Federal appellate court covering NY, CT, VT
A series of 6-3 rulings across several federal circuits has reinforced broad presidential authority in immigration and asylum matters. The courts have allowed mass detention and swift enforcement actions under executive orders, while some panels require bond hearings for detainees. The fabric of due process and administrative power is being tested as the administration pushes sweeping policy changes.
The judiciary is tightening oversight on executive actions as courts assess the scope of presidential power in civil service and immigration matters. Recent rulings have implications for how federal agencies operate and how the administration handles asylum policy and courthouse arrests.
E. Jean Carroll has received $5,625,005.48 that a 2023 jury awarded after finding Donald Trump liable for sexual abuse and defamation. The funds had been held in a court-controlled escrow account while Trump exhausted appeals and sought last-minute delays; his legal team is continuing challenges tied to a separate $83.3m judgment.
A U.S. appeals court has revived private lawsuits alleging a link between prenatal acetaminophen exposure and autism/ADHD, reversing a district court that had excluded expert testimony. The panel says the doctors’ methodologies reflect scientific disagreement and are admissible, returning the case to ongoing proceedings.
The U.S. appeals courts have ruled on cases involving noncitizen students and activists challenging deportation. The Fourth Circuit upholds due process protections for a Palestinian activist; the Second and Third Circuits have overturned lower-court releases, while authorities argue the cases hinge on immigration court jurisdiction.
The 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has refused to lift an injunction blocking several provisions of Trump’s March executive order on voting procedures, keeping a lower-court ruling in effect as the case moves to appeal. The decision comes as states race to adjust ahead of upcoming elections.
The Supreme Court has been asked to pause a large damages judgment against the Palestinian Authority and the PLO as they appeal a 2025 reinstatement of a case tied to 2002-04 Jerusalem attacks. Lower courts previously voided the verdict, then Congress updated the Anti-Terrorism Act; the high court’s action could impact funding for West Bank services.
A federal judge has rejected Ghislaine Maxwell’s habeas petition to vacate her 2021 sex‑trafficking conviction, finding her claims meritless or procedurally barred and saying recently released Epstein-related materials largely undermine, rather than support, her arguments. Maxwell is serving a 20‑year sentence and remains eligible for release in 2037.
A wave of court rulings on prediction markets, led by Kalshi, has put federal and state regulators at odds. The Ninth Circuit has ruled Nevada may apply its gaming laws to Kalshi’s sports-event contracts, a decision echoed by other circuits as litigation intensifies. The Supreme Court is likely to weigh in as cases diverge.