University of Wisconsin–Madison

Month: November 2025

Poland’s Constitutional Tribunal Blocks Judicial Reform Bill

Poland’s Constitutional Tribunal (TK) has struck down a government bill aimed at overhauling the National Council of the Judiciary (KRS), a central institution in Poland’s years-long rule-of-law crisis. The decision—expected due to the TK’s continued dominance by judges appointed under the previous Law and Justice (PiS) government—declares the reform unconstitutional. The Tusk government, which does …

Guatemala: International Organizations Condemn the Detention of Human Rights Lawyer Ramón Cadena

Twenty-three international human rights and legal organizations have expressed deep concern over the detention of Guatemalan lawyer Ramón Cadena, arrested on 10 November 2025 despite voluntarily participating in ongoing legal proceedings. Cadena, known for his long-standing work defending human rights and advising the student movement at the University of San Carlos (USAC), faces charges including …

Islamabad Court Attack Sparks Nationwide Lawyers’ Boycott in Pakistan

A deadly terrorist assault on the district and sessions courts complex in Islamabad’s G-11 sector has triggered a national outcry from Pakistan’s legal community. The attack, which killed multiple people and injured dozens—including lawyers and court staff—exposed severe lapses in security at what should have been a high-protection judicial site. The Islamabad Bar Council (IBC) …

Poland: President Blocks Judicial Appointments Amid Deepening Conflict Over Court Independence

Poland’s President Karol Nawrocki announced that he will refuse to nominate or promote any judges who question the legitimacy of colleagues appointed under the previous government’s judicial overhaul. The move directly targets judges who have raised concerns about the status of so-called “neo-judges” — those appointed after a controversial 2018 reform that reshaped the National …

Pakistan Expands Military Chief’s Powers and Limits Supreme Court Authority

Pakistan’s parliament has passed a sweeping constitutional amendment that expands the powers of the military and sharply reduces the authority of the Supreme Court — a move critics warn will cause lasting damage to the country’s democracy. The amendment elevates Army Chief Asim Munir to a new position, Chief of Defence Forces, giving him formal …

Ousted Immigration Judge Describes Deepening Court Backlog

In a recent PBS NewsHour interview, former immigration judge Emmett Soper described what he sees as an unprecedented politicization of the U.S. immigration court system. Soper is one of nearly four dozen immigration judges dismissed by the Trump administration without explanation, many of whom previously worked in immigrant defense. Soper said the firings are worsening …

Retired Boston Judges Praise Mark Wolf’s Extraordinary Resignation in Protest of Trump

In an unprecedented move, longtime federal judge Mark Wolf resigned from the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts after more than 40 years of service, publicly condemning President Donald Trump as an “existential threat to democracy.” In an essay in The Atlantic, Wolf said he could no longer remain silent under judicial ethics …

Deputy AG Declares “War” on Judges, Vows to Strip Bar Associations’ Power

U.S. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche escalated the administration’s attacks on the judiciary, urging young lawyers to join what he called a “war” against “rogue activist judges.” Speaking at the Federalist Society’s annual conference, Blanche said DOJ lawyers are “bouncing around this country fighting these activist judges,” claiming some judges are now “as political as …

Federal Judge Resigns, Warning of an “Existential Threat” to U.S. Democracy

In November 2025, Senior U.S. District Judge Mark L. Wolf publicly resigned from the federal bench, arguing that President Trump poses an “existential threat to democracy.” Writing in The Atlantic, Wolf accused the administration of weaponizing the justice system—pursuing political adversaries while protecting allies, donors, and friends from legal scrutiny. Wolf, a Reagan appointee with …

Justice Denied: Global Experts Warn of Threats to Judicial Independence in the U.S. and India

At an October 21 event hosted by the New York City Bar Association, leading legal experts from India and the United States warned of escalating threats to judicial independence in both countries. The panel—featuring Justice S. Muralidhar, UN Special Rapporteur Margaret Satterthwaite, retired U.S. District Judge Shira Scheindlin, and civil rights attorney Samah Sisay—highlighted growing …