Third Circuit
Coverage of Third Circuit in the Nexus archive.
- Fourth Circuit creates circuit split over handling of detained pro-Palestinian scholars
The Fourth Circuit ruled against the Trump administration, allowing detained noncitizens to seek judicial relief in District Courts for unconstitutional immigration detentions. This decision conflicts with the Third Circuit's ruling in Khalil v. President, which denied such jurisdiction to District Courts. The case involves pro-Palestinian scholars, including Georgetown postdoctoral fellow Badar Khan Suri, who argue detention for political views violates the First Amendment.
- Washington judge corners Kalshi, setting up another state-fed showdown
A Washington state judge ordered Kalshi, a prediction market platform, to cease operations in the state due to violations of the Washington State Gambling Act and Consumer Protection Act. Kalshi argues federal law preempts state regulations, citing prior rulings in the Third Circuit and actions by Nevada, Massachusetts, and New York against similar platforms.
- Third Circuit strikes down New Jersey assault weapons ban
The Third Circuit ruled 10-5 that New Jersey’s ban on semiautomatic rifles and high-capacity magazines is unconstitutional, citing the Supreme Court’s Bruen decision requiring historical analogs for Second Amendment restrictions. The majority found no sufficient historical precedent for the ban, while the dissent argued that such weapons are too dangerous for constitutional protection.
- Environmental groups brawl with New Jersey over future of interstate gas pipeline
Environmental groups National Resources Defense Council and New York-New Jersey Baywatch sued New Jersey regulators over the approval of Transco's Northeast Supply Enhancement pipeline, arguing the certification lacked proper environmental safeguards and public input. The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection approved the project in 2025 after denying earlier applications due to insufficient environmental details and public need.
- Third Circuit greenlights Trump removal of exhibit on Washington’s slaves
The Third Circuit Court allowed the Trump administration to proceed with altering an exhibit at the President’s House site in Philadelphia that detailed enslaved people held by George Washington and John Adams. The court ruled that the National Park Service had not yet finalized its replacement panels, which acknowledge slavery but are less critical of the presidents compared to the original exhibit.
- AI company argues its use of scraped Westlaw legal data was transformative
ROSS Intelligence, a defunct AI company, argued in a Third Circuit case that using 0.08% of Westlaw's headnotes to train its legal research AI was transformative, countering Thomson Reuters' copyright claims. A lower court ruled in favor of Reuters, but ROSS appeals, asserting its AI's ability to answer novel legal questions justifies fair use.