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.

× Clear Filters
2,863 Articles
Police officers and medical team members gather at a cemetery in Rawalpindi, Pakistan, on July 28, 2025, as they begin the exhumation of a girl's grave. Authorities order the exhumation to conduct a post-mortem examination and establish the cause of death following allegations that the girl was killed under orders from a jirga, an informal tribal court. Suspects are brought to the site for identification as part of the investigation. The incident has sparked public outcry and renewed scrutiny over the role of illegal jirgas, which continue to operate outside the formal legal system in parts of Pakistan. Human rights activists condemn the extrajudicial process and call for legal reforms and stronger protections for women. The case underscores the ongoing challenges of enforcing state law in rural and semi-urban areas where customary practices still hold sway. (Photo by RAJA IMRAN/Middle East Images/AFP via Getty Images)

When Law Fails Women: Jirgas, Gender Violence, and the Collapse of International Accountability

When women are walked to their deaths with the world watching, international law must offer more than words. It must deliver protection with power.
Visualization of cybersecurity

Unlocking Justice: A Policy Roadmap for Victims of Spyware

To introduce accountability for cyberattacks, Congress should make it clear that U.S. courts are the right venue for spyware cases.
People demonstrate with CASA outside the Supreme Court of the United States on Thursday May 15, 2025. (Photo by Matt McClain/The Washington Post via Getty Images)

The APA Authorizes “Universal” Stays of Agency Action Under 5 U.S.C. § 705

For litigants seeking to move quickly against unlawful executive action, Section 705 of the Administrative Procedure Act should be a powerful tool.
National Labor Relations Board (via Wikimedia Commons).

Embracing the Purely Adjudicatory Administrative Agency: The Case for a Labor Court

The recent decision in SpaceX v. NLRB, finding the Board’s structure unconstitutional, heightens the urgency for those litigating like cases to reconsider their approach.
A scale representing digital justice

Discovery in U.S. Spyware Litigation: A Double-Edged Sword?

Despite its inherent risks, civil society and policymakers can learn how to benefit from the discovery process in spyware cases.
The U.S. Supreme Court building stands in Washington, D.C., U.S.

Taking Stock of the Birthright Citizenship Cases, Part II: Making Sense of the Three Established Exceptions

Analysis of the aftermath of Trump v CASA and the pending litigation about the Trump executive order on birthright citizenship.
A retro computer encircled by CCTV cameras

Legal Frameworks for Addressing Spyware Harms

Introducing a new series on accountability for spyware harms convened by the Atlantic Council in partnership with Just Security.

Dissecting the Litigation: Where Trump Administration Actions Face Early Roadblocks or Traction

A snapshot of where litigation stands and how courts are ruling on challenges to the Trump administration's executive actions.
A sculpture is pictured at the entrance of the Brazilian Supreme Court building where the courtrooms are located in Brasilia on May 19, 2025. (Photo by EVARISTO SA/AFP via Getty Images)

Brazil’s Digital Sovereignty Is Under Attack: How Courts, Platforms, and Constitutional Law Are Redefining Democracy Online

At the heart of Brazil’s approach to digital constitutionalism is a legal framework that treats platform governance as essential to democracy.
Prisoners sit at maximum security penitentiary CECOT (Center for the Compulsory Housing of Terrorism) on April 4, 2025 in Tecoluca, San Vicente, El Salvador. (Photo by Alex Peña/Getty Images)

In Congress, a Welcome, and Well-Executed, Next Step to Stop Trump’s Transfers to Torture

Six new bills demanding that the executive branch provide basic information about deportations from U.S. shores should pass unanimously.

New and Improved Litigation Tracker: Legal Challenges to Trump Administration Actions

Announcing the increased functionality of the Litigation Tracker, which monitors all lawsuits against Trump administration executive actions.
Judge gavel on the laptop.

The Freedom of Information Act and Deteriorating Federal Transparency Infrastructure

Weakening FOIA does not merely impair public knowledge — it also reduces the likelihood that abuses will be detected and deterred.
1-12 of 2,863 items

DON'T MISS A THING. Stay up to date with Just Security curated newsletters: