Legal News
Reports on lawmaking, constitutional issues, and court cases. The Daily Signal combines news reporting with conservative commentary and legal analysis.
-
news
Pennsylvania High Court Democrat Justices Win Retention Vote
Pennsylvania residents voted on Tuesday to retain three justices of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, according to The Associated Press. Democrat Justices Christine Donohue, Kevin Dougherty, and David Wecht each won another term on Pennsylvania’s highest state court. Dougherty and Wecht have obtained 10-year terms, while Donohue will likely only serve until 2027, when she reaches… -
opinion
The Dishonorable Conduct Award: Judges Who Threw Out the Statute With the Bathwater
We spend a lot of our time reading and analyzing judicial decisions from all over the country. But we don’t decide winners and losers based on whether or not we like the particular result. Instead, we look at whether the judge did what he was supposed to and impartially applied the law to the facts…. -
news
Trump Judge Pick Issues Opinion Bolstering President’s Deportation Agenda
One of President Donald Trump’s recent appointees to a federal judgeship issued an order recommending a stronger punishment for an illegal immigrant criminal in order to “afford adequate deterrence.” Judge Joshua Divine, Trump’s nominee to the U.S. District Courts for the Eastern and Western Districts of Missouri, wrote on Friday that Lesman Rivera-Vasquez, who pleaded… -
news
Obama Judge’s Bid to Help Deep State Spy on GOP in Secret May Have Violated Federal Law
DAILY CALLER NEWS FOUNDATION—An Obama-appointed judge may have violated federal law by greenlighting a Biden Department of Justice effort to secretly secure Republican senators’ private cellphone data, legal experts say. Chief Judge of the D.C. District Court James Boasberg signed orders in 2023 preventing cell phone carriers from notifying 11 Republican members of Congress about… -
news
Letitia James Is Fighting Another DOJ Probe for ‘Selective Enforcement’ Against Trump’s Business, NRA, Unsealed Docs Show
DAILY CALLER NEWS FOUNDATION—New York Attorney General Letitia James is fighting a federal criminal probe over alleged “selective enforcement” in cases she brought against President Donald Trump’s business and the National Rifle Association, court documents unsealed Friday reveal. James’ effort to block subpoenas issued by the Department of Justice touches “on matters of national concern,… -
opinion
In Explosive Report, Virginia AG Exposes Failures of Soros-Funded Prosecutor
It’s no secret that billionaire George Soros has helped install rogue prosecutors in the Old Dominion, sending more than $1.1 million to elect Parisa Dehghani-Tafti in Arlington, more than $300,000 to Ramin Fatehi in Norfolk, and almost $750,000 to Steve Descano in Fairfax. But a new report from Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares shows how… -
opinion
The DOJ’s Pharmacy Crusade Will Harm the Patients It’s Meant to Help
Ronald Reagan famously said the nine most terrifying words in the English language are, “I’m from the government and I’m here to help.” The U.S. Department of Justice is proving him right by continuing Biden-era lawsuits against pharmacies that waste taxpayer money, ignore inconvenient facts, and put federal crosshairs on the wrong culprits in America’s… -
news
State Rep. Shares Passion for History With Bill Honoring Charlie Kirk
Ohio state Rep. Gary Click not only aims to honor Charlie Kirk’s legacy but has a passion for ensuring students are taught American history. He’s found a way to do both by sponsoring the Charlie Kirk American Heritage Act. The Daily Signal met with Click to discuss the bill, during which the state representative’s passion… -
news
EXCLUSIVE: Trump on Track to Recoup $10M Improperly Paid to Agency’s Senior Executives Under Biden
FIRST ON THE DAILY SIGNAL—The Biden administration’s Department of Veterans Affairs improperly awarded $10.8 million in bonuses meant for staffers who directly serve veterans to highly paid senior executives. Under President Donald Trump, the agency is close to recovering the remainder of the lost funds. The VA improperly awarded $10.8 million in “critical skills incentives”… -
opinion
Congress Should Adopt a California Rule to Remove Biased Washington Superior Court Judges
Anyone paying attention to Washington’s criminal justice system knows that some judges on the Washington Superior Court are now so anesthetized to persistent and chronic crime that they hand out notoriously lenient sentences to recidivist and violent defendants. Don’t believe us? According to the District of Columbia Sentencing Commission’s 2024 annual report, 88% of sentences… -
news
Chicago Sues Trump, Refusing to Drop DEI as Condition for Federal Money
Several blue cities, led by Chicago, want federal money to keep flowing but aren’t willing to abide by the Trump administration’s condition of dropping diversity, equity, and inclusion policies to get it. Joining Chicago in the lawsuit against the Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Emergency Management Agency are Boston, New York, Baltimore, Denver,… -
news
9th Circuit Clears Way for Trump to Deploy National Guard in Portland
The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals cleared the way Monday for President Donald Trump to mobilize the National Guard to protect federal buildings in Portland. A three-judge panel ruled 2-1 to reverse a federal district court ruling that prevented Trump from deploying National Guard troops in the state. The ruling allows the deployment to… -
opinion
Trump Justice Department Files Charges Against Antifa. What Took So Long?
The Left and Big Media have been on a crusade to persuade the voting public that Antifa, a band of sometimes violent anarchists, is not really a thing. “Antifa is an idea, not an organization,” then-former Vice President Joe Biden argued during a 2020 debate with President Donald Trump. To which Trump rightly responded, “When… -
news
SCOTUS Agrees to Consider Whether Drug Users Can Own Guns
DAILY CALLER NEWS FOUNDATION—The Supreme Court agreed Monday to consider whether it is constitutional to prohibit users of illegal drugs from owning guns. The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals previously held that a federal law prohibiting anyone who is “an unlawful user of or addicted to any controlled substance” from possessing firearms violates the… -
news
Bolton Prosecution Is Different From Comey, James Indictments. Here’s Why.
Legal experts say the John Bolton classified documents case will be more difficult for President Donald Trump’s critics to dismiss as a Trump vengeance play compared to the indictments of former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James. Bolton, a national security adviser during Trump’s first administration and frequent Trump critic… -
news
6 Things About Judge Who Blocked Trump From Culling Bureaucracy During Shutdown
The federal judge who blocked the Trump administration’s ouster of federal employees on Wednesday has a record of controversial rulings spanning from siding with environmentalists to presiding over the trial of baseball legend Barry Bonds. U.S. District Judge Susan Illston of the Northern District of California determined the administration’s Office of Management and Budget as… -
opinion
Hawaii, Take Note: Armed Citizens Aren’t ‘Vampires’
Earlier this month, the Supreme Court agreed to hear a challenge to a Hawaii gun law that renders concealed carry permits in that state practically useless. While the nation’s highest court appears poised to strike down the law, it nonetheless indicates gun control advocates’ deep misunderstanding of the importance of the right to armed self-defense…. -
news
FBI Seized Enough Fentanyl ‘to Kill 55 Million Americans’ in 3-Month Span, Patel Says
President Donald Trump on Wednesday announced the results of Operation Summer Heat, the FBI’s three-month mission to target violent criminals. “In just a three-month span, you had 8,700 arrests of violent criminals. You had 2,200 firearms seized off the streets permanently, to safeguard our communities,” FBI Director Kash Patel said. “You had 421 kg of… -
news
4 Takeaways From SCOTUS Redistricting Case That Could Shape Who Controls Congress
In a closely watched case that could have a significant impact on which party controls Congress and that could have national consequences when it comes to drawing congressional maps, the Supreme Court heard a second round of arguments Wednesday pertaining to a congressional redistricting case out of Louisiana. Liberal groups are sounding the alarm that… -
opinion
AI Chats Helped Catch an Arsonist—Now They Could Be Used Against You
In Pacific Palisades, neighbors are still haunted by what they saw last January when the night sky turned blood orange. The air crackled with panic as families fled, clutching photos and pets, watching wildfire erase homes, memories, and 12 precious lives. For months, all anyone has wanted is justice and a way to feel safe…