Law and Chaos

The Trump administration spent the weekend trying hard to rendition immigrants to foreign gulags. But Supreme Court took some baby steps this weekend toward maybe possibly doing their damn jobs and ensuring that the rule of law survives. And in the biggest surprise since the stock market dropping like a rock on news of crippling tariffs on China, Pete Hegseth is texting war plans AGAIN. And for subscribers, Harvard University sues the Trump administration. Links:   D.V.D. v. Homeland Security (Notice of Removal to Third Country) [Docket via Court Listener] https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69775896/dvd-v-us-department-of-homeland-security/   AFGE, AFL-CIO v. Office of Personnel Management [Docket via Court Listener] https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69655364/american-federation-of-government-employees-afl-cio-v-united-states/   President and Fellows of Harvard College v. US Department of Health and Human Services https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69921962/president-and-fellows-of-harvard-college-v-us-department-of-health-and/   American Oversight v. Hegseth [Docket via Court Listener] https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69788832/american-oversight-v-hegseth/   A.A.R.P. (W.M.M.) v. Trump [SCOTUS Docket] https://www.supremecourt.gov/search.aspx?filename=/docket/docketfiles/html/public/24a1007.html   W.M.M. (A.A.R.P.) v. Trump [Trial Docket via Court Listener] https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69898198/wmm-v-donald-j-trump/   A.A.R.P. (W.M.M.) v. Trump [Fifth Circuit Docket] https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69913684/aarp-v-trump/   Show Links: https://www.lawandchaospod.com/ BlueSky: @LawAndChaosPod Threads: @LawAndChaosPod Twitter: @LawAndChaosPod  

Chief Justice Roberts and the howler monkeys rolled over and played dead. But lower court judges understand the assignment, including Fourth Circuit Judge Harvie Wilkinson, a conservative icon. He read Trump — and implicitly the Supreme Court — for filth. But will it be enough? Liz and Andrew discuss the latest developments in the Salvadoran rendition cases. Plus, Trump moves to put US taxpayers on the hook for the E. Jean Carroll verdict.   Links:   Abrego Garcia v. Noem [District Docket] https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69777799/abrego-garcia-v-noem/   Abrego Garcia v. Noem [Fourth Circuit Docket] https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69902650/kilmar-abrego-garcia-v-kristi-noem/   Noem v. Abrego Garcia [SCOTUS Docket] https://www.supremecourt.gov/search.aspx?filename=/docket/docketfiles/html/public/24a949.html   J.G.G. v. Trump [District Docket] https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69741724/jgg-v-trump/   J.G.G. v. Trump [SCOTUS Docket] https://www.supremecourt.gov/search.aspx?filename=/docket/docketfiles/html/public/24a931.html    Carroll v. Trump [Second Circuit Docket] https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/68985738/carroll-v-trump/   Show Links: https://www.lawandchaospod.com/ BlueSky: @LawAndChaosPod Threads: @LawAndChaosPod Twitter: @LawAndChaosPod  

If Chief Justice Roberts thought he was going to protect the judiciary by throwing trial judges under the bus, he was spectacularly mistaken. The case of Kilmar Abrego Garcia is hurtling toward contempt proceedings, with the government in open defiance of the court’s order to un-kidnap him. And meanwhile, Attorney General Pam Bondi is running the Justice Department like an arm of the Trump campaign. And for subscribers: Trump steals lunch from poor kids in Maine because the state’s governor is nice to trans kids in accordance with Maine law. The state is suing, in a test case for the administration’s plan to use tax dollars as a cudgel to force social policy without having to pass laws.   Links:   AP v. Budowich [DC Circuit Docket]  https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69869862/associated-press-v-taylor-budowich/   AP v. Budowich [DC District Docket] https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69662918/associated-press-v-budowich/    Susman Godfrey LLP v. Trump [Docket] https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69881953/susman-godfrey-llp-v-executive-office-of-the-president    US v. Smirnov [District Docket] https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/68254959/united-states-v-smirnov   US v. Smirnov [Circuit Docket] https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69605315/united-states-of-america-v-smirnov/    US v. Mangione [District Docket] https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69486519/united-states-v-mangione/    US v. Villatoro Santos [District Docket] https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69804416/united-states-v-villatoro-santos/   Abrego Garcia v. Noem [District Docket] https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69777799/abrego-garcia-v-noem/   Maine v. USDA [District Docket] https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69853711/state-of-maine-v-united-states-department-of-agriculture/ Show Links: https://www.lawandchaospod.com/ BlueSky: @LawAndChaosPod Threads: @LawAndChaosPod Twitter: @LawAndChaosPod  

The Supreme Court had two big immigration rulings this week on deportees to the Salvadoran gulag prison: One terrible and one … marginally okay. Meanwhile at the White House, Tariff Man is running amok! Luckily, he extorted hundreds of millions of dollars worth of big firm billable hours to defend the government. But not from Susman Godfrey, the target of his latest wildly illegal executive order. Links: Tech Policy Podcast with Corbin Barthold (Liz and Andrew guest appearance) https://podcast.techfreedom.org/episodes/403-the-constitutional-crisis   Abrego Garcia v. Noem (D.Md. docket) https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69777799/abrego-garcia-v-noem/   Abrego Garcia (SCOTUS Docket) https://www.supremecourt.gov/search.aspx?filename=/docket/docketfiles/html/public/24a949.html   Perkins Coie Docket https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69725919/perkins-coie-llp-v-us-department-of-justice/   J.G.G. v. Trump (SCOTUS docket) https://www.supremecourt.gov/search.aspx?filename=/docket/docketfiles/html/public/24a931.html   SCOTUS: Rendition Is Fine Actually  https://www.lawandchaospod.com/p/scotus-rendition-is-fine-actually   Jenner & Block Docket https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.dcd.278932/   J.A.V. v. Trump (S.D. Texas docket) https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69862833/jav-v-trump/   G.F.F. v. Trump (S.D.N.Y. docket) https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69857769/gff-v-trump/   Susman Godfrey EO https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/04/modernizing-defense-acquisitions-and-spurring-innovation-in-the-defense-industrial-base-5   Show Links: https://www.lawandchaospod.com/ BlueSky: @LawAndChaosPod Threads: @LawAndChaosPod Twitter: @LawAndChaosPod  

Liz and Andrew sit down with fellow legal podcaster Ken White, AKA “Popehat,” to discuss the Trump administration’s attack on law firms. Who’s fighting? Who’s folding? And who’s f—ed? Plus an update on the case of the Maryland man deported to a torture prison in El Salvador, and the legal effort to get him home. And for subscribers: The DC Circuit considers if Humphreys Executor is dead, or just mostly dead?    Links:   Serious Trouble Podcast https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/serious-trouble/id1630160928   Wilcox docket (DC Cir) https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69714705/gwynne-wilcox-v-donald-trump/?filed_after=&filed_before=&entry_gte=&entry_lte=&order_by=desc   Abrego Garcia v Noem Docket (4th Cir) https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69847836/kilmar-abrego-garcia-v-kristi-noem/   Perkins Coie Docket https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69725919/perkins-coie-llp-v-us-department-of-justice/   Jenner & Block Docket https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.dcd.278932/   WilmerHale Docket https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.dcd.278933/ Show Links: https://www.lawandchaospod.com/ BlueSky: @LawAndChaosPod Threads: @LawAndChaosPod Twitter: @LawAndChaosPod  

Why does the President of the United States not know what tariffs are, why does he want to crash the world economy, and can he do any of it? We answer as many of those questions as we can. Come for phi times epsilon times m sub i, stay for the Trading With the Enemy Act of 1917. Plus! Judge James Boasberg in D.C. is NOT HAPPY the administration flouted his orders and intends to figure out who was responsible and why. Also, things are about to get ugly at the D.C. Circuit.   Links: DC Circuit Local Rules https://www.cadc.uscourts.gov/sites/cadc/files/rules-RulesFRAP20241212c.pdf   Trump Tariff EO https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/04/regulating-imports-with-a-reciprocal-tariff-to-rectify-trade-practices-that-contribute-to-large-and-persistent-annual-united-states-goods-trade-deficits/   Trump Annex I to Tariff EO https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Annex-I.pdf   USTR on how tariffs are calculated https://ustr.gov/issue-areas/reciprocal-tariff-calculations   The Economist, “President Trump’s Mindless Tariffs Will Cause Economic Havoc” https://www.economist.com/leaders/2025/04/03/president-trumps-mindless-tariffs-will-cause-economic-havoc   Forbes, “How Much Would An iPhone Cost If Apple Were Forced to Make it In America?” https://www.forbes.com/sites/quora/2018/01/17/how-much-would-an-iphone-cost-if-apple-were-forced-to-make-it-in-america/   Emily Ley Paper Inc. v. Trump https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69842090/emily-ley-paper-inc-v-trump/ Show Links: https://www.lawandchaospod.com/ BlueSky: @LawAndChaosPod Threads: @LawAndChaosPod Twitter: @LawAndChaosPod  

Time to round up the latest in lawsuits against the Trump administration. The trans military ban is blocked. Renditioning Venezuelans to El Salvador without due process is blocked. The shutdown of the CFPB is blocked. The shutdown of the US Inst of Peace … not blocked. Yet! Liz and Andrew run down a bunch of the Trump cases and explain why it seems like every day brings another restraining order. (Hint: It’s because Trump wants to do lots of illegal stuff in a hurry.)   Links: Name & Shame https://www.lawandchaospod.com/p/name-and-shame   Shilling v. Trump Docket https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69617888/shilling-v-trump/   Jenner & Block v. DOJ Docket https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69807126/jenner-block-llp-v-us-department-of-justice/   WilmerHale v. Executive Office of the President  Docket https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69807328/wilmer-cutler-pickering-hale-and-dorr-llp-v-executive-office-of-the/   Georgetown students’ letter to Skadden https://bsky.app/profile/heidilifeldman.bsky.social/post/3llon26enmc2o   US v. Sanders (5th Cir. 2025) https://www.ca5.uscourts.gov/opinions/pub/15/15-31114-CR0.pdf   Eakin v. Adams County Board of Elections Docket https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/65738841/eakin-v-adams-county-board-of-elections/   J.G.G. v. Trump (D.D.C. - Judge Boasberg - Alien Enemies Act) docket https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69741724/jgg-v-trump/   Trump v. JGG (SCOTUS Docket) https://www.supremecourt.gov/search.aspx?filename=/docket/docketfiles/html/public/24a931.html   US Institute for Peace v. Jackson Docket https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69754533/united-states-institute-of-peace-v-jackson/    NTEU v. Vought (DDC docket) https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69624423/national-treasury-employees-union-v-vought/?   NTEU v. Vought (DC Cir Appeal) https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69821739/national-treasury-employees-union-v-russell-vought/ Show Links: https://www.lawandchaospod.com/ BlueSky: @LawAndChaosPod Threads: @LawAndChaosPod Twitter: @LawAndChaosPod  

Play stupid games, win stupid prizes. Trump hand-picked his national security team to troll the libs, and boy did he get us good. From Pete Hegseth to Tulsi Gabbard to John Ratcliffe, each pick seemed more incompetent than the last. But are they also criminals? We break down all the criminal, civil, and record-keeping issues in Signalgate. Also: we’ve got good news from the D.C. Circuit as a conservative panel declines to hand Trump the unreviewable power to deport anyone, anywhere under the Alien Enemies Act of 1798. Things are… maybe looking up?   Links: J.G.G. v. Trump (D.D.C. - Judge Boasberg - Alien Enemies Act) docket https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69741724/jgg-v-trump/   J.G.G. v. Trump (DC Circuit) docket https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69742127/jgg-v-donald-trump/   American Oversight v. Hegseth (D.D.C. - Judge Boasberg - Signalgate) docket https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69788832/american-oversight-v-hegseth/   Shilling v. Trump (W.D. Wash - trans military ban) docket https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69617888/shilling-v-trump/ Show Links: https://www.lawandchaospod.com/ BlueSky: @LawAndChaosPod Threads: @LawAndChaosPod Twitter: @LawAndChaosPod  

It’s another week in paradise with the Trump administration trying to burn down the government. First we’ll talk about the attack on law firms and judges, then we’ve got a breakdown of the newest executive order on immigration silos. You know when they try to hide crazy sh*t under the most boring, generic label ever. It’s that! Plus subscribers get a visit with Dinesh D’Souza. Links: Perkins Coie v. DOJ docket https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69725919/perkins-coie-llp-v-us-department-of-justice JGG v. Trump (DC) docket (removal under the Alien Enemies Act) https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69741724/jgg-v-trump Does 1-26 v. Musk [Docket] https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.mdd.576293 The Trump Administration Accidentally Texted Me Its War Plans https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2025/03/trump-administration-accidentally-texted-me-its-war-plans/682151/ Presidential Proclamation on information silos https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/03/stopping-waste-fraud-and-abuse-by-eliminating-information-silos/ “Fact Sheet” https://www.whitehouse.gov/fact-sheets/2025/03/fact-sheet-president-donald-j-trump-eliminates-information-silos-to-stop-waste-fraud-and-abuse-60f3/ OMB Data on Improper Payments https://bidenwhitehouse.archives.gov/omb/briefing-room/2024/11/27/omb-releases-annual-data-showing-lowest-government-wide-improper-payment-rate-since-2014/ https://www.paymentaccuracy.gov/payment-accuracy-the-numbers/ GAO Report on Improper Payments https://www.gao.gov/assets/d24106927.pdf PIIA  https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/31/subtitle-III/chapter-33/subchapter-IV Show Links: https://www.lawandchaospod.com/ BlueSky: @LawAndChaosPod Threads: @LawAndChaosPod Twitter: @LawAndChaosPod

Musk’s fash-coders take out the US Institute for Peace. Mahmoud Khalil’s case gets transferred to New Jersey. And the DOJ is daring the court to find it in contempt in the case of the kidnapped Venezuelans. Plus, we have the second half of our interview with immigration expert Aaron Reichlin-Melnick.   Links: JGG v. Trump (DC) docket (removal under the Alien Enemies Act) https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69741724/jgg-v-trump   US Institute for Peace v. Jackson (docket) https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69754533/united-states-institute-of-peace-v-jackson/   Khalil v. Joyce (docket) https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69719040/khalil-v-joyce/   Show Links: https://www.lawandchaospod.com/ BlueSky: @LawAndChaosPod Threads: @LawAndChaosPod Twitter: @LawAndChaosPod