Legal News
Reports on lawmaking, constitutional issues, and court cases. The Daily Signal combines news reporting with conservative commentary and legal analysis.
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Census Battle: How This Lawsuit Could Change Political Power in Congress
A federal lawsuit could be decided in early 2026 to require the Census Bureau to only count people rather than use statistical sampling—a move that could determine who controls Congress. The 2020 Census overcounted the population of several Democrat-leaning states and undercounted the population of several Republican-leaning states. While the agency admitted this was an error, plaintiffs in the… -
analysis
7 Significant Legal Matters From 2025 That’ll Have Impacts Far Beyond the New Year
The year has been jam-packed with consequential legal rulings likely to have long-lasting impact on matters such as parental rights and religious liberty. The Supreme Court—often known for ideological divisions—reached unanimous rulings on two contentious issues. On other fronts, personal legal cases against President Donald Trump have fallen away, even amid skyrocketing litigation challenging his… -
news
Judge Hands Media Major Win in Charlie Kirk Murder Trial
DAILY CALLER NEWS FOUNDATION—Utah Fourth District Court Judge Tony Graf ordered on Monday that audio and transcripts of a closed hearing surrounding Charlie Kirk’s alleged assassin, Tyler Robinson, can be released with redactions. In a virtual hearing, Graf ruled that the transcript of a hearing that took place in October can be issued with some… -
news
Supreme Court Won’t Let Trump Deploy National Guard in Illinois
THE DAILY CALLER NEWS FOUNDATION—The Supreme Court declined Tuesday to allow President Donald Trump to deploy the National Guard in Illinois. The government has not shown it is permitted under the law “to federalize the Guard in the exercise of inherent authority to protect federal personnel and property in Illinois,” the Supreme Court majority held. “At this preliminary… -
news
EXCLUSIVE: Christmas Ad Draws Inspiration From ‘Home Alone’ to Unwrap Dangers of Illegal Vapes
A new Christmas ad aims to expose the “greedy criminals targeting vulnerable kids” with illegal vapes. Illegal vapes, largely from China, have flooded the U.S. market in recent years with flavors and advertising specifically aimed at enticing children. “This Christmas, it’s time to get those who profit from illegal vapes a supersized dose of Kevin,” the ad tells viewers, referring to Kevin… -
news
California Church Appeals to SCOTUS Over $1.2M in COVID-19 Fines
Almost three years after the COVID-19 pandemic was officially declared over, a church in California is still facing over $1.2 million in fines for keeping its doors open to minister to the spiritual needs of the public. Calvary Chapel San Jose’s legal saga began in August 2020 when county inspectors reportedly “made 44 visits to the church”… -
news
Kilmar Abrego Garcia Released Following Judge’s Order
A federal judge is blocking U.S. immigration officials from re-detaining Kilmar Abrego Garcia after the illegal alien was ordered released. Abrego Garcia appeared for a scheduled Immigration and Customs Enforcement on Friday morning, but immigration officials were blocked from re-detaining him due to a judge’s order. The order comes after U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis in Maryland granted Abrego Garcia’s petition for release from immigration… -
news
IQ on Death Row: Supreme Court Weighs Relevance of Convicted Killer’s Test Scores
The Supreme Court heard arguments Wednesday on whether the death sentence applied to a convicted murderer represents cruel and unusual punishment based on his debatable intellectual disability. The state of Alabama argues that five IQ test scores for Joseph Clifton Smith, convicted of capital murder for the 1997 killing of Durk Van Dam, demonstrate that… -
opinion
DOJ Drops ‘Disparate Impact’ Standard in Civil Rights Law. It’s a Huge Win for Equality Under the Law.
The Trump administration is conducting a profound revolution in civil rights law. On Tuesday, the Department of Justice Civil Rights Division announced that it is ending the use of disparate impact in enforcement of Title VI under the Civil Rights Act of 1964. This is a huge deal. “The prior ‘disparate impact’ regulations encouraged people… -
SLAPP DOWN: Court Defends Trans Activists Who Allegedly Lied to Get Real Estate Agent Fired
FIRST ON THE DAILY SIGNAL—Transgender activists are “weaponizing” a law meant to protect participation in public debate, flipping it “on its head” to further a “personal vendetta” against a Georgia mom and real estate agent whom the activists previously tried to get fired, the mom’s lawyer says. Julie Mauck, the Georgia mom, publicly addressed a… -
news
Why It Matters in This Supreme Court Case If JD Vance Runs in 2028
Supreme Court arguments about campaign spending limits included open talk of a JD Vance 2028 presidential campaign, in a case first launched by the vice president when he was running for U.S. Senate. In National Republican Senatorial Committee v. Federal Election Commission, the Trump administration is not defending the current federal law, which prohibits political… -
news
Sonia Sotomayor Says Trump Will Have ‘Absolute Power’ If the Court Overturns Humphrey’s Executor
The Supreme Court’s conservative-leaning majority seems poised to scrap a 90-year precedent that has insulated the deep state for decades. Justices are weighing whether an elected president can remove executive branch officials serving on supposedly “independent” commissions or boards, and whether blocking the president from doing so violates the constitutional principle of separation of powers…. -
news
Supreme Court Takes Trump Birthright Citizenship Case
The Supreme Court has agreed to hear arguments on President Donald Trump’s push to end birthright citizenship. The high court announced Friday that it will hear arguments regarding Trump’s executive order that would revoke the automatic guarantee that any child born on U.S. soil—even to an illegal immigrant parents—would be an American citizen. Trump’s order… -
news
GOP Wins: Supreme Court Rules on Texas Redistricting Maps for 2026 Midterms
In a huge win for Republicans that could help keep them in control of the House, the Supreme Court allowed Texas’ GOP-friendly redistricting maps to remain in place for the 2026 midterms. The maps could grant Republicans up to five additional seats in the House of Representatives. Thursday’s ruling, a 6-3 unsigned opinion, comes after… -
news
Supreme Court Justices Hear Street Preacher Who Challenged Law After Pleading No Contest to Breaking It
Justices didn’t seem to break along predictable lines Wednesday, when they presented critical questions to both sides in a case regarding a Christian pastor’s free speech challenge to a Mississippi city ordinance. In Olivier v. City of Brandon, the U.S. Supreme Court is weighing whether someone convicted under a law has standing to challenge the… -
news
4 Takeaways From Supreme Court First Amendment Case on Pro-Life Pregnancy Centers
Supreme Court justices seemed skeptical of arguments from the New Jersey Attorney General’s Office justifying subpoenas of a network of pro-life pregnancy centers on Tuesday. New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin claimed First Choice Women’s Resource Centers may have made misleading comments about abortion and issued broad subpoenas to force the group to provide donor… -
news
Supreme Court Skeptical of New Jersey’s Intrusive Probe of Pregnancy Center
When the American Civil Liberties Union agrees with pro-life, gun rights, and business groups in the Supreme Court, there must be a pretty clear and important principle at stake. The case is First Choice Women’s Resource Centers v. Platkin, and the court heard arguments on Dec. 2. The important principle is whether the First Amendment… -
opinion
New Jersey’s War on Pregnancy Resource Centers Reaches the Supreme Court Tuesday
The Left is attacking pregnancy centers again. Today the U.S. Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in the case of First Choice Women’s Resource Centers v. Platkin. First Choice is a network of pregnancy resource centers (PRCs) serving vulnerable pregnant women in New Jersey. Matthew Platkin is New Jersey’s attorney general, and he is trying to… -
news
How Liberal Lawfare Actors Spearheaded Case That Got Trump-Appointed Prosecutor Disqualified
A three-judge panel disqualified President Donald Trump’s former personal lawyer as the acting U.S. attorney in New Jersey, in a case pushed by the head of a liberal lawfare group, and by Hunter Biden’s former lawyer. The panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 3rd Circuit determined Monday that Alina Habba’s appointment violated… -
news
Who Decides Whether an Illegal Immigrant Gets Asylum for ‘Persecution’? Supreme Court Weighs Arguments
Should the Trump administration or the courts determine whether an illegal alien qualifies for asylum due to threats of persecution, when the facts are not in dispute? Supreme Court justices pressured a Justice Department lawyer on that issue Monday. The case involves Salvadoran national Douglas Humberto Urias-Orellana, who claims he faced threats to his life…