A coalition of Democratic officials from 23 states, including several state attorneys general and Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, has sued the Trump administration over a new executive order that seeks to impose federal control over mail voting, arguing that it violates the Constitution by interfering with states’ authority to administer elections. The order would require …
The American Bar Association filed an amicus brief with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit in April 2026, urging the court to affirm lower court rulings striking down Trump executive orders that imposed severe sanctions on four law firms — Perkins Coie, Jenner & Block, WilmerHale, and Susman Godfrey — for representing …
Democratic attorneys general have filed their 100th lawsuit against the Trump administration as part of a coordinated legal strategy, claiming wins in 55 of 67 cases that have reached court rulings so far. The suits span a wide range of issues including environmental regulations, immigration enforcement, withheld congressional funding, and tariffs, with the latest challenge …
On April 1, 2026, prominent Iranian human rights lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh was arrested without a judicial warrant by security forces who raided her home at night and transferred her to an undisclosed location. Agents also seized personal belongings including phones and laptops without legal authorization. The arrest came while her husband, Reza Khandan, was already …
On February 12–13, 2026, the Wisconsin International Law Journal Symposium—co-sponsored by the Lawyers and Democratic Decline (LADD) project—brought scholars and practitioners to the University of Wisconsin Law School in Madison for two days of conversation on “Challenges Posed to Judges and Lawyers by Creeping Authoritarianism,” with panels spanning judicial behavior and constraint (including cases from …
In a February 10, 2026 news release, Human Rights Watch says Tunisian authorities are arbitrarily detaining prominent lawyer and human rights defender Ahmed Souab, who was convicted on terrorism-related charges linked to remarks he made outside court while representing defendants in the “conspiracy against state security” case. Souab was sentenced on October 31, 2025 to …
A federal appeals court judge, Jeffrey Sutton, dismissed a judicial misconduct complaint the United States Department of Justice filed against James Boasberg, ruling that the department failed to provide sufficient evidence to substantiate allegations that he made improper remarks about Donald Trump during a closed-door meeting of the Judicial Conference of the United States. The …
In this column, Anita Chabria profiles James Cook, an Oakland civil rights lawyer who has been spending months in Minneapolis helping people swept up in a federal crackdown—protesters, immigrants, and even U.S. citizens—often pro bono. The piece argues that while street clashes dominate headlines, the quieter legal battle over detentions, due process, and government transparency …
Venezuela’s acting president Delcy Rodríguez announced an “amnesty” bill that, if approved by the ruling party–controlled National Assembly of Venezuela, could lead to the release of hundreds of people detained for political reasons, including opposition figures, journalists, and human rights activists. The announcement came amid heightened political turmoil following the U.S. seizure of then-president Nicolás …
On January 26, 2026, American Bar Association President Michelle A. Behnke issued a statement responding to the fatal shootings of Alex Pretti and Renee Good, both U.S. citizens, during encounters with immigration agents in Minneapolis. Behnke emphasized that “this level of violence is not normal” and urged a fair, open government investigation to establish the …