Courts & Litigation
Just Security’s expert authors offer analysis and informational resources on key litigation impacting national security, rights, democracy, and the rule of law. Our content spans domestic and international litigation, from cases at the International Court of Justice, the International Criminal Court, and other international and regional tribunals, to those in U.S. courts involving executive branch actions, transnational litigation, and more.
2,856 Articles

Trump Definition of “Family” Is in Contempt of Supreme Court Travel Ban Ruling
On Monday, the Supreme Court held that the administration must not enforce its Travel Ban Executive Order against foreign nationals who have “a credible claim” of a “close…

A Test Case for Guantánamo’s New Convening Authority
The latest Guantánamo military commission case to make headlines—the new charges against Encep Nurjamen (a.k.a. Hambali)—is shrouded in an unusual amount of secrecy. But when…

Unlocking the Mysteries of the Supreme Court’s Entry Ban Decision
Many close observers of the Court are still scratching their heads, trying to figure out just exactly what the Court did yesterday in Trump v. IRAP–and why. With the luxury…

Saif Gaddafi’s Release and the Challenge for International Criminal Justice
Six years after his capture during the Arab Spring uprising against his father Muammar Gaddafi, and despite pending charges in the International Criminal Court, Saif al Islam Gaddafi…

Did the Supreme Court Tip Its Hand on How It Will Rule on the Travel Ban?
Today, the Supreme Court partially stayed and partially upheld the lower court injunctions in the travel ban litigation. The way in which the Court split the baby is perhaps the…

It’s All About that Stay (and Its Surprising Limits)
Preliminary thoughts (reserving the right to add more as the day goes on!): The Court nominally granted certiorari in the two “travel ban” cases today, but for reasons…

Cross-Border Access to Data: Google’s Senior VP Weighs In
This morning, Kent Walker, Senior Vice-President and General Counsel of Google, gave a speech to a packed audience at the Heritage Foundation, laying out the need for new laws…

Donald Trump’s Say-So is Not a Presidential “National Security Judgment”
The government just filed its final pleading before the Justices’ consideration of the entry-ban cases tomorrow. This follows final briefs that the IRAP and Hawaii plaintiffs…

About that Executive Privilege “Policy”: Congress Should Call the Bluff
During last week’s hearing of the Senate intelligence committee, Attorney General Jeff Sessions generated withering criticism by repeatedly refusing to answer Senators’ questions…

Norms Watch: Democracy, the Trump Administration, and Reactions to It (June 9-June 16)
Editor’s Note: Welcome to the latest installment of Norms Watch, our series tracking both the flouting of democratic norms by the Trump administration and the erosion of…

How the President’s “Clarifying” Memorandum Destroys the Case for the Entry Ban
[Cross-posted on the Take Care blog.] The government’s argument for suspending all entry into the United States of non-citizens from seven (now six) Muslim-majority countries…

The President Resuscitates the Entry Ban: Where Should the Court Go From Here?
Section 2(c) of Executive Order 13780, suspending entry into the United States of all nationals of Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen, died of natural causes at 12:01…