University of Wisconsin–Madison

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DOJ Subpoenas 14 Law Firms Over Trump Executive Orders and Deals

Newly filed court documents reveal that the Justice Department’s subpoenas to 14 law firms are far broader than previously reported. Issued July 1, the subpoenas sought sweeping document production — including any communications, since January 20, 2025, involving Trump’s personal senior counsel Boris Epshteyn, along with materials on the negotiation, implementation, and monitoring of the …

Amicus brief in United States v. Fox

This document features the amicus brief filed July 20, 2026 in United States v. Fox, a case in the federal district court for D.C., by a group of roughly eighty legal ethics scholars and practitioners — law professors, former disciplinary counsel, and past bar association presidents — represented by the Democracy Defenders Fund and Lawyers …

Netanyahu government defies court, raising constitutional crisis fears as election nears

A July 20, 2026 PBS NewsHour report by Nick Schifrin, with producer Karl Bostic in Tel Aviv, examines the political landscape after the dissolution of Israel’s parliament set up elections in October. Netanyahu, the country’s longest-serving leader, is facing questions about his handling of the October 7 attacks and their aftermath, alongside a standoff with …

Costa Rica’s new president clashes with judiciary over tackling drug violence

Two months into her presidency, Costa Rica’s Laura Fernández is locked in a standoff with the country’s judiciary that Reuters reports is stalling any coordinated state response to drug-related violence in a nation once known for its stability. The dispute centres on steep budget cuts imposed on the courts and a legislative proposal to shift …

“Zero Evidence”: How Judges and Grand Juries Have Rejected the Trump Administration Efforts to Investigate and Prosecute

This article surveys efforts by the administration to use subpoenas, search warrants, criminal investigations, and prosecutions against political opponents, journalists, former officials, and critical institutions. It highlights cases in which judges or grand juries found insufficient evidence or indications of retaliatory, pretextual, or vindictive prosecution. Because it is a legal analysis rather than independent investigative …

At Trump’s Direction, Federal Agencies Are Abandoning Discrimination Cases

Federal agencies have pulled back sharply from civil rights enforcement after a Trump executive order directed them to deprioritize “disparate impact” cases — those targeting policies that appear neutral but disproportionately disadvantage protected groups. The legal standard dates to a 1971 Supreme Court test, was written into law by Congress in 1991, and was upheld …

Failed Immigration Cases Leave Chicago Prosecutor’s Office Reeling

A New York Times investigation by Danny Hakim, published July 19, 2026, reports that the U.S. attorney’s office for the Northern District of Illinois has been destabilized by the aftermath of last fall’s federal immigration operation in Chicago, known as Operation Midway Blitz. According to the Times, the office filed assault charges under a rarely …

The Latest: Justices testify about Supreme Court security in rare appearance before Congress

Supreme Court Justices Amy Coney Barrett and Elena Kagan made a rare appearance before Congress on July 14 as the Court requested increased funding to protect justices and their families. Barrett described having to wear a bulletproof vest and explain the precaution to her children, while Kagan said the security environment had changed dramatically since …

Serbia: Lawyer Čedomir Stojković’s trial for social media posts critical of government opens July 17th

On July 16, the IAPL Monitoring Committee reported that lawyer Čedomir Stojković’s trial was scheduled to begin on July 17 in a criminal case arising from social-media posts and online commentary critical of President Aleksandar Vučić and the Serbian government. Stojković was arrested earlier in 2026 and spent more than four months in detention or …

Trump Fires Court-Appointed U.S. Attorney Less Than an Hour After His Selection

On July 15, President Trump fired Roger Rogoff, a former judge and veteran prosecutor, less than an hour after all 17 active and senior federal judges in the Western District of Washington unanimously appointed him as the district’s U.S. Attorney. The appointment followed the administration’s use of unusual personnel maneuvers to keep its preferred interim …