Litigation and appeals

Evidence in this theme

1. Birthright-citizenship restriction struck downThe Supreme Court held that the Fourteenth Amendment guarantees citizenship to the U.S.-born children targeted by Executive Order 14160.1 source · reviewed 2026-09-03
2. Independent-agency removal shield dismantledAfter Trump removed Commissioner Rebecca Slaughter without invoking statutory cause, the Supreme Court invalidated the FTC's tenure protection and overruled what remained of Humphrey's Executor.1 source · reviewed 2026-09-03
3. Emergency-powers tariffs exceeded IEEPAThe Supreme Court rejected Trump's attempt to derive an open-ended tariff power from the International Emergency Economic Powers Act.1 source · reviewed 2026-09-03
4. Fraud liability survived appeal; the half-billion-dollar remedy did notNew York's Appellate Division affirmed the judgment's liability and injunctive components but vacated the disgorgement awards as an excessive fine. Further appeals were docketed in the Court of Appeals.2 sources · reviewed 2026-09-03
5. Transgender military exclusion returned and remained in forceTrump ordered a military policy organized around birth sex and hostile to transgender identity; the Supreme Court stayed an injunction while challenges continued.3 sources · reviewed 2026-09-03
6. Supreme Court built broad criminal immunity around official actsThe Court created absolute immunity for a former president's core constitutional acts and presumptive immunity for other official acts, while leaving unofficial acts unprotected.2 sources · reviewed 2026-09-03
7. Thirty-four felony convictions, now on direct appealA Manhattan jury convicted Trump on all 34 counts of first-degree falsifying business records. He received an unconditional discharge, and his direct appeal was perfected by May 2026.3 sources · reviewed 2026-09-03
8. $83.3 million defamation judgment affirmed; Supreme Court petition pendingA jury awarded E. Jean Carroll $83.3 million for Trump's 2019 defamatory statements. The Second Circuit affirmed and denied rehearing en banc; Trump's July 2026 certiorari petition remained pending at last review.2 sources · reviewed 2026-09-03
9. Carroll sexual-abuse and defamation verdict left standingA federal jury found Trump liable for sexually abusing and defaming E. Jean Carroll and awarded $5 million. The Second Circuit affirmed, and the Supreme Court denied certiorari and rehearing in 2026.2 sources · reviewed 2026-09-03
10. Inaugural money flowed to the Trump hotel; defendants paid $750,000 to settleThe District alleged that Trump's inaugural committee overpaid his Washington hotel to benefit Trump businesses. Defendants denied wrongdoing and settled without admission for $750,000; the District reported that the committee had paid the hotel $1.03 million for four days of event space.3 sources · reviewed 2026-09-03
11. Congressional subpoenas sent back under a new presidential standardThe Supreme Court vacated lower-court judgments favoring House subpoenas and required closer separation-of-powers scrutiny; it did not categorically invalidate congressional subpoenas for presidential records.1 source · reviewed 2026-09-03
12. No absolute presidential shield from a state grand juryThe Supreme Court rejected Trump's categorical immunity claim against a state criminal subpoena for private records while preserving ordinary subpoena defenses.1 source · reviewed 2026-09-03
13. DACA rescission failed basic administrative-law reviewThe Supreme Court held the administration's rescission arbitrary and capricious because DHS ignored important policy choices and reliance interests.1 source · reviewed 2026-09-03
14. Court found Trump breached his Foundation duties and ordered $2 millionA New York court found that Trump breached his fiduciary duty and that waste occurred when the 2016 fundraiser and grant distribution were used to advance his presidential campaign; it ordered him to pay $2 million in damages.2 sources · reviewed 2026-09-03
15. Asylum bar vacated as contrary to statuteA federal court vacated the rule paired with Trump's Proclamation 9822 because Congress allowed people physically present in the United States to apply for asylum regardless of how they entered.2 sources · reviewed 2026-09-03
16. Census citizenship rationale exposed as contrivedThe Supreme Court did not prohibit a citizenship question, but held that the stated Voting Rights Act rationale did not match the administrative record and required remand.1 source · reviewed 2026-09-03
17. Sanctuary-city funding threat exceeded presidential powerThe Ninth Circuit affirmed that Trump could not use an executive order to withhold grants Congress had not made conditional, while requiring a narrower injunction analysis.1 source · reviewed 2026-09-03
18. Family separation enjoined, then constrained by settlementA federal court blocked most parent-child separations and ordered reunification; a later settlement added future limits and support services.2 sources · reviewed 2026-09-03
19. Supreme Court upheld the third travel banThe Court accepted Trump's statutory authority and rejected the Establishment Clause challenge to Proclamation 9645; a later president revoked it.2 sources · reviewed 2026-09-03
20. First travel ban halted; emergency stay deniedThe Ninth Circuit left a nationwide temporary restraining order in place after finding the government had not shown a likelihood of success or irreparable injury.1 source · reviewed 2026-09-03