Attorney General Pam Bondi that contempt charges could follow if the department continues to withhold them. The order describes contempt as 'premature' for now, but signals the court is losing patience with the DOJ's stalling on the disclosures.