This section features curated news articles on the role of lawyers and judges in democratic decline in the U.S. and globally. It highlights how legal professionals are implicated in, impacted by, or push back against authoritarianism and democratic backsliding. Each post includes a brief summary or commentary that connects current events to broader scholarly debates on the legal profession and the defense of democratic norms.
News Regarding Lawyers
Lawyers Against Democratic Decline
DOJ Prosecutors Resign Over ICE Shooting Investigation
In January 2026, a wave of resignations swept the U.S. Department of Justice following its handling of the fatal shooting of a woman in Minneapolis by an ICE officer. At least four senior leaders from …
January 13, 2026
Rights groups condemn ‘unconstitutional’ detention of activist Sarah Bireete
Human rights organizations have condemned the arrest and continued detention of Sarah Bireete, a prominent Ugandan human rights defender, calling it unconstitutional and emblematic of a broader crackdown on civic space ahead of Uganda’s January …
January 7, 2026
How a Scholar Nudged the Supreme Court Toward Its Troop Deployment Ruling
In a significant ruling, the U.S. Supreme Court temporarily blocked the Trump administration from deploying National Guard troops to the Chicago area, delivering one of its first major setbacks to Trump’s expansive claims of executive …
December 27, 2025
Democratic-led states challenge Trump administration’s attempt to defund CFPB
A coalition of attorneys general from 21 U.S. states and the District of Columbia has filed a lawsuit to block the Trump administration’s effort to defund the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). The suit argues …
December 26, 2025
Featured in the Gargoyle: Learn More About the Lawyers and Democratic Decline (LADD) Project
We are excited to share that the Gargoyle, the University of Wisconsin Law School’s alumni magazine, has published a new feature highlighting the work of Lawyers and Democratic Decline (LADD) — a global research initiative …
December 5, 2025
African Commission Urged to Address Escalating Human Rights Crisis in Egypt
A coalition of 22 human rights organizations has called on the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights to take decisive action following its recent review of Egypt’s human rights record. Rights groups argue that …
November 20, 2025
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 …
November 6, 2025
Lawyers in Maharashtra Protest Rising Attacks, Demand Protective Legislation
Lawyers in Nagpur staged a symbolic protest by wearing red ribbons at the District and Sessions Court to draw attention to a surge in violent attacks on advocates across Maharashtra. The demonstration followed a statewide …
November 4, 2025- Read More
Attacks Against Legal Profession
38 international rights groups urge Turkey to halt terrorism case against İstanbul Bar leadership
In January 2026, 38 international human rights and legal organizations urged Turkey to drop terrorism charges against the leadership of the Istanbul Bar Association ahead of an expected final court ruling. Prosecutors are seeking prison …
January 7, 2026
Israel’s Supreme Court blocks government attempt to remove attorney general
Israel’s Supreme Court ruled that the government’s effort to dismiss Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara was unlawful, reinforcing judicial checks on executive power. In a decision issued by a seven-judge panel, the Court held that the …
December 27, 2025
U.S. federal judge blocks Trump move to revoke whistleblower attorney’s security clearance
A federal judge in Washington has blocked the Trump administration from revoking the security clearance of Mark Zaid, a prominent attorney known for representing whistleblowers and national security officials. Judge Amir Ali ruled that the …
December 26, 2025
European Court Finds Poland’s Constitutional Tribunal Violated EU Law
On December 18, 2025, the Court of Justice of the European Union ruled that Poland’s Constitutional Tribunal breached fundamental principles of EU law and cannot be considered independent or impartial. The court cited serious irregularities …
December 18, 2025
Rule of Law Under Strain in the UK: Parliamentary Committee Warns Against Attacks on Judges
A new report from the UK House of Lords Constitution Committee warns that personal attacks on judges—by politicians and the media—are undermining public confidence in the rule of law. While open debate about court decisions …
December 1, 2025
Thousands Protest Saied as Tunisians Demand a Return to Democracy
On November 22, thousands of Tunisians marched through downtown Tunis in one of the largest demonstrations yet against President Kais Saied. Protesters—dressed in black and carrying signs reading “Enough repression” and “The streets belong to …
November 24, 2025
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 …
November 14, 2025
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 …
November 12, 2025- Read More
Lawyers Facilitating Democratic Decline
Court Watchers Warn Supreme Court Is Enabling Executive Overreach Under Trump
In a critical assessment of the U.S. Supreme Court’s role in 2025, court watchers argue that the justices — particularly Chief Justice John Roberts — have largely enabled President Donald Trump’s second-term agenda, weakening the …
December 24, 2025
Congressional Letter on DOJ Ethics and Conflicts of Interest
In December 2025, a bipartisan group of Members of Congress sent a formal letter to Attorney General Pamela Bondi and Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche raising serious concerns about potential conflicts of interest and ethical …
December 19, 2025
Poland’s Supreme Court Rejects EU Authority Over Justice System
Poland’s rule-of-law crisis escalated after a group of Supreme Court judges—appointed during the former Law and Justice (PiS) government’s controversial judicial overhaul—issued a resolution rejecting the European Union’s right to regulate Poland’s justice system. They …
December 3, 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 …
November 20, 2025
What If the Big Law Firms Hadn’t Caved to Trump?
This New Yorker article examines how major U.S. law firms responded to Donald Trump’s efforts to overturn the 2020 election and the broader implications for the legal profession. It argues that many elite firms, once …
October 25, 2025
The Hand That Rocks The Gavel
This American Life #868 — “The Hand That Rocks the Gavel.” Reporters spend weeks inside New York’s immigration court, where ICE detains people in courthouse hallways as immigration judges describe unprecedented pressure from the DOJ …
September 19, 2025
Trump’s $940 Million Law Firm Deals Face Uncertainty
Nearly five months after nine major U.S. law firms struck deals with former President Donald Trump—pledging a collective $940 million in free legal services—the impact remains unclear. Some firms continue to take cases opposing Trump’s …
August 15, 2025
Ugandan opposition seeks to nullify law on military prosecution of civilians
Ugandan opposition seeks to nullify law on military prosecution of civilians – The National Unity Platform (NUP), Uganda’s main opposition party, filed a constitutional court case to strike down a new law allowing military tribunals …
August 15, 2025- Read More
News Regarding Judges
Targets and Resistance
Senate Republicans Call to Impeach Federal Judges Over Rulings
Senate Judiciary Committee Republicans are urging the US House to impeach two federal judges over rulings they argue were politically motivated and harmful to the Trump administration. The effort targets Washington, DC Chief Judge James …
January 7, 2026
When Judges Are Attacked, You Suffer
In this New York Times opinion video, U.S. District Judge Esther Salas warns that escalating political attacks on the judiciary are directly endangering judges and undermining the rule of law. Drawing on her personal experience …
December 18, 2025
Former Chief Justice Warns: Elected Officials Are Undermining Rule of Law in Israel
At a major public law conference in Haifa, former Supreme Court president Esther Hayut delivered a stark warning about what she described as a growing assault on Israel’s judicial system. Hayut condemned certain elected officials …
December 6, 2025
Federal Judge Dismisses Cases Against James Comey and Letitia James
A federal judge has dismissed the criminal cases against former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James, ruling that the prosecutor who secured their indictments, Lindsey Halligan, was unlawfully appointed as …
November 24, 2025
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 …
November 12, 2025
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 …
November 12, 2025
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 …
November 9, 2025
US hits Brazilian judge’s wife with sanctions as Trump showdown deepens
The Trump administration has escalated tensions with Brazil by sanctioning Viviane Barci de Moraes, wife of Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes, who oversaw the criminal case against Jair Bolsonaro. The U.S. also revoked visas …
September 27, 2025- Read More
