Federal Courts (US)

• In U.S. Attorney Standoff, Judge Denounces ‘Charade’ by Lindsey Halligan - Federal judges are seeking candidates to fill the top federal prosecutor job in eastern Virginia after a court ruled that President Trump’s handpicked choice was unlawfully appointed to the job.
• The Judge in the Maduro Case Is 92. All Eyes Will Be on His Stamina. - Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein was seen drifting in and out of sleep in court last year. The case of Nicolás Maduro, the Venezuelan leader, will test his endurance.
• Trump’s ‘Superstar’ Appellate Judges Have Voted 133 to 12 in His Favor - President Trump promised to fill the appeals courts with “my judges.” They have formed a nearly united phalanx to defend his agenda from legal challenges.
• Maduro and His Wife to Be Arraigned in Manhattan Federal Court - Nicolás Maduro, Venezuela’s president, and his wife, Cilia Flores, will make their first appearance on Monday in a New York City courthouse, the site of other high-profile proceedings.
• Justice Dept. Leaders Pushed to Charge Abrego Garcia, Emails Show - The release of the emails raised serious questions about whether the Justice Department had misled a judge in telling him that local prosecutors had acted alone in charging Mr. Abrego Garcia.
• Judge Tells U.S. to Help Bring Back Deported Venezuelans or Allow Legal Challenges - The judge said the administration had to decide by Jan. 5 whether it wanted to “facilitate” the men’s return to the United States or let them contest their initial removals in the federal courts.
• ICE Must Allow Lawmakers to Inspect Detention Centers, Judge Rules - Judge Jia M. Cobb wrote that two policies announced in June appeared to unlawfully bar members of Congress from making unannounced visits at immigration detention facilities.
• Appeals Court Allows National Guard to Remain in D.C., for Now - A three-judge panel voted unanimously to allow troops to stay in the capital for the duration of the appeal, citing the city’s unique legal status.
• Trump’s Cuts Hobbled US Labor Board, Leaving Festering Disputes and a Power Struggle - Advocates fear damage to labor protections if the Supreme Court upholds the president’s move to control federal agency staffing.
• Appeals Court Says Trump Must End Los Angeles Deployment by Monday - While the decision did not remove the National Guard troops from the president’s control, it blocked him from using them in the nation’s second-largest city.