Balls & Strikes
@ballsandstrikes.org
A nonprofit media outlet for progressive, bullshit-free commentary about courts, judges, and the legal system they uphold. Run by @jaywillis.net.
Let's take a look at Trump's first year of his second-term judicial nominations to see how bad things are getting
How Trump Is Making the Federal Judiciary Younger, Whiter, and More Republican
Trump’s first year of second-term judicial nominations could have been worse. It is still very bad.
ballsandstrikes.org
December 19, 2025 at 8:12 PM
Let's take a look at Trump's first year of his second-term judicial nominations to see how bad things are getting
Just a Trump appeals court judge doing his best to get the White House to notice him one more time
Amul Thapar Desperately Wants to Be a Trump Supreme Court Justice
The Sixth Circuit judge's latest legal theory is ahistorical and nonsensical. It also aligns perfectly with Trump's anti-immigrant agenda.
ballsandstrikes.org
December 19, 2025 at 3:07 PM
Just a Trump appeals court judge doing his best to get the White House to notice him one more time
Somehow, racism is getting even more legal
How the Trump Administration Is Quietly Resegregating the American Workforce
The Justice Department’s rollback of disparate impact is just one new policy that makes it harder for people of color to challenge illegal discrimination.
ballsandstrikes.org
December 19, 2025 at 12:45 PM
Somehow, racism is getting even more legal
Would someone who loves and cares about Amul Thapar please let him know that this is getting embarrassing
Amul Thapar Desperately Wants to Be a Trump Supreme Court Justice
The Sixth Circuit judge's latest legal theory is ahistorical and nonsensical. It also aligns perfectly with Trump's anti-immigrant agenda.
ballsandstrikes.org
December 18, 2025 at 11:49 PM
Would someone who loves and cares about Amul Thapar please let him know that this is getting embarrassing
"'Don't sue, vote' is the sort of advice that sounds reasonable only if you are a handsomely compensated opinion writer who has never spent a moment worrying about whether you can get a doctor’s appointment, and, at least until Bezos replaces you with an AI simulacrum of yourself, you never will."
The Washington Post Editorial Board Is Spectacularly Awful at Legal Analysis
Since Bezos overhauled the board earlier this year, it has been very good at cranking out billionaire-friendly propaganda. It is quite bad at everything else.
ballsandstrikes.org
December 18, 2025 at 7:26 PM
"'Don't sue, vote' is the sort of advice that sounds reasonable only if you are a handsomely compensated opinion writer who has never spent a moment worrying about whether you can get a doctor’s appointment, and, at least until Bezos replaces you with an AI simulacrum of yourself, you never will."
"The Trump administration’s policies work in tandem. It is harder for people of color to enter the workforce. It is harder for them to remain in the workforce. And if they are victimized by illegal discrimination, it is harder for them to do anything about it."
How the Trump Administration Is Quietly Resegregating the American Workforce
The Justice Department’s rollback of disparate impact is just one new policy that makes it harder for people of color to challenge illegal discrimination.
ballsandstrikes.org
December 18, 2025 at 5:12 PM
"The Trump administration’s policies work in tandem. It is harder for people of color to enter the workforce. It is harder for them to remain in the workforce. And if they are victimized by illegal discrimination, it is harder for them to do anything about it."
"Even though the court makes decisions about liberty, counsel is not provided at government expense, as it is in the criminal system. Every year, tens of thousands of children are put through immigration court, and roughly half of them do not have lawyers."
Immigration Court Is a Sham
From the “judges” deciding cases to the “rules” of evidence, every aspect of immigration court is stacked against the people caught up in it.
ballsandstrikes.org
December 18, 2025 at 4:09 PM
"Even though the court makes decisions about liberty, counsel is not provided at government expense, as it is in the criminal system. Every year, tens of thousands of children are put through immigration court, and roughly half of them do not have lawyers."
Sorry if this is "controversial" but we are not sure dudes like this should be federal judges
Trump Judicial Nominee Has Some Complicated Thoughts About Disabled People Getting Married
This is probably not how Justin Olson hoped his Senate Judiciary Committee hearing would go.
ballsandstrikes.org
December 17, 2025 at 10:54 PM
Sorry if this is "controversial" but we are not sure dudes like this should be federal judges
For the Trump administration, the presence of Black people in the workforce is a problem that needs to be fixed
How the Trump Administration Is Quietly Resegregating the American Workforce
The Justice Department’s rollback of disparate impact is just one new policy that makes it harder for people of color to challenge illegal discrimination.
ballsandstrikes.org
December 17, 2025 at 7:26 PM
For the Trump administration, the presence of Black people in the workforce is a problem that needs to be fixed
Part of the reason Republican lawmakers are so brazenly gerrymandering their states is that they know the Republican justices will have their backs.
How the Supreme Court Warps This “Bedrock Principle” of Election Law to Help Republicans Win
Republican lawmakers are brazenly gerrymandering their states because they know the Republican justices will have their backs
ballsandstrikes.org
December 17, 2025 at 3:05 PM
Part of the reason Republican lawmakers are so brazenly gerrymandering their states is that they know the Republican justices will have their backs.
Immigration "court" is legal theater designed to disguse egregious injustices
Immigration Court Is a Sham
From the “judges” deciding cases to the “rules” of evidence, every aspect of immigration court is stacked against the people caught up in it.
ballsandstrikes.org
December 17, 2025 at 12:45 PM
Immigration "court" is legal theater designed to disguse egregious injustices
Since owner Jeff Bezos overhauled the Post's editorial board earlier this year, it has been very good at cranking out billionaire-friendly propaganda. It is quite bad at everything else.
The Washington Post Editorial Board Is Spectacularly Awful at Legal Analysis
Since Bezos overhauled the board earlier this year, it has been very good at cranking out billionaire-friendly propaganda. It is quite bad at everything else.
ballsandstrikes.org
December 16, 2025 at 9:38 PM
Since owner Jeff Bezos overhauled the Post's editorial board earlier this year, it has been very good at cranking out billionaire-friendly propaganda. It is quite bad at everything else.
Republican lawmakers can gerrymander because Republican Supreme Court justices created the rules that allow it
How the Supreme Court Warps This “Bedrock Principle” of Election Law to Help Republicans Win
Republican lawmakers are brazenly gerrymandering their states because they know the Republican justices will have their backs
ballsandstrikes.org
December 16, 2025 at 7:26 PM
Republican lawmakers can gerrymander because Republican Supreme Court justices created the rules that allow it
Immigration "court" is an embarrassing sham
Immigration Court Is a Sham
From the “judges” deciding cases to the “rules” of evidence, every aspect of immigration court is stacked against the people caught up in it.
ballsandstrikes.org
December 16, 2025 at 5:12 PM
Immigration "court" is an embarrassing sham
The Washington Post's editorial board is publishing stupid blogs faster than we can cover them
There Is Too Much Bad Legal Journalism Getting Published For Me to Cover All of It
When an editorial board unironically uses the word “woke” in a headline, you are going to encounter some very bad writing in the paragraphs that follow.
ballsandstrikes.substack.com
December 16, 2025 at 3:05 PM
The Washington Post's editorial board is publishing stupid blogs faster than we can cover them
This Trump judge simply delighted in hearing Trump's racist stand-up act
Emil Bove Will Always Be a Trump Rallygoer First
Trump demands loyalty from his judicial nominees. As Emil Bove demonstrated on Tuesday, his nominees are very comfortable with displaying that loyalty in public.
ballsandstrikes.org
December 16, 2025 at 12:45 PM
This Trump judge simply delighted in hearing Trump's racist stand-up act
We are so tired
There Is Too Much Bad Legal Journalism Getting Published For Me to Cover All of It
When an editorial board unironically uses the word “woke” in a headline, you are going to encounter some very bad writing in the paragraphs that follow.
ballsandstrikes.substack.com
December 15, 2025 at 11:49 PM
We are so tired
What's a few disappearing "constitutional rights" among Republican allies?
Alabama Is Asking the Supreme Court For Some Leeway On “Cruel and Unusual Punishment”
In 2002, the Court decided that the Constitution does not allow executions of intellectually disabled people. But states are testing that holding’s limits.
ballsandstrikes.org
December 15, 2025 at 9:38 PM
What's a few disappearing "constitutional rights" among Republican allies?
The most important factor in the Supreme Court's decisions about election rules is "what outcome will help the Republican candidate(s) the most"
How the Supreme Court Warps This “Bedrock Principle” of Election Law to Help Republicans Win
Republican lawmakers are brazenly gerrymandering their states because they know the Republican justices will have their backs
ballsandstrikes.org
December 15, 2025 at 7:26 PM
The most important factor in the Supreme Court's decisions about election rules is "what outcome will help the Republican candidate(s) the most"
Bezos's gremlins at the Washington Post think you are stupid
The Washington Post Editorial Board Is Spectacularly Awful at Legal Analysis
Since Bezos overhauled the board earlier this year, it has been very good at cranking out billionaire-friendly propaganda. It is quite bad at everything else.
ballsandstrikes.org
December 15, 2025 at 5:12 PM
Bezos's gremlins at the Washington Post think you are stupid
States are asking the Supreme Court for permission to set aside the Constitution in order to execute more people
Alabama Is Asking the Supreme Court For Some Leeway On “Cruel and Unusual Punishment”
In 2002, the Court decided that the Constitution does not allow executions of intellectually disabled people. But states are testing that holding’s limits.
ballsandstrikes.org
December 12, 2025 at 12:45 PM
States are asking the Supreme Court for permission to set aside the Constitution in order to execute more people
The Trump Rally Judge
Emil Bove Will Always Be a Trump Rallygoer First
Trump demands loyalty from his judicial nominees. As Emil Bove demonstrated on Tuesday, his nominees are very comfortable with displaying that loyalty in public.
ballsandstrikes.org
December 11, 2025 at 11:49 PM
The Trump Rally Judge
The Constitution prohibits executions of intellectually disabled people. Now, Alabama is asking the Supreme Court a simple question: What if it didn't?
Alabama Is Asking the Supreme Court For Some Leeway On “Cruel and Unusual Punishment”
In 2002, the Court decided that the Constitution does not allow executions of intellectually disabled people. But states are testing that holding’s limits.
ballsandstrikes.org
December 11, 2025 at 9:38 PM
The Constitution prohibits executions of intellectually disabled people. Now, Alabama is asking the Supreme Court a simple question: What if it didn't?
Trump's political allies are openly promising donors that the Supreme Court is about to make their lives easier
Republicans Are Counting On the Supreme Court to Help Them Buy Elections
The GOP’s strategy for winning political power isn’t persuading voters. It’s controlling the Court.
ballsandstrikes.org
December 11, 2025 at 12:45 PM
Trump's political allies are openly promising donors that the Supreme Court is about to make their lives easier
Immigrants in ICE detention can be denied bond based on something as dubious as the unverified "gang" allegations made by an anonymous cop
How ICE Uses Racist, Nonsensical “Gang Databases” to Keep Immigrants In Jail
An anonymous cop’s allegation that a person was wearing the wrong color shoes can be enough to keep them in detention.
ballsandstrikes.org
December 10, 2025 at 7:26 PM
Immigrants in ICE detention can be denied bond based on something as dubious as the unverified "gang" allegations made by an anonymous cop