Adam Liptak is away. He’ll return next week. In the meantime, here’s the latest legal news from around the country.
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A federal judge in Massachusetts dealt the Trump administration its latest loss in district court when he ruled that a $100,000 fee the administration has sought to impose on employers seeking visas for skilled foreign workers amounts to an unlawful tax and must be voided. The administration said it would appeal.
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In a separate legal loss for President Trump, a federal judge in Rhode Island struck down a series of measures the administration has used to make it harder for legal immigrants to stay in the country. Immigration advocates worried the victory could be short-lived and the administration would likely appeal.
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A private reprimand delivered to a federal judge whose in-chambers affair was reported by her clerks has put a spotlight on the difficulty of holding judges with lifetime appointments accountable.
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The New York Times took a look at how Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche’s reputation inside the Justice Department has changed since Trump took office. Once seen as a possible force for normalcy, Blanche now seems all in on the Trump agenda.
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Speaking of Blanche, Trump on Monday nominated his former personal lawyer as attorney general, setting up a potentially contentious confirmation battle.
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Employees at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts were told to start “immediately” removing Trump’s name from the institution’s official forms and other documents, days after a judge ruled that Trump’s name had been affixed to the institution illegally.
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A federal judge blocked Alabama from using nitrogen gas in an execution, as judges continue to review state efforts to move forward with executions even as drugs used for lethal injections have become more difficult to obtain.
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The Supreme Court will be releasing about 20 decisions in argued cases over the next few weeks, including major ones on birthright citizenship and presidential power. This handy tracker will help you stay up to speed.
Adam is always eager to hear your comments and questions. Reach him at the-docket@nytimes.com.
