Judiciary

Retired Supreme Court Justice Breyer will hear cases with 1st Circuit

Retired U.S. Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer is returning to the federal bench.

Jan 2, 2025 1:49 PM CST

Houston judge should not have received public reprimand, special review court says

A Houston judge who was issued a public reprimand for failing to timely rule on motions has been exonerated.

Jan 2, 2025 11:41 AM CST

Chief Justice Roberts calls attention to judicial threats in year-end report

In his 2024 year-end report Tuesday, U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts cautioned against four types of “illegitimate activity” that threaten the independence of judges and the rule of law.

Jan 2, 2025 6:55 AM CST

Trump’s election sparks fight over judicial retirements, new judgeships

It is rare in the federal court system for judges to retract declarations of senior status, a form of semi-retirement that creates a vacancy on the court. Legal experts see the judges’ actions as part of the broader political jockeying over a federal court system whose judges have lifetime appointments and whose rulings can shape policy over multiple administrations.

Dec 24, 2024 10:30 AM CST

Kansas nears ‘constitutional crisis’ because of attorney shortage, justice says

A shortage of lawyers in rural Kansas is straining the court system and requiring judges to look outside the community to find lawyers to represent parties entitled to a court-appointed lawyer, according to Kansas Supreme Court Justice Keynen "K.J." Wall Jr., who chaired a committee examining the problem.

Dec 23, 2024 3:50 PM CST

Judge resigns after this alleged response to uninvited party guests

A New York judge has agreed to resign and never against seek judicial office after she was accused of engaging “in a racially offensive, profane, prolonged public diatribe” stemming from a graduation party fight in which her son was injured.

Dec 23, 2024 11:20 AM CST

Our top LinkedIn posts of 2024

As we close the door on 2024 and step into 2025, we're giving readers a behind-the-scenes look at the ABA Journal's LinkedIn page and social media analytics.

Dec 23, 2024 10:54 AM CST

5th Circuit judge’s remarks spur talk of Supreme Court audition

Public remarks by a conservative federal appeals judge have “rekindled talk of a possible audition for the Supreme Court," according to a story by Bloomberg Law.

Dec 19, 2024 3:35 PM CST

Does judge’s reference to ‘little Chinese woman’ show bias? Appellate concurrence sees ‘pure stereotyping’

A California judge who said he was almost amused when a “little Chinese woman” stared him down did not rule against her based on ethnic bias, but his comment was “pure stereotyping,” according to two concurring judges in an appellate opinion.

Dec 19, 2024 1:42 PM CST

Federal judge offers ‘unreserved apology’ after order says his Alito criticism violated ethics rules

Senior U.S. District Judge Michael A. Ponsor of the District of Massachusetts is offering an “unreserved apology” and a commitment to “scrupulously avoid” future transgressions after he was found to have violated the judicial code of ethics for criticizing U.S. Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito in an op-ed in the New York Times.

Dec 18, 2024 12:09 PM CST

Americans’ confidence in courts hits all-time low; did Trump cases have bipartisan impact?

Americans’ confidence in the courts hit an all-time low of 35% in 2024, a decrease of 24 percentage points in four years, according to a Gallup poll released Tuesday.

Dec 18, 2024 10:25 AM CST

4th Circuit judge’s ‘unretired’ decision leads to ethics complaint by conservative group

A conservative group has filed a judicial misconduct complaint against a third judge who revoked plans to take senior status after it became clear that a successor would not be confirmed before President-elect Donald Trump takes office in January.

Dec 17, 2024 3:25 PM CST

When judges turn to Christmas movies for help

’Tis the season for the staple of classic Christmas movies. They leave lasting memories for everyone—and for some judges, that includes calling them back for assistance when deciding cases.

Dec 17, 2024 11:31 AM CST

Stalled 3rd Circuit judicial nominee, a Muslim, criticizes ‘performative McCarthyism’ of review process

A Muslim judicial nominee for the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals at Philadelphia has asserted that the process for picking federal judges is “fundamentally broken” and based on “performative McCarthyism before video cameras.”

Dec 17, 2024 10:27 AM CST

Party at federal judge’s home involved ‘significant underage drinking,’ leading to fight and plaintiff’s injuries, suit says

Updated: A federal judge who oversaw one of the criminal cases against Hunter Biden, the son of President Joe Biden, is facing a lawsuit alleging that two “heavily intoxicated underage minors” got into a fight in front of the judge’s home during a party there that involved "significant underage drinking," leading to significant injuries for the plaintiff.

Dec 17, 2024 8:46 AM CST