Something I love about @statecourtreport.org's series on state constitutions is how unique each state's history really is. Rhode Island Justice Melissa Long's new essay is fascinating. Did you know RI was governed by its Royal Charter until the mid-19th century?! statecourtreport.org/our-work/ana...
New: Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee accused Justin Smith, one of President Trump's personal attorneys, of being a loyalist who has refused to acknowledge Trump's 2020 election loss to Joe Biden even after being nominated to an appellate court judgeship. www.reuters.com/legal/govern...
See you at @sxswedu.com!
This is quite a lot of money.
What state constitutional case from 2025 should our readers know about, and why?
We asked some of the country’s leading legal thinkers, and their answers highlight the myriad ways state courts can chart their own jurisprudential courses.
A must read piece to wrap up the year!
Love this Q&A by @kendallverhovek.bsky.social
Welcome to the final weekday of the federal judiciary being able to fully sustain paid operations during the shutdown. Furloughs likely next week.
There’s the Booker Prize, the Pulitzer … then there’s your book being used as punishment in a voter fraud case!
A Michigan woman who voted for Trump twice has to read Thank You for Voting as part of her plea deal. www.duluthnewstribune.com/news/local/i...
A good thing for increasing voter turnout for county and town elections.
I'm very excited about this panel @sxswedu.com! This group has so much to share about how how state constitutions protect and empower young people.
👏🏼 👏🏼 👏🏼 @lawrencehurley.bsky.social for this important story.
Have you voted yet for our @statecourtreport.org SXSW EDU (proposed) panel? We've lined up an all-star group: @lwvus.bsky.social CEO Celina Stewart, @aclu.org's Harper Seldin, and @youthvgov.bsky.social's Julia Olson. But we need your vote! THANK YOU FOR VOTING! participate.sxsw.com/flow/sxsw/sx...
ICYMI: Michigan Supreme Court Justice Richard Bernstein spoke with @statecourtreport.org's @erings.bsky.social about disability rights and his experience as the court's first blind justice. statecourtreport.org/our-work/ana...
Why did I write about state court pushback to the Dred Scott decision? Because President Trump’s January 2025 Executive Order directly cited the Dred Scott decision when he took aim at birthright citizenship. And we could see state courts pushback against the Supreme Court again. I'll explain. /1
NEW: Check out @erings.bsky.social's interview with Michigan Supreme Court Justice Richard Bernstein, the state's first blind justice, where they discussed his serving as a supreme court justice with a disability, the importance of empathy, advice he wished he’d gotten as a law student, and more.
The U.S. government is building a sweeping digital surveillance dragnet that turns social media into a tool for monitoring, screening, and enforcement. A single post can follow someone from abroad, at the border, and into every stage of life on U.S. soil. 1/9 www.brennancenter.org/our-work/res...
Today at 3: Watch @brennancenter.org @statecourtreport.bsky.social panel with all-star education experts discussing this case and other Trump administration education actions, and how states can respond. RSVP here: www.brennancenter.org/events/troub...
Seems like a good time to mention @brennancenter.org and @statecourtreport.bsky.social are hosting a free virtual event tomorrow on how states are handling the roller coaster of education cuts and changes. Excellent panelists! RSVP here: www.brennancenter.org/events/troub...
BREAKING: The Wisconsin Supreme Court said today that an 1849 ‘zombie’ law does not ban abortions, contrary to arguments by state Republicans. During oral arguments, one justice said attempts to apply the 175-year-old law in the present day was a sign of "a world gone mad."
Today SCOTUS limited the scope of court orders (called injunctions) blocking Trump’s birthright citizenship order. To be clear, Trump's order is plainly unconstitutional & courts continue to have the power to stop its enforcement. /1
Thank You for Voting came out five years ago today.
A federal judge has issued a temporary restraining order (TRO) requiring Trump to return control of the National Guard to CA Governor Newsom. The order is accompanied by a powerful opinion that affirms the rule of law, separation of powers, and the First Amendment. 1/23
Congrats to the team at Borgo, which is brand new but manages to feel like it’s been open forever. An absolute stand out in NYC.
I’ve edited several essays in this series, and it’s fascinating (and fun even) to learn the history and quirks. Montana’s is/was particularly unique.
Breaking News: A judge ruled that President Trump’s order targeting WilmerHale, a law firm associated with his political opposition, was unconstitutional.
A beautifully written story of complicated facts and feelings. By @bernstein.bsky.social www.nytimes.com/2025/05/20/m...
Law at issue shifts power to appoint elections bd members from gov to state auditor. Justices Earls and Riggs issued sharp dissents. Earls: “No one calls their accountant to protect their right to vote.” Riggs: Decision “threatens to erode the integrity of the judicial branch.”
On Friday, the NC Supreme Court allowed a major control shift over state election administration to stand, at least for now, despite a trial court finding the change is unconstitutional. @brennancenter.org's Justin Lam explained why this power grab matters. statecourtreport.org/our-work/ana...
Today @hankjohnson.house.gov introduced the TERM Act—a bill to create 18-year term limits for Supreme Court justices. The bottom line is this: no one should hold too much power for too long. 1/
