U.S. District Judge

A federal judge blocked the Pentagon from enforcing a media escort requirement for journalists, ruling it violates the First Amendment due to retaliation and viewpoint discrimination. The decision follows the Pentagon's 2025 press policy that led to an exodus of veteran journalists, with the judge citing the importance of a free press for national security.

Luigi Mangione’s federal trial for the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson has been postponed to January to allow his lawyers to focus on his state murder trial starting in September. The federal trial’s jury selection will begin on January 5, with opening statements on January 25, as Judge Margaret Garnett cited the impossibility of conducting jury selection while Mangione’s team handles the state case.

A judge barred the federal government from making immigration arrests at courthouses nationwide, citing inadequate justification for the policy shift under the Administrative Procedure Act. The ruling, issued by U.S. District Judge Casey Pitts, reverses a Trump-era practice and follows a similar order in New York.

A federal judge denied a request to disqualify top Justice Department officials from overseeing the prosecution of Cole Tomas Allen, who is charged with attempting to kill President Donald Trump at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner. The judge ruled that the officials' attendance at the event and Jeanine Pirro’s friendship with Trump did not create a conflict of interest.

Rep. Joyce Beatty accused the Kennedy Center board, led by Donald Trump, of allowing the venue to become a 'lifeless husk' by not resuming programming. A court previously ordered Trump's name removed from the center and blocked a two-year closure, but the board is considering options including full or partial closures. The Kennedy Center's lawyers stated plans to reopen have not been finalized.

Makeda Charles faces federal charges for threatening a Detroit judge, a prosecutor, and an FBI agent linked to the prosecution of church leader David E. Taylor. During her arraignment, she made aggressive remarks and threats, prompting a court-ordered competency evaluation.

A federal judge in Idaho temporarily blocked a state law criminalizing transgender individuals from using restrooms matching their gender identity. U.S. District Judge Amanda Brailsford granted a preliminary injunction against the law in response to a legal challenge.

A U.S. District Judge named Christopher Cooper has decided not to lift an order requiring the removal of Trump's name from the Kennedy Centre. The ruling states that only Congress has the authority to rename the venue honoring former President John F. Kennedy in Washington, D.C., while an appeals court reviews the decision.

A Clinton-appointed federal judge indefinitely blocked the Trump administration's $1.776 billion Anti-Weaponization Fund, citing concerns it could be revived. Another judge declined to intervene after the Justice Department said the fund would not proceed, but critics argue its formal termination remains incomplete. Trump expressed support for the fund, while the Justice Department faces pressure to confirm its permanent dismantlement.

A U.S. District Judge preliminarily approved a $38 billion swipe fee settlement involving Visa and Mastercard, deeming the revised agreement 'fair, reasonable, and adequate.' However, major retail groups have announced plans to challenge the decision further.

Transcripts from the Broadview Six grand jury proceedings were released, revealing prosecutor errors that led to the collapse of a felony conspiracy case against six protesters. The case, involving a September protest outside a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility, saw charges dropped after a judge found misconduct including improper juror interactions and vouching.

A federal judge halted the Trump administration's attempt to impose conditions on SNAP funding, including restrictions on gender ideology, immigration, and fair athletic opportunities. The 20 Democratic states argued the conditions created unconstitutional barriers to critical nutrition support, while the government claimed the requirements would improve oversight. The decision follows a decline in SNAP beneficiaries linked to new mandates in a Republican tax and spending bill.

Jeremy Hinman, 26, of Buffalo, NY, pleaded guilty to possession and transfer of a machinegun. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

Chad Burgess, a 40-year-old man from Rochester, NY, was sentenced to 88 months in prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara imposed the sentence after Burgess was convicted of the charge.

A federal judge postponed a civil trial over the 2024 collapse of Baltimore's Francis Scott Key Bridge after last-minute settlements resolved most claims, including those related to the deaths of six construction workers. The remaining claims involve economic losses by businesses and local governments, with the trial indefinitely delayed to consider further settlements. The container ship Dali lost power, causing the bridge collapse.

Isaiah Poole, a 25-year-old from Suitland, Maryland, was sentenced to 25 years in federal prison and 20 years of supervised release for producing child sexual abuse material. The sentencing was carried out by U.S. District Judge Lydia Kay Griggsby in Greenbelt, Maryland.

A federal judge postponed the Trump administration’s plan to terminate temporary legal protections for 3,000 Yemeni nationals under the TPS program. The decision follows judges criticizing the administration’s procedural compliance in ending TPS for countries, ahead of a Supreme Court ruling.

Maurene Comey, a former federal prosecutor and daughter of former FBI Director James Comey, may proceed with her lawsuit alleging the Trump administration fired her for political reasons, as U.S. District Judge Jesse Furman ruled in her favor despite the Justice Department's objection.

The Justice Department (DOJ) filed a motion asking a federal judge to dissolve restrictions on the White House ballroom, following a weekend shooting at the Washington Hilton. Judge Richard Leon had previously limited the project to 'below-ground construction' amid a lawsuit, rejecting the administration's security claims.