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chrisgeidner

@[email protected]

It’s me. SCOTUS, law & politics — including LGBTQ, post-Roe, criminal law, and democracy issues — at Law Dork. / Sober. Queer. Bipolar. Buckeye. Theater. Runner. Gaymer.

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@chrisgeidner@journa.host avatar chrisgeidner , to random

BREAKING: Federal judge blocks new DHS policy that would allow arrest of thousands of legal refugees.

"The new policy turns the refugees’ American Dream into a dystopian nightmare," Judge Tunheim wrote.

Tonight, at Law Dork: https://www.lawdork.com/p/federal-judge-blocks-dhs-refugee-policy-minnesota

@chrisgeidner@journa.host avatar chrisgeidner , to random

It's a one-box day at SCOTUS, meaning one or two opinions coming at 10.

@chrisgeidner@journa.host avatar chrisgeidner , to random

NEW: The Trump admin argument that masks "are for officer safety reasons" is actually an admission.

Tom Homan highlights how secrecy aims to block accountability, the immoral lawlessness at the core of the Trump administration.

Tonight, at Law Dork: https://www.lawdork.com/p/tom-homan-masks-trump-admin-accountability

@chrisgeidner@journa.host avatar chrisgeidner , to random

NEW: Opening up the Trump admin's attack on Minnesota refugees to greater public scrutiny.

On Tuesday, Law Dork, with Public Justice, filed a motion to improve access to a key court case challenging ICE's new effort to detain thousands of law-abiding refugees.

https://www.lawdork.com/p/opening-up-the-trump-admins-attack

@chrisgeidner@journa.host avatar chrisgeidner , to random

BREAKING: The Supreme Court will not stop the use of California's new congressional maps in this year's midterm elections.

The court rejected California Republicans' effort to stop the use of the new maps. There were no noted dissents and no opinion.

@chrisgeidner@journa.host avatar chrisgeidner , to random

On my way to SCOTUS, where we have today’s big arguments over trans sports bans in Idaho and West Virginia, with their implications for transgender people’s equal protection rights more broadly. I’ll have a full report at Law Dork after the arguments. https://www.lawdork.com/

Chris with a blue shirt, mustard tie, gray and brown scarf, orange coat, and iced coffee.
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@chrisgeidner@journa.host avatar chrisgeidner , to random

BREAKING: Senator Mark Kelly sues Pete Hegseth, DOD, and others over Hegseth's censure of Kelly and effort to reduce his retirement grade, alleging violations of the First Amendment, due process, Speech & Debate Clause, and federal laws.

Kelly is represented by Arnold & Porter.

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@chrisgeidner@journa.host avatar chrisgeidner , to random

Jan Crawford’s Face the Nation comments attacking a “narrative” of Supreme Court corruption as “dangerous” was both a harsh accusation and completely lacking in specifics.

As such, confronting her comments is like nailing Jell-O to a wall.

Nonetheless, at Law Dork, I tried. https://www.lawdork.com/p/jan-crawfords-attack-on-scotus-corruption

@chrisgeidner@journa.host avatar chrisgeidner , to random

OK, a little pie-in-the-sky goal here: Any chance we could get Law Dork 549 new subscribers — free or paid — before the new year?

That would give Law Dork 80,000 total subscribers!

If you've relied on my work this year, share this with your recommendation!

https://www.lawdork.com/

Total subscribers / 79,451 / From 75,395 / Up 5.4%
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chrisgeidner OP ,
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That’s 200 down! 349 subscribers — free or paid — to go! https://www.lawdork.com/

chrisgeidner OP ,
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In Sunday night’s newsletter, I highlighted some of the nearly 250 posts I’ve published at Law Dork this year — and that’s not counting the many breaking news notes and subscriber chats.

If you’re not already signed up, join us for 2026: https://www.lawdork.com/

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chrisgeidner OP ,
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Wow. Law Dork is just 211 subscribers — free or paid — from 80,000 total subscribers.

If you've been reading my work here this year, sign up at Law Dork to keep up with and support my work in 2026. https://www.lawdork.com/

chrisgeidner OP ,
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! Just 118 new subscribers — free or paid — to go for Law Dork to end 2025 with 80,000 subscribers.

Support my independent legal journalism today: Go into 2026 with a subscription to Law Dork! https://www.lawdork.com/

@chrisgeidner@journa.host avatar chrisgeidner , to random

BREAKING: Federal judge in Pittsburgh blocks DOJ's invasive trans care subpoena.

The latest loss for DOJ, regarding the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center's patients, also brings news that DOJ has started scaling back its requests following its many losses.

New, at Law Dork: https://www.lawdork.com/p/breaking-federal-judge-in-pittsburgh

@chrisgeidner@journa.host avatar chrisgeidner , to random

BREAKING: The Supreme Court rejects the Trump administration’s request to deploy National Guard troops in Illinois at this time, over the dissenting votes of Justices Thomas, Alito, and Gorsuch.

Background: https://www.lawdork.com/p/trump-admin-asks-scotus-for-an-order

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@chrisgeidner@journa.host avatar chrisgeidner , to random

BREAKING: Judge Xinis orders ICE’s release of Kilmar Abrego Garcia “immediately.”

@chrisgeidner@journa.host avatar chrisgeidner , to random

When DHS dared to call its anti-immigrant racial profiling weekend in Charlotte, North Carolina, “Operation Charlotte’s Web,” I knew I was going to have to write about it.

Tonight, at Law Dork, here it is: https://www.lawdork.com/p/gregory-bovino-is-exactly-who-eb-white-warned-of

LAW dork = I am certain that someone thought this was particularly witty when they came up with the name, but it's honestly one of the more offensive possibilities these hateful authoritarians could have used. Even on its face, using the name of a beloved children's book as the name of your anti-immigrant, mass-arrest operation is appalling. But, to use a book authored by E.B. White as your name is an offense to history. White was a leading voice for American democracy and freedom and against fascism and tyranny. Abusing his life's work like this cannot stand without a response.
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@chrisgeidner@journa.host avatar chrisgeidner , to random

BREAKING: The Supreme Court DENIES former county clerk Kim Davis's request for the justices to take up her longshot bid to overturn 2015's Obergefell v. Hodges marriage equality decision. No justice even writes about the request.

25-125 DAVIS, KIM V. ERMOLD, DAVID, ET AL. The motion of Foundation for Moral Law for leave to file a brief as amicus curiae out of time is denied. The petition for a writ of certiorari is denied.
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@chrisgeidner@journa.host avatar chrisgeidner , to random

So much has gone on today regarding Trump’s extreme immigration enforcement efforts in Illinois. SCOTUS, Seventh Circuit, and the Northern District of Illinois — key developments at all levels of court today.

What happened? I have you covered at Law Dork: https://www.lawdork.com/p/scotus-holds-off-trump-illinois-ruling

@chrisgeidner@journa.host avatar chrisgeidner , to random

BREAKING: The Supreme Court — over the objection of Justices Sotomayor, Kagan, and Jackson — allows the Trump administration’s racial profiling of people working certain types of jobs in its immigration raids during litigation.

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@chrisgeidner@journa.host avatar chrisgeidner , to random

BREAKING: Trump, Hegseth violated the Posse Comitatus Act with their troop deployment to Los Angeles, Judge Charles Breyer rules after trial. https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.cand.450934/gov.uscourts.cand.450934.176.0_2.pdf

25 IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA GAVIN NEWSOM, et al., Plaintiffs, Case No. 25-cv-04870-CRB OPINION GRANTING INJUNCTIVE RELIEF V. DONALD J. TRUMP, et al., Defendants. Congress spoke clearly in 1878 when it passed the Posse Comitatus Act, prohibiting the use of the U.S. military to execute domestic law. Nearly 140 years later, Defendants President Trump, Secretary of Defense Hegseth, and the Department of Defense deployed the National Guard and Marines to Los Angeles, ostensibly to quell a rebellion and ensure that federal immigration law was enforced. There were indeed protests in Los Angeles, and some individuals engaged in violence. Yet there was no rebellion, nor was civilian law enforcement unable to respond to the protests and enforce the law. Nevertheless, at Defendants' orders and contrary to Congress's explicit instruction, federal troops executed the laws. The evidence at trial established that Defendants systematically used armed soldiers (whose identity was often obscured by protective armor) and military vehicles to set up protective perimeters and traffic blockades, engage in crowd control, and otherwise demonstrate a military presence in and around Los Angeles. In short, Defendants violated the Posse Comitatus Act.
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@chrisgeidner@journa.host avatar chrisgeidner , to random

President Donald Trump’s three appointees to the U.S. Supreme Court each made alarming statements in a single case about federal health research grants last week, particularly when viewed in light of the broader attack on the rule of law in America.

Today’s in-depth report, at Law Dork: https://www.lawdork.com/p/trump-scotus-appointees-nih-shadow-docket-order

@chrisgeidner@journa.host avatar chrisgeidner , to random

BREAKING: Federal court blocks and limits most of Florida law targeting school library books.

The only constitutional application is its "harmful to minors" provision, which limits obscene material that had already been banned from school libraries.

More to come at Law Dork: https://www.lawdork.com/

@chrisgeidner@journa.host avatar chrisgeidner , to random

If you are still at DOJ — including if we've talked in the past — please reach out if you're able to talk about the current organization, leadership, priorities of the department and anything else that you think I (and the public) should know. I am available on Signal — crg.32 — and can meet in D.C.

@chrisgeidner@journa.host avatar chrisgeidner , to random

BREAKING: Documents filed in court today assert that officials from El Salvador told the United Nations that it "facilitated the use of the Salvadoran prison infrastructure" by the U.S. but that "the jurisdiction and legal responsibility for these persons lie exclusively with the" U.S.

"The Salvadoran State emphatically states that its authorities have not arrested, detained, or transferred the persons referred to in the communications of the Working Group. The actions of the State of El Salvador have been limited to the implementation of a bilateral cooperation mechanism with another State, through which it has facilitated the use of the Salvadoran prison infrastructure for the custody of persons detained within the scope of the justice system and law enforcement of that other State. In this context, the jurisdiction and legal responsibility for these persons lie exclusively with the competent foreign authorities, by virtue of international agreements signed and in accordance with the principles of sovereignty and international cooperation in criminal matters. In this regard, the actions attributable to the Salvadoran State are limited to its sovereignty and territorial jurisdiction ...."
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@chrisgeidner@journa.host avatar chrisgeidner , to random

NEW: SCOTUS allows Trump admin to send eight men to South Sudan with no process.

Sotomayor, joined by Jackson, dissented, calling their colleagues' actions in the case "indefensible." It was one of several alarming signs for the nation on the Third of July.

This evening, at Law Dork: https://www.lawdork.com/p/scotus-allows-trump-admin-to-send

@chrisgeidner@journa.host avatar chrisgeidner , to random

BREAKING: Parents win in a free exercise challenge to what the Supreme Court calls "LGBTQ+-inclusive" texts in a school. Alito, for the 6-3 court, reverses the Fourth Circuit in a case over a school district's lack of any parental "opt-out policy" over those texts. Sotomayor writes the dissent. https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/24pdf/24-297_4f14.pdf

@chrisgeidner@journa.host avatar chrisgeidner , to random

BREAKING: The Supreme Court holds that the FCC Universal Service Fund contributions do not violate the nondelegation doctrine. Kagan has the 6-3 opinion for the court. Gorsuch, w Thomas and Alito, dissents.

https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/24pdf/24-354_0861.pdf

@chrisgeidner@journa.host avatar chrisgeidner , to random

BREAKING: Challenge to preventive care coverage protections under the ACA fails.

SCOTUS upholds the U.S. Preventive Care Task Force appointments in a 6-3 decision by Kavanaugh.

Thomas, w Alito and Gorsuch, dissent.

As expected, this means that the long-running challenge fails — but now the court has clarified that members of the Task Force serve at will and can be replaced by the HHS secretary easily.

https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/24pdf/24-316_869d.pdf

@chrisgeidner@journa.host avatar chrisgeidner , to random

It's a three-box day at SCOTUS, meaning we are expecting up to 6 opinions today. Opinions start in 5 minutes.

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First SCOTUS opinion is Nuclear Regulatory Commission v. Texas. Kavanaugh has the 6-3 opinion for the court, reversing the Fifth Circuit and holding that non-parties cannot seek relief from nuclear waste storage licensing decisions. https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/24pdf/23-1300_b97c.pdf

chrisgeidner OP ,
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Gorsuch dissent in the NRC opinion, joined by Thomas and Alito.

@chrisgeidner@journa.host avatar chrisgeidner , to random

BREAKING: Federal judge blocks Rubio's anti-trans, anti-nonbinary passport policy for all.

Judge Julia Kobick granted a classwide preliminary injunction that applies to all trans and nonbinary people on Tuesday.

New, at Law Dork: https://www.lawdork.com/p/breaking-federal-judge-blocks-rubios

@chrisgeidner@journa.host avatar chrisgeidner , to random

BREAKING: Judge Breyer orders Trump to "return control of the California National Guard" to CA Gov. Newsom, finding that Trump's order taking control was illegal because it did not follow the required procedure.

The order is stayed until noon Friday.

More to come at Law Dork: https://www.lawdork.com/

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA GAVIN NEWSOM, et al., Plaintiffs, Case No. 25-cv-04870-CRB v. DONALD J. TRUMP, et al, ORDER GRANTING PLAINTIFFS' APPLICATION FOR TEMPORARY RESTRAINING ORDER Defendants. On June 6, 2025, the federal government initiated immigration raids across the City of Los Angeles. Protests swiftly followed, and some individuals involved in those protests were unruly and even violent. State and local law enforcement responded. The following day, President Trump ordered that members of the California National Guard be federalized, and thereupon assumed control of those forces. At this early stage of the proceedings, the Court must determine whether the President followed the congressionally mandated procedure for his actions. He did not. His actions were illegal both exceeding the scope of his statutory authority and violating the Tenth Amendment to the United States Constitution. He must therefore return control of the California National Guard to the Governor of the State of California forthwith.
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@chrisgeidner@journa.host avatar chrisgeidner , to random

NEW: Enter June: Preparing for SCOTUS. Decisions this month will affect all of us. Here are the key cases.

At Law Dork, my look at the month ahead of us. https://www.lawdork.com/p/enter-june-preparing-for-scotus

@chrisgeidner@journa.host avatar chrisgeidner , to random

NEW: The ruling against Trump's law firm order shows how to respond in this moment.

Judge Howell's decision striking down the order targeting Perkins Coie can serve as a framework for addressing Trump.

This evening at Law Dork: https://www.lawdork.com/p/judge-howell-trump-perkins-coie-final-order

@chrisgeidner@journa.host avatar chrisgeidner , to random

BREAKING: Federal judge in New Jersey will proceed with considering Mahmoud Khalil's habeas case, rejecting DOJ's arguments against jurisdiction.

"This Court has habeas jurisdiction over this case. ... And as set out in this Opinion, that jurisdiction is intact. It has not been removed."

@chrisgeidner@journa.host avatar chrisgeidner , to random

BREAKING: A.G. Bondi reverses Garland policy against subpoenaing journalists.

Stating that leaks "undermine President Trump’s policies," Attorney General Pam Bondi announced that "the news media ‘must answer subpoenas’ when authorized."

Today, at Law Dork: https://www.lawdork.com/p/bondi-reverses-garland-media-subpoena-policy

@chrisgeidner@journa.host avatar chrisgeidner , to random

BREAKING: Chief Judge Boasberg denies the federal government's effort to vacate the TROs in the Alien Enemies Act case, finding that people the government claims are subject to the proclamation at least have a right to "individualized hearings to determine whether the Act applies to them at all."

The Court need not resolve the thorny question of whether the judiciary has the authority to assess this claim in the first place. That is because Plaintiffs are likely to succeed on another equally fundamental theory: before they may be deported, they are entitled to individualized hearings to determine whether the Act applies to them at all. As the Government itself concedes, the awesome power granted by the Act may be brought to bear only on those who are, in fact, "alien enemies." And the Supreme Court and this Circuit have long maintained that federal courts are equipped to adjudicate that question when individuals threatened with detention and removal challenge their designation as such. Because the named Plaintiffs dispute that they are members of Tren de Aragua, they may not be deported until a court has been able to decide the merits of their challenge. Nor may any members of the provisionally certified class be removed until they have been given the opportunity to challenge their designations as well. The Motion to Vacate will thus be denied.
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@chrisgeidner@journa.host avatar chrisgeidner , to random

NEWS: Donald Trump wants to, and is working to, destroy the rule of law.

Attn, BigLaw: There will be no law firm business to save if Trump succeeds.

Tonight, at Law Dork: https://www.lawdork.com/p/donald-trump-lawyer-attacks-and-the-rule-of-law

@chrisgeidner@journa.host avatar chrisgeidner , to random

NEW: Trump issued a memorandum tonight essentially telling AG Bondi and DHS Sec Noem to go after lawyers who challenge the federal government — many lawyer’s jobs.

It’s basically a catch-all “let’s Paul Weiss whoever pisses us off” memo attacking the rule of law. https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/25600216-032125-trumpmemo-lawyers/

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@chrisgeidner@journa.host avatar chrisgeidner , to random

BREAKING: Federal judge blocks Trump order against law firm, calling it a "personal vendetta."

Judge Beryl Howell issued the temporary restraining order from the bench at the conclusion of a two-hour hearing over Trump's executive order against Perkins Coie.

New, at Law Dork: https://www.lawdork.com/p/perkins-coie-trump-order-tro

@chrisgeidner@journa.host avatar chrisgeidner , to random

NEW: What is happening to Mahmoud Khalil is chilling — and intended to chill all opposition.

We know that because that's exactly the message Donald Trump and others in the Trump administration have sent over the past three days since Khalil's arrest.

Overnight, at Law Dork: https://www.lawdork.com/p/what-is-happening-to-mahmoud-khalil-is-chilling

@chrisgeidner@journa.host avatar chrisgeidner , to random

Tim Walz: A public school teacher who was in the military and supported queer students in the 1990s while coaching a winning football team who talks about his own family's experience with IVF and can lay out attack line after attack line against his opponents while still talking about the importance of joy.

What a moment. What a pick.

@chrisgeidner@journa.host avatar chrisgeidner , to random

NEWS: Twitter/X wants to force people to advertise there, and they're going to court. Elon and Linda went forum-shopping, filing this case in Wichita Falls Division so that Judge Reed O'Connor was guaranteed to be assigned the case. Here's the complaint: https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.txnd.393003/gov.uscourts.txnd.393003.1.0_1.pdf

The complaint

The complaint
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@chrisgeidner@journa.host avatar chrisgeidner , to random

BREAKING: The Fifth Circuit further guts the Voting Rights Act, holding that Section 2 vote dilution claims cannot be based on "coalitions of racial and language minorities." Edith Jones, a Reagan appointee, writes the 12-6 opinion for the en banc court. https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.ca5.216176/gov.uscourts.ca5.216176.347.1.pdf

Galveston County’s democratically elected Commissioners Court enacted Map 2. The district court determined that this map was unlawful under Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act and required the commissioners court to adopt a new one with a minority-majority precinct for the county’s black and Hispanic voters. Having reconsidered Campos, we hold that this decision was wrong. Section 2 does not require political subdivisions to draw precinct lines for the electoral benefit of distinct minority groups that share political preferences but lack the cementing force of race or ethnicity. Campos v. City of Baytown, 840 F.2d 1240 (5th Cir. 1988), and its progeny are OVERRULED. Accordingly, we REVERSE the judgment of the district court as to the Section 2 claim and REMAND for the district court to consider the intentional discrimination and racial gerrymandering claims brought by the Petteway Plaintiffs and the NAACP Plaintiffs.13

ON PETITION FOR REHEARING EN BANC Before Richman, Chief Judge, and Jones, Smith, Barksdale, Stewart, Elrod, Southwick, Haynes, Graves, Higginson, Willett, Ho, Duncan, Engelhardt, Oldham, Wilson, Douglas, and Ramirez, Circuit Judges. Edith H. Jones, Circuit Judge, joined by Richman*, Chief Judge, and Smith, Barksdale, Elrod, Southwick, Willett, Ho†, Duncan, Engelhardt, Oldham, and Wilson, Circuit Judges: _____________________ * Judge Richman joins all but Section II.D. † Judge Ho joins Sections I, II.C., and III only. The issue in this en banc case is whether Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act authorizes coalitions of racial and language minorities to claim vote dilution in legislative redistricting. In an increasingly multiracial and multi-language polity, the importance of this issue is obvious. We overrule this court’s decision in Campos v. City of Baytown, 840 F.2d 1240, 1244 (5th Cir. 1988), and its progeny, which allowed such claims to be maintained.
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@chrisgeidner@journa.host avatar chrisgeidner , to random

Over the past three months, I've published a baker's dozen of stories on the Title IX rule challenges, more in-depth coverage than anywhere else. I've done so b/c the story itself is important — and also b/c it crystallizes several current problems in our legal system. https://www.lawdork.com/t/title-ix-rule