Office of Legal Counsel (OLC)

Drilling into the foundations of an idea - the 'plain statement rule' - discussed in Supreme Court oral argument on former President Trump's claims to presidential immunity.

A critical assessment of how the Department of Defense Law of War Manual narrowly defines "protected persons" under the Geneva Conventions.

Congress can impose consequences for presidents abusing the pardon power by increasing oversight and imposing transparency requirements.

The disclosure of the titles means that journalists, researchers, and others can now request the Office of Legal Counsel opinions themselves, opening important new avenues for…

Analysis of DOJ Office of Legal Counsel's May 19, 2023 release of a new index of unclassified OLC opinions written between 1998 and 2019.

OLC determined the U.S. may not provide funds to the ICC, but may engage in diplomatic activity related to the ICC and provide assistance.

The Gonzales declination appears to be a precedent that will weigh heavily in favor of DOJ closing its Biden investigation without a charge.

"The risk: An erroneous ruling by the Court would do severe damage to the Georgia and Ukraine investigations and international humanitarian law more generally. The opportunity:…

The legal opinions' fundamental error: distorting accepted legal framework to fit inapposite facts. Still on the book, the opinions remain a loaded weapon for another president…

Unpacking the Office of Legal Counsel's opinion, how it lines up with past administrations, what it means for future congressional oversight.

The Knight Institute is publishing 14 indexes cataloging the titles of more than a thousand unclassified opinions authored by the OLC between 1945 and 1958.

Professionals -- psychologists, physicians, lawyers -- played key parts in enabling post-9/11 torture programs. Yet professionalism can also constrain state power. Gregg Bloche…