“New York County Clerk Blocks Texas Court Filing Against Doctor Over Abortion Pills; The showdown catapults the interstate abortion wars to a new level”: Pam Belluck of The New York Times has this report.

“The Law Is Clear: You Don’t Need a Passport to Vote; Trump’s latest executive order saying Americans need to prove their citizenship to register is unlawful and harmful.” Law professor Noah Feldman has this essay online at Bloomberg Opinion.

“Trump urges support for Wisconsin Supreme Court candidate in unusual intervention; The race has become a proxy war over Trump’s agenda and has attracted record spending by Elon Musk and others”: Patrick Marley of The Washington Post has this report.

“At a Time When Lawyers Feared Defending Government Enemies, One Law Firm Stood Up; A scrappy law firm decided to represent federal workers accused of disloyalty and survived to become a legal behemoth”: Clay Risen has this article online at Politico Magazine.

“The Pathetic, Cowardly Collapse of Big Law; Trump’s actions are an attempt to tilt the scales of justice by using the raw power of government coercion — and they’re working”: Paul Rosenzweig has this essay online at The Atlantic.

“Skadden, a Top Law Firm, Is in Talks to Avert an Executive Order; The discussions come as President Trump has taken aim at Wilmer Hale, another big law firm; Other major firms are said to be trying to cut deals with the White House”: Michael S. Schmidt, Ben Protess, Matthew Goldstein, Jessica Silver-Greenberg, and Maureen Farrell of The New York Times have this report.

Chris Cameron of The New York Times reports that “Trump Targets WilmerHale, Citing Law Firm’s Connection to Robert Mueller; Mr. Mueller, who worked at WilmerHale before retiring in 2021, had investigated the Trump campaign’s ties to Russian officials during the president’s first term.”

Erin Mulvaney, C. Ryan Barber, and Josh Dawsey of The Wall Street Journal report that “Trump Targets Robert Mueller’s Former Law Firm in Latest Executive Order; White House singles out WilmerHale as it ramps up campaign against firms connected to individuals perceived as political enemies by the president.”

Jeff Mordock of The Washington Times reports that “Trump strips security clearances from attorneys at firm that had employed Robert Mueller.”

And Emily R. Siegel of Bloomberg Law reports that “Trump Hits WilmerHale With Executive Order Over Mueller Ties; Trump directs agencies to scrap contracts with firm clients; Former special counsel Robert Mueller is former partner.”

The White House today issued an executive order titled “Addressing Risks From WilmerHale.”

“Bonus 134: What Executive Orders Can (and Can’t) Do; President Trump’s ominous new executive order on election administration is constrained by the limits on what an executive order can directly accomplish, especially outside of the executive branch.” Steve Vladeck has this post at his “One First” Substack site.

“Arizona’s Supreme Court ‘cowgirl’ would’ve hated today’s politics; Sandra Day O’Connor believed in public service and worried about political attacks on the Supreme Court — for good reason”: Scott Bales has this essay online at The Arizona Republic.

“Judicial Rebels: How Dissenting Judges Wage Law’s Quiet Battles — And When the Supreme Court Listens; Dissents in courts of appeals are understudied but have dramatic impact on the legal landscape; This is an analysis of these dissents since the start of 2024.” Adam Feldman has this post at his “Legalytics” Substack site.

“How Donald Trump Throttled Big Law; The President has two goals: to seek revenge and to intimidate lawyers challenging his agenda; Is a top firm’s deal with him a necessary act of survival or a damaging blow to the entire profession?” Ruth Marcus has this essay online at The New Yorker.

And at the “Executive Functions” Substack site, Bob Bauer has a post titled “The Choices Lawyers Make; How they have shaped and will determine the outcome of Trump’s attack on law firms.”

“Superior Court Gives Cold Reception to Popular Argument Against Pa.’s Consent by Registration Law; The court held that the defendant failed to identify any binding case law demonstrating grounds for such differing opinions; ‘While it is true enough that Justice Alito’s concurrence provides a window into the workings of that jurist’s mind,’ the court ruled, ‘concurring opinions have no legal effect and, therefore, are not binding on any court’”: Aleeza Furman of The Legal Intelligencer has this report on a per curiam opinion that the Superior Court of Pennsylvania issued yesterday.

Tom Goldstein’s federal criminal trial is currently scheduled to start on January 12, 2026: You can access the scheduling order issued yesterday at this link.

“Judge rejects Trump DOJ’s calls for recusal from case involving law firm linked to Steele dossier”: Stephen Dinan of The Washington Times has this report.

And Justin Henry of Bloomberg Law has an article headlined “Judge Rejects Trump Bid to Oust Her From Perkins Coie Fight; DOJ lawyers engaged in ‘ad hominem’ rhetorical strategy: judge; Judge Howell was partial to Perkins Coie, DOJ lawyers argued.”

You can access today’s memorandum opinion and order of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia at this link.

“The AP’s Freedom of Speech — and Yours; A brazen attempt to punish us for using words Trump dislikes”: Julie Pace will have this op-ed in Thursday’s edition of The Wall Street Journal.

“Supreme Court Upholds Biden Administration’s Limits on ‘Ghost Guns’; The administration had tightened regulations on kits that can be easily assembled into nearly untraceable firearms”: Abbie VanSickle of The New York Times has this report.

Justin Jouvenal of The Washington Post reports that “Supreme Court allows Biden-era regulations for hard-to-trace ghost guns; Law enforcement has raised alarm about the weapons, which have been used in a growing number of crimes.”

Jess Bravin of The Wall Street Journal reports that “Supreme Court Upholds Regulation of ‘Ghost Guns’; Justices find in 7-2 decision that federal law covers firearms kits.”

Maureen Groppe of USA Today reports that “Supreme Court sides with Biden and upholds regulations of ghost guns to make them traceable; Justices Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas were the two dissenters in the case; Gun rights advocates expect President Trump to overturn the regulations.”

And Alex Swoyer and Stephen Dinan of The Washington Times report that “Supreme Court upholds Biden-era requirements on ghost guns.”

“Supreme Court Appears Unlikely to Strike Down School E-Rate Program”: Mark Walsh of Education Week has this report.

“Appeals Court Maintains Block on Deportation Flights Under Wartime Power; The panel said that while further argument was needed, lawyers for the migrants would likely succeed in their claims that the Venezuelans had been denied due process”: Alan Feuer and Charlie Savage of The New York Times have this report.

Jeremy Roebuck and Marianne LeVine of The Washington Post report that “Appeals court upholds temporary block on Alien Enemies Act deportations; The Trump administration asked an appeals court to overturn Judge James E. Boasberg’s temporary restraining order blocking the deportations.”

Jan Wolfe, Michelle Hackman, and Victoria Albert of The Wall Street Journal report that “Trump Administration Loses Bid to Restart Deportation Flights; Decision came as Homeland Security secretary toured prison in El Salvador where migrants were held.”

And Hassan Ali Kanu of Politico reports that “Appeals court denies Trump’s bid to resume deportations under Alien Enemies Act; Trump has tried to invoke the act to swiftly deport alleged gang members with little due process.”

“Why Elon Musk and Tesla Have a Legal Bone to Pick With Wisconsin; As the billionaire and his allied groups pour more than $20 million into a race for the state’s top court, his car company is suing Wisconsin over a law restricting vehicle sales”: Reid J. Epstein and Neal E. Boudette of The New York Times have this report.

“Top Republicans Rebuff Trump’s Demand to Impeach Judges; GOP lawmakers pursue other ways to rein in the judiciary”: Jess Bravin, Olivia Beavers, and Lindsay Wise of The Wall Street Journal have this report.

“Federal Judiciary Creates New Task Force With Threats on the Rise; The panel will be led by a federal judge from Maryland, seeking to protect against threats as President Trump and his allies single out judges that have blocked parts of his agenda”: Abbie VanSickle and Mattathias Schwartz of The New York Times have this report.

“The Supreme Court, Race and Redistricting: The Justices have a chance to stop racial gerrymanders.” This editorial will appear in Thursday’s edition of The Wall Street Journal.

“Appeals Court Keeps Block on Trump’s Deportation of Venezuelans”: David Voreacos and Chris Strohm of Bloomberg News have this report.

You can access today’s order of a divided three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, and the opinions concurring in and dissenting from that order, at this link.

“Rivals Pounce on Paul Weiss, a Top Law Firm, After Trump’s Order; Fears that competitors could take its top rainmaking talent added to the law firm’s worries about a Trump executive order that targeted it”: Matthew Goldstein, Michael S. Schmidt, Jessica Silver-Greenberg, Lauren Hirsch, Rob Copeland, and Ben Protess of The New York Times have this report.

According to the article, “But some lawyers, led by Kannon Shanmugam, a top litigator at the firm, had prepared a legal challenge in case Paul Weiss couldn’t make a deal, the people said.”

“Trump’s confrontation with judges can be read two ways; Is he trying to curb lower-court overreach? Or is he against an independent judiciary altogether?” Columnist Jason Willick has this essay online at The Washington Post.

“Nationwide Injunctions Are a Problem. Ending Them Isn’t the Answer. President Trump’s proposal is unworkable. A better remedy is to change how they work.” Barbara McQuade has this essay online at Bloomberg Opinion.

“Bondi Blames Venezuela Deportation Fight on Judge’s ‘Contradictory’ Orders”: Erik Larson of Bloomberg News has this report.

You can access yesterday’s court filing at this link.

“Supreme Court Upholds US Regulation of ‘Ghost Gun’ Kits; Gorsuch writes 7-2 decision backing Biden-era regulation; Rule subjects kits to same rules as fully assembled firearms”: Greg Stohr of Bloomberg News has this report.

You can access today’s ruling of the U.S. Supreme Court at this link.

“Utah lawmakers gave governor power to appoint the Supreme Court chief. Cox says, ‘I must respectfully decline.’ Gov. Spencer Cox vetoed a bill letting him appoint the chief justice, but the Senate would get to re-confirm every four years.” Robert Gehrke of The Salt Lake Tribune has this report.

“Rallying Anti-Musk Donors, Liberal Judge Raises $24 Million in Key Court Contest; With Elon Musk backing her conservative opponent, a Wisconsin judge seeking a seat on the state’s top court has amassed what is believed to be a record war chest for a judicial campaign”: Reid J. Epstein of The New York Times has this report.

“Trump’s Old Grudge Fuels Swipe at a New Law Firm; An executive order underscored the extent to which the president, who faced four indictments after he left office, aims to exact a price from anyone associated with past investigations of him”: Devlin Barrett of The New York Times has this report.

“Trump’s Dangerous Disregard for the Courts; ‘I have an Article II,’ he once said, ‘where I have the right to do whatever I want’”: Columnist William A. Galston will have this op-ed in Wednesday’s edition of The Wall Street Journal.

“What Do We Owe This Cluster of Cells?” Anna Louie Sussman has this essay online at The New York Times.

“A Supreme Court Remedy for Nationwide Injunctions: Congress gave the Supreme Court the authority to curb them by clarifying the Rules of Civil Procedure.” Law professor Elizabeth Price Foley will have this op-ed in Wednesday’s edition of The Wall Street Journal.

“What Is the Secrecy Power Trump’s Aides Are Using to Stonewall a Federal Judge? The administration is invoking an extraordinary national security power, the state secrets privilege, under highly unusual circumstances.” Charlie Savage of The New York Times has this report.

“Josh Hawley Smears a Pro-Life Lawyer; I had to quit the FDA after he falsely accused me of supporting abortion”: Hilary Perkins will have this op-ed in Wednesday’s edition of The Wall Street Journal.