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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news
‘A Legal Pathway for Predators’: Outrage Grows over Calif. Bill Threatening Parental Rights
Widespread outrage is growing over a proposed bill currently moving through the California Legislature, which experts say could be easily abused by traffickers by giving almost any unrelated individual the right to assume custody-like control over a child without the parents’ knowledge or consent. AB 495, which has been named the Family Preparedness Plan Act… -
opinion
The Left’s Latest Supreme Court-Packing Scheme Exposes an Existential Threat to Our Republic
Why are Democrats bringing up court-packing again? Back in 2020 and under President Joe Biden, the institutional Left would tell anyone foolish enough to listen that we needed to add seats to the Supreme Court. In October 2024, however, much of the court-packing rhetoric vanished, almost on cue. Now, it’s back, as Democrats strain to… -
opinion
It’s Time for Legislators to Step Up
Six years ago, in a case that originated in my (Charis’) home school district, the Missouri Supreme Court redefined “sex” in state law from biology to perception. In June of this year, the same court reversed course—but the damage was done. When legislators fail to do their jobs, courts occasionally—too often—step in and end up… -
news
Reports: DOJ Probing NY AG’s Fraud Case Against Trump
THE CENTER SQUARE—The Justice Department has subpoenaed New York Attorney General Letitia James as part of an investigation into whether she violated President Donald Trump’s civil rights during his civil trial on fraud charges, according to published reports. The subpoenas, first reported by The New York Times, are part of a broader probe of her civil… -
news
Trump Orders Increased Federal Law Enforcement in DC
President Donald Trump ordered police to increase their presence in the District of Columbia after an attack on a Department of Government Efficiency staffer. “President Trump has directed an increased presence of federal law enforcement to protect innocent citizens,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement Thursday. A group of teenagers allegedly… -
news
EXCLUSIVE: How Marc Elias Group Used States to Ramp-Up Anti-Trump Lawfare
A litigation group run by veteran Democrat election lawyer Marc Elias helped coordinate legal challenges from California and Illinois to stop President Donald Trump’s agenda. Democracy Forward, where Elias is chairman, coordinated an online conference with lawyers working for the California and Illinois state attorneys general offices to challenge executive orders from Trump, according to… -
opinion
When the Church’s 2 Bodies Come to Court
Where controversial topics like religion are concerned, unanimity is not what one expects from the Supreme Court. But unanimity is exactly what the court managed in Catholic Charities v. Wisconsin, where it held that the state improperly denied Catholic Charities a religious tax exemption. There, all nine justices hung together by keeping their decision narrow,… -
news
Can Trump Admin’s New Probe Take Down Jack Smith?
DAILY CALLER NEWS FOUNDATION—Former special counsel Jack Smith is finally facing a federal probe over his conduct while prosecuting President Donald Trump, though its impact may be limited. Republican Arkansas Sen. Tom Cotton confirmed Monday that the Office of Special Counsel, an independent federal watchdog agency, launched an ethics investigation into Smith. The Office of Special Counsel’s… -
news
Fani Willis’ Office Begging for Résumés on LinkedIn
DAILY CALLER NEWS FOUNDATION—Fulton County, Georgia, District Attorney Fani Willis is seeking applicants to serve as prosecutors in her office, according to a Monday post on the social media site LinkedIn. A Georgia appeals court threw Willis off a criminal case targeting President Donald Trump in a 2-to-1 ruling released in December, saying the trial court failed… -
opinion
Make DC Safe Again—2.0
President Donald Trump is right to be angry about violent crime in D.C. As one of us (Cully Stimson) wrote in these pages in January, it’s time to make D.C. safe again. There are two ways to do that: an easy way and a hard way. The choice is up for debate—but what’s not is… -
opinion
The Lone Star State’s Redistricting Is Constitutional, Legal, and Necessary
Contrary to House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries’ nutty claim that Republicans are trying to “steal the midterm elections” by redistricting in Texas, state legislators there are trying to correct what the Justice Department correctly calls “unconstitutional racially based” gerrymanders. Their fix will ensure that the over 2 million new residents of Texas get what they… -
news
Will Trump Pardon George Santos?
As former New York Republican Rep. George Santos begins his more than seven-year sentence in prison after pleading guilty to wire fraud and aggravated identity theft, it remains to be seen whether President Donald Trump will pardon him. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., penned a letter to Department of Justice Pardon Attorney Ed Martin Monday,… -
news
Justice Department Opens Grand Jury Probe Into ‘Russiagate’
The Department of Justice staff will act on the criminal referral from Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard related to the reputed conspiracy to tie Donald Trump to Russia before and after the 2016 election. Attorney General Pam Bondi ordered the DOJ to open a grand jury investigation into the matter. In a letter first… -
news
Texas Republicans Weigh Legal Punishments for Fleeing Democrats
Texas Republicans are weighing legal consequences for Democrats who have left Austin to stymie efforts to redraw the Lonestar State’s congressional districts. Ahead of the Texas House of Representative’s consideration of a newly-drawn congressional map which would favor Republicans, Democrats have fled the state in order to break quorum—the number of representatives required to be… -
opinion
Tortured by Bureaucrats
Americans like licenses. People think they make us safer. We license drivers. We license dogs. But most government licensing is useless. Or harmful. It limits competition, raises costs, leaves consumers with fewer choices, and blocks opportunity for people who want to work. Michelle Freenor, a tour guide in Savannah, Georgia, gets good reviews from customers…. -
opinion
Leftist Elites Seek to Divide Us by Race
Recently, a large group of black youths began pummeling several white adults in downtown Cincinnati. The original altercation apparently broke out between a black and white male in he-said/he-said fashion. But that dispute soon turned into a virtual free-for-all. Numerous male and female black youths sucker-punched a middle-aged woman and a man. Others continued to… -
news
Colorado AG Sues Sheriff’s Deputy for Cooperating With ICE
A Colorado law enforcement officer has been sued for cooperating with federal immigration agents. Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser sued Mesa County Sheriff’s Deputy Alexander Zwinck last week after Zwinck reportedly sent federal agents information about a student present in the U.S. illegally, The Associated Press first reported. Zwinck and another deputy, Erik Olson, have… -
opinion
More Voter Fraud Exposed: Proven Cases of Ballot Tampering and Rigged Elections
A woman votes in two different states for four elections in a row. A small-town mayor locks away ballots and refuses to count the votes. A mayoral candidate forges over 100 absentee ballot requests and sends them to a fake nursing home address. A husband and wife, both candidates for office, fake their residence in… -
news
EXCLUSIVE: Pro-Trump Investment Firm Demands Fed Comply With Federal Transparency Law
FIRST ON THE DAILY SIGNAL—A pro-Trump investment firm is demanding the Federal Reserve hand over a transcript of its closed-door meeting this week, in which the committee decided not to lower interest rates. Azoria Capital applied for a temporary restraining order requiring the Federal Open Market Committee to allow the public to watch its meeting… -
news
‘Blue Slip’ Brouhaha: Trump, Grassley Spar Over Judicial Nominee Confirmation Procedure
President Donald Trump is seeking to end the long-standing “blue slip” tradition of giving senators veto power over some judicial nominees from their states—but he’s getting pushback from the Republican senator whose mind he needs to change. “I was offended by what the president said, and I’m disappointed that it would result in personal insults,”…