Judge Halts DHS Voter Probes Over Flawed Citizenship Data

By Elaine Briseño

A California federal judge blocked U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents from visiting certain homes in nine states to question people about their voter status ahead of the midterm elections, finding that the government relied on flawed data that targeted U.S. citizens.

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10th Circ. Revives Iranian Man's ICE Detention Challenge

By Britain Eakin

A split Tenth Circuit panel ruled that a district court erred in denying an Iranian national's habeas petition, holding that district courts have authority to review the legality of an immigrant's detention separately from any challenge to a final order of removal.

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TPS Applicants Win $660K In Fees Over Work Permit Delays

By Elaine Briseño

A Washington federal judge has awarded Afghanistan and Somali citizens $660,500 in attorney fees after granting the immigrants summary judgment in a class action that challenged the government's refusal to let them work while they awaited their temporary immigration protections.

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Feds Say States Can't Use 2025 Order To Block Grant Terms

By Tom Lotshaw

Twenty states asking a Rhode Island federal judge to enforce an injunction that blocked federal grant conditions requiring them to cooperate with immigration enforcement activities are improperly trying to expand its scope to rope in new conditions, the Trump administration said.

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Tribe Says Low Crossings Undercut Border Wall Argument

By Jared Foretek

The Tohono O'odham Nation is renewing its push for the D.C. Circuit to do what a district judge refused and block border wall construction through its Arizona reservation pending the tribe's appeal, arguing that a brief pause in construction would pose little risk with border crossings at record lows.

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Feds Ask 9th Circ. To Scrap Migrant Kids' Legal Aid Injunction

By Dorothy Atkins

The federal government urged a Ninth Circuit panel on Thursday to let the Trump administration end legal services programs for unaccompanied immigrant minors, arguing the case is a contract dispute the court lacks authority over and the lower court is "micromanaging" the government, which "should end."

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Series

Being In The Peace Corps Made Me A Better Lawyer

When I served in the Peace Corps, the people of the West African village where I was stationed helped me acclimate to my new surroundings and enabled me to develop problem-solving, teamwork and empathy skills that have bolstered my legal practice far beyond the ability to offer technical advice, says Brian Bewley at McGuireWoods.

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New Weil-Willkie Domains Add To Merger Speculation

By Marialuisa Taddia

Two domain names that combine the names of Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP and Weil Gotshal & Manges LLP have been registered, fueling speculation about a potential merger between the two prominent Wall Street law firms.

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Bonus Spotlight

Hueston Hennigan Bumps Clerkship Bonus To $205K

By Lynn LaRowe

Trial boutique Hueston Hennigan is offering a $205,000 bonus to lawyers who have completed one or more federal clerkships, the firm confirmed Thursday.

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'Grave Errors': 5th Circ. Boots Judge After AI 'Botch Job'

By Jeff Overley

A Mississippi federal judge's careless use of artificial intelligence tools led to "sloppy edicts" riddled with "falsehoods and fabrications," the Fifth Circuit held in a Thursday night opinion removing the judge from litigation over an anti-DEI law in the Magnolia State because of his "extraordinarily grave errors."

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Texas Judge Probe Shows Lack Of Mental Impairment Process

By Jack Karp

Fifth Circuit officials have done a reasonable job of handling a rare situation involving a Texas federal judge who appears to be undergoing a mental health crisis, but the episode highlights that a more standardized way of dealing with federal judges experiencing mental impairment needs to be established, experts and scholars say.

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Jackson Walker Hits Back At Fee Clawback Sanction Move

By Vince Sullivan

Law firm Jackson Walker said Wednesday that it should not be sanctioned for failing to bring to a Texas federal judge's attention additional cases involving an undisclosed romantic relationship between a bankruptcy judge and one of its attorneys because the U.S. Trustee already investigated those cases and didn't take action.

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GOP Reps. Seek Probe Of Fla. Judge's Sanctions Order

By Courtney Bublé

Top Republicans on the House Judiciary Committee asked the Judicial Conference Thursday to investigate a Florida federal judge for potential misconduct with an order she issued in the case involving the leak of President Donald Trump's tax returns.

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JPMorgan, Ex-Frank Execs Clash Over $2.1M In Legal Fees

By Jarek Rutz

JPMorgan Chase & Co. faced renewed demands in the Delaware Chancery Court on Thursday to pay about $2.1 million in withheld legal fees for convicted Frank founder Charlie Javice and former executive Olivier Amar, as their lawyers accused the bank of using repeated billing objections to delay funding for their criminal defenses.

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Roundup MDL Atty Fund 'Cries Out' For Review, 9th Circ. Told

By Dorothy Atkins

Plaintiffs' firms urged the Ninth Circuit to reverse a ruling Thursday requiring them to contribute 8% of their recovery fees to a common benefit fund in multidistrict litigation over Monsanto's Roundup weed killer, arguing the judge ignored a special master's recommendation and the issue "cries out for some appellate supervision."

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