Jacqueline Thomsen
@jacqthomsen.bsky.social
Legal reporter, sometimes not. jthomsen@bloombergindustry.com
Hi from the Federalist Society’s national convention, which is kicking off here in DC. Each seat in the ballroom has a commemorative coin of a significant Supreme Court ruling, I’ve found 4 of the 5 so far
November 6, 2025 at 2:19 PM
Hi from the Federalist Society’s national convention, which is kicking off here in DC. Each seat in the ballroom has a commemorative coin of a significant Supreme Court ruling, I’ve found 4 of the 5 so far
News: The Texas senators have sent recommended picks for federal judgeships to the White House. Among the new names: Erin Nealy Cox is up for a seat in Dallas, local judge Chris Wolfe is tapped for Waco, fed prosecutor Rob Jones for McAllen news.bloomberglaw.com/us-law-week/...
Texas Senators’ Picks for Federal Judgeships Sent to White House
A Kirkland & Ellis partner and a former chief counsel to Sen. Ted Cruz (R) are among recommended judicial nominees Texas’ two Republican senators have sent to the White House, according to multiple pe...
news.bloomberglaw.com
October 29, 2025 at 7:13 PM
News: The Texas senators have sent recommended picks for federal judgeships to the White House. Among the new names: Erin Nealy Cox is up for a seat in Dallas, local judge Chris Wolfe is tapped for Waco, fed prosecutor Rob Jones for McAllen news.bloomberglaw.com/us-law-week/...
I was at Judge Bove and Mascott's debut argument this morning, where they sat on opposite ends of the dais. Bove didn't ask any questions but Mascott dove right in and pressed lawyers about conducting a history and tradition analysis over New Jersey gun/magazine restrictions.
A more conservative Third Circuit will debut at en banc arguments, as two new appointees of President Donald Trump are expected to hear their first case, @jacqthomsen.bsky.social reports
news.bloomberglaw.com/us-law-week/...
news.bloomberglaw.com/us-law-week/...
Trump Appointees’ Debut Marks Third Circuit’s Conservative Tilt
A more conservative Third Circuit will debut at en banc arguments, as two new appointees of President Donald Trump are expected to hear their first case.
news.bloomberglaw.com
October 15, 2025 at 4:04 PM
I was at Judge Bove and Mascott's debut argument this morning, where they sat on opposite ends of the dais. Bove didn't ask any questions but Mascott dove right in and pressed lawyers about conducting a history and tradition analysis over New Jersey gun/magazine restrictions.
Reposted by Jacqueline Thomsen
Reagan appointed judges are emerging as vocal critics of the Trump administration’s efforts to circumvent court orders or challenge the law in unprecedented ways, @jacqthomsen.bsky.social and Brian Dowling report
news.bloomberglaw.com/us-law-week/...
news.bloomberglaw.com/us-law-week/...
Reagan Judges Are Unrestrained Critics of Trump’s Legal Moves
Judges appointed by President Ronald Reagan are emerging as vocal critics of the Trump administration’s efforts to circumvent court orders or challenge the law in unprecedented ways, backed by decades...
news.bloomberglaw.com
October 14, 2025 at 4:01 PM
Reagan appointed judges are emerging as vocal critics of the Trump administration’s efforts to circumvent court orders or challenge the law in unprecedented ways, @jacqthomsen.bsky.social and Brian Dowling report
news.bloomberglaw.com/us-law-week/...
news.bloomberglaw.com/us-law-week/...
Reposted by Jacqueline Thomsen
A federal judge’s sentence of just over eight years for the would-be killer of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh is teed up to be scrutinized by a federal appeals court as critics contend the punishment was too light, @jacqthomsen.bsky.social reports
news.bloomberglaw.com/us-law-week/...
news.bloomberglaw.com/us-law-week/...
Judge Faces Backlash in Sentence of Would-Be Kavanaugh Assassin
A federal judge’s sentence of just over eight years for the would-be killer of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh is teed up to be scrutinized by a federal appeals court as critics contend the puni...
news.bloomberglaw.com
October 10, 2025 at 1:22 PM
A federal judge’s sentence of just over eight years for the would-be killer of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh is teed up to be scrutinized by a federal appeals court as critics contend the punishment was too light, @jacqthomsen.bsky.social reports
news.bloomberglaw.com/us-law-week/...
news.bloomberglaw.com/us-law-week/...
Reposted by Jacqueline Thomsen
The Supreme Court’s repeated grants of emergency relief to the Trump administration is creating fissures in the judiciary, while empowering the president to fight any lower court judge’s intervention, @jacqthomsen.bsky.social and @justinfwise.bsky.social report
news.bloomberglaw.com/us-law-week/...
news.bloomberglaw.com/us-law-week/...
Supreme Court Emergency Orders For Trump Sow Cracks in Judiciary
The Supreme Court’s repeated grants of emergency relief to the Trump administration is creating fissures in the judiciary, while empowering the president to fight any lower court judge’s intervention.
news.bloomberglaw.com
September 10, 2025 at 6:06 PM
The Supreme Court’s repeated grants of emergency relief to the Trump administration is creating fissures in the judiciary, while empowering the president to fight any lower court judge’s intervention, @jacqthomsen.bsky.social and @justinfwise.bsky.social report
news.bloomberglaw.com/us-law-week/...
news.bloomberglaw.com/us-law-week/...
Reed O'Connor, a conservative who's handled major national cases, is the new chief judge for the Northern District of Texas. The court's faced scrutiny for judge shopping by conservative litigants and O'Connor has defended the court's assignment rules. news.bloomberglaw.com/us-law-week/...
Conservative Judge O’Connor is New Chief in North Texas
US District Judge Reed O’Connor, a conservative known for overseeing national policy cases, is now the chief judge for the Northern District of Texas, the court announced.
news.bloomberglaw.com
August 18, 2025 at 4:37 PM
Reed O'Connor, a conservative who's handled major national cases, is the new chief judge for the Northern District of Texas. The court's faced scrutiny for judge shopping by conservative litigants and O'Connor has defended the court's assignment rules. news.bloomberglaw.com/us-law-week/...
A Virginia federal judge is hearing arguments now in Baltimore on the Justice Department's suit against all fed judges in Maryland. "I think you’ve probably picked up on the fact that I have some skepticism," the presiding judge told a DOJ lawyer news.bloomberglaw.com/us-law-week/...
Judge Doubtful of Justice Department Case Against Maryland Court
A federal judge told a Justice Department attorney that he is skeptical of the department’s arguments in suing all federal district judges in Maryland over a standing order blocking immediate deportat...
news.bloomberglaw.com
August 13, 2025 at 3:08 PM
A Virginia federal judge is hearing arguments now in Baltimore on the Justice Department's suit against all fed judges in Maryland. "I think you’ve probably picked up on the fact that I have some skepticism," the presiding judge told a DOJ lawyer news.bloomberglaw.com/us-law-week/...
A foreign adversary targeted sealed documents in espionage and other sensitive cases in a breach of the federal judiciary’s case management system, according to three people familiar with the matter. news.bloomberglaw.com/us-law-week/...
Foreign Hackers Said to Access Sealed National Security Cases
A foreign adversary targeted sealed documents in espionage and other sensitive cases in a breach of the federal judiciary’s case management system, according to three people familiar with the matter.
news.bloomberglaw.com
August 12, 2025 at 10:52 PM
A foreign adversary targeted sealed documents in espionage and other sensitive cases in a breach of the federal judiciary’s case management system, according to three people familiar with the matter. news.bloomberglaw.com/us-law-week/...
Reposted by Jacqueline Thomsen
An entire news crew working for Al Jazeera was killed by Israel as they sought to bring the world firsthand reporting from #Gaza.
Among them was prominent journalist Anas Al-Sharif, who had been previously smeared and threatened by the IDF.
#NotATarget
Full statement: cpj.org/2025/08/isra...
Among them was prominent journalist Anas Al-Sharif, who had been previously smeared and threatened by the IDF.
#NotATarget
Full statement: cpj.org/2025/08/isra...
Israel kills Al Jazeera journalists in targeted Gaza City airstrike - Committee to Protect Journalists
New York, August 10, 2025—The Committee to Protect Journalists is appalled to learn of the killing today of Al Jazeera journalist Anas Al-Sharif, Mohammed Qreiqeh, camera operators Ibrahim Zaher and M...
cpj.org
August 11, 2025 at 1:27 AM
An entire news crew working for Al Jazeera was killed by Israel as they sought to bring the world firsthand reporting from #Gaza.
Among them was prominent journalist Anas Al-Sharif, who had been previously smeared and threatened by the IDF.
#NotATarget
Full statement: cpj.org/2025/08/isra...
Among them was prominent journalist Anas Al-Sharif, who had been previously smeared and threatened by the IDF.
#NotATarget
Full statement: cpj.org/2025/08/isra...
Reposted by Jacqueline Thomsen
News: AG Pam Bondi's order to dismiss charges against Utah plastic surgeon accused of selling fake Covid vaccine cards ran counter to an earlier decision from her weaponization working group. In April, the group rebuffed an appeal from doctor's lawyer: news.bloomberglaw.com/us-law-week/...
Bondi Overrode Weaponization Team in Dismissing Vaccine Case
Attorney General Pam Bondi’s abrupt order to drop charges against the Utah plastic surgeon accused of selling false Covid vaccination cards came months after Bondi’s weaponization working group cleare...
news.bloomberglaw.com
July 14, 2025 at 4:39 PM
News: AG Pam Bondi's order to dismiss charges against Utah plastic surgeon accused of selling fake Covid vaccine cards ran counter to an earlier decision from her weaponization working group. In April, the group rebuffed an appeal from doctor's lawyer: news.bloomberglaw.com/us-law-week/...
New: Star conservative lawyer Paul Clement has moved to defend Maryland's federal trial judges from a Justice Department lawsuit, the latest instance of him facing off with the Trump administration in court news.bloomberglaw.com/us-law-week/...
Paul Clement to Defend Maryland Judges From DOJ Lawsuit
US district judges in Maryland have hired top conservative litigator Paul Clement to defend them from a Justice Department lawsuit, according to court filings.
news.bloomberglaw.com
July 3, 2025 at 8:04 PM
New: Star conservative lawyer Paul Clement has moved to defend Maryland's federal trial judges from a Justice Department lawsuit, the latest instance of him facing off with the Trump administration in court news.bloomberglaw.com/us-law-week/...
Reposted by Jacqueline Thomsen
There have been more than 400 threats to federal judges since October, surpassing the number of threats to judges in all of fiscal 2022 with over three months still left in this fiscal year.
Hundreds of US Judges Received Over 400 Threats Since October
There have been more than 400 threats to federal judges since October, surpassing the number of threats to judges in all of fiscal 2022 with over three months still left in this fiscal year.
bit.ly
June 27, 2025 at 1:00 AM
There have been more than 400 threats to federal judges since October, surpassing the number of threats to judges in all of fiscal 2022 with over three months still left in this fiscal year.
News: Former Texas solicitor general Judd Stone resigned from the committee that vets candidates for federal judgeships and US attorney roles in Texas after a lawsuit this week accused him of sexual harassment. with Ryan Autullo for @bloomberglaw.com news.bloomberglaw.com/us-law-week/...
Judd Stone Departs Texas Judicial Vetting Panel After Lawsuit
Former Texas Solicitor General Judd Stone is off a committee of prominent lawyers charged with screening candidates for federal judgeships following a lawsuit that accuses him of sexual harassment, ac...
news.bloomberglaw.com
May 30, 2025 at 9:12 PM
News: Former Texas solicitor general Judd Stone resigned from the committee that vets candidates for federal judgeships and US attorney roles in Texas after a lawsuit this week accused him of sexual harassment. with Ryan Autullo for @bloomberglaw.com news.bloomberglaw.com/us-law-week/...
Another complaint rejected over federal judges not hiring clerks from Columbia -- but a circuit judge said there might an issue when judges "begin using their power as government officials to pressure private institutions to conform to the judges’ preferences" news.bloomberglaw.com/us-law-week/...
Chief Judge Questions Judicial Boycotts in Tossing Complaint
A federal appeals court chief judge dismissed a misconduct complaint against a district judge who will no longer hire law clerks from Columbia University, but said “widespread judicial boycotting” cou...
news.bloomberglaw.com
May 29, 2025 at 4:27 PM
Another complaint rejected over federal judges not hiring clerks from Columbia -- but a circuit judge said there might an issue when judges "begin using their power as government officials to pressure private institutions to conform to the judges’ preferences" news.bloomberglaw.com/us-law-week/...
New: Maryland's federal trial court adopted a standing order blocking the immediate removal of detained foreign citizens who file habeas petitions giving judges time to weigh those cases. It's the same court where Kilmar Abrego Garcia's case is being heard. news.bloomberglaw.com/us-law-week/...
Maryland Federal Court Halts Quick Removals of Detained Migrants
The Maryland federal district court adopted a new order that blocks the immediate removal of any detained foreign citizen who has filed a habeas petition.
news.bloomberglaw.com
May 22, 2025 at 3:59 PM
New: Maryland's federal trial court adopted a standing order blocking the immediate removal of detained foreign citizens who file habeas petitions giving judges time to weigh those cases. It's the same court where Kilmar Abrego Garcia's case is being heard. news.bloomberglaw.com/us-law-week/...
Scoop: A dozen people have interviewed to be federal judges in the Southern District of Texas. A former chief counsel for Cruz, state and magistrate judges, and current and ex-fed prosecutors are on the list, per sources familiar news.bloomberglaw.com/us-law-week/...
Dozen Candidates Interview for Southern Texas Federal Judgeships
A dozen attorneys and judges have interviewed for open seats in the Houston and McAllen, Texas federal district courts, according to two people familiar with the matter.
news.bloomberglaw.com
April 30, 2025 at 11:34 PM
Scoop: A dozen people have interviewed to be federal judges in the Southern District of Texas. A former chief counsel for Cruz, state and magistrate judges, and current and ex-fed prosecutors are on the list, per sources familiar news.bloomberglaw.com/us-law-week/...
Reposted by Jacqueline Thomsen
News: Lawyers are lining up for the open federal judgeships in Texas. Folks interviewed include a new SCOTX member, a former Cruz counsel, a Paxton whistleblower and current magistrate judges. news.bloomberglaw.com/us-law-week/...
Newest Texas High Court Member Seeks Austin Federal Judgeship
Justice James Sullivan, the newest member of the Supreme Court of Texas, has applied and interviewed to become a US district court judge in Austin, according to multiple people familiar with the matte...
news.bloomberglaw.com
April 30, 2025 at 12:19 AM
News: Lawyers are lining up for the open federal judgeships in Texas. Folks interviewed include a new SCOTX member, a former Cruz counsel, a Paxton whistleblower and current magistrate judges. news.bloomberglaw.com/us-law-week/...
News: Lawyers are lining up for the open federal judgeships in Texas. Folks interviewed include a new SCOTX member, a former Cruz counsel, a Paxton whistleblower and current magistrate judges. news.bloomberglaw.com/us-law-week/...
Newest Texas High Court Member Seeks Austin Federal Judgeship
Justice James Sullivan, the newest member of the Supreme Court of Texas, has applied and interviewed to become a US district court judge in Austin, according to multiple people familiar with the matte...
news.bloomberglaw.com
April 30, 2025 at 12:19 AM
News: Lawyers are lining up for the open federal judgeships in Texas. Folks interviewed include a new SCOTX member, a former Cruz counsel, a Paxton whistleblower and current magistrate judges. news.bloomberglaw.com/us-law-week/...
News: Judge Mark Pittman now wants attorneys to prove their lawsuits belong in his Fort Worth federal court if there's no obvious ties to the division. Comes after an appeals court twice rejected his order transferring a national lawsuit out of his court news.bloomberglaw.com/us-law-week/...
Texas Judge Pittman Wants Proof Lawsuits Belong in His Courtroom
A Texas federal judge is now asking parties to prove that their cases belong in his courtroom after a high-profile back-and-forth with the Fifth Circuit over whether a national lawsuit should be heard...
news.bloomberglaw.com
April 23, 2025 at 12:22 AM
News: Judge Mark Pittman now wants attorneys to prove their lawsuits belong in his Fort Worth federal court if there's no obvious ties to the division. Comes after an appeals court twice rejected his order transferring a national lawsuit out of his court news.bloomberglaw.com/us-law-week/...
Judge Lawrence VanDyke said his colleagues on the Ninth Circuit don't understand how guns work. His solution? An unusual video dissent, filmed in his chambers, in which he went over the parts of several handguns.
Judge VanDyke Displays Guns in Chambers in Unusual Video Dissent
Ninth Circuit Judge Lawrence VanDyke submitted a video of him going over the parts of several hanguns in his chambers, as part of his dissent over a California gun law.
news.bloomberglaw.com
March 20, 2025 at 8:14 PM
Judge Lawrence VanDyke said his colleagues on the Ninth Circuit don't understand how guns work. His solution? An unusual video dissent, filmed in his chambers, in which he went over the parts of several handguns.
Fifth Circuit Judge Jim Ho said many of the US’s largest law firms are suffering from “institutional bias,” amid President Donald Trump’s attacks on firms that he views as enemies. news.bloomberglaw.com/us-law-week/...
Judge James Ho Targets 'Bias' at Law Firms Amid Trump Attacks
Fifth Circuit Judge James Ho said many of the US’s largest law firms are suffering from “institutional bias,” amid President Donald Trump’s attacks on firms that he views as enemies.
news.bloomberglaw.com
March 17, 2025 at 3:24 PM
Fifth Circuit Judge Jim Ho said many of the US’s largest law firms are suffering from “institutional bias,” amid President Donald Trump’s attacks on firms that he views as enemies. news.bloomberglaw.com/us-law-week/...
Reposted by Jacqueline Thomsen
Federal judges raised concerns about recent impeachment push against judges who've ruled against Trump.
Impeachment shouldn't be a "short circuiting" of normal appeals process, Judge Richard Sullivan told reporters. w/ @jacqthomsen.bsky.social news.bloomberglaw.com/us-law-week/...
Impeachment shouldn't be a "short circuiting" of normal appeals process, Judge Richard Sullivan told reporters. w/ @jacqthomsen.bsky.social news.bloomberglaw.com/us-law-week/...
US Judges Speak Out Against Republican Impeachment Push (1)
A federal judge overseeing judicial security issues said he’s concerned about recent articles of impeachment filed against judges who have ruled against the Trump administration’s early actions.
news.bloomberglaw.com
March 11, 2025 at 8:30 PM
Federal judges raised concerns about recent impeachment push against judges who've ruled against Trump.
Impeachment shouldn't be a "short circuiting" of normal appeals process, Judge Richard Sullivan told reporters. w/ @jacqthomsen.bsky.social news.bloomberglaw.com/us-law-week/...
Impeachment shouldn't be a "short circuiting" of normal appeals process, Judge Richard Sullivan told reporters. w/ @jacqthomsen.bsky.social news.bloomberglaw.com/us-law-week/...
Reposted by Jacqueline Thomsen
Scoop w/ @justinfwise.bsky.social: Trump's DOJ plans to dismiss a Biden-era civil suit over sexual abuse of migrant children.
“The United States is turning its back on children who are being abused in our country,” said a former civil rights division official. news.bloomberglaw.com/us-law-week/...
“The United States is turning its back on children who are being abused in our country,” said a former civil rights division official. news.bloomberglaw.com/us-law-week/...
US Said to Drop Sex Abuse Lawsuit Against Migrant Child Shelter
The Justice Department plans to drop a Biden-era lawsuit alleging sexual abuse by employees of a company that houses thousands of unaccompanied migrant children and has received billions of dollars in...
news.bloomberglaw.com
March 9, 2025 at 5:03 PM
Scoop w/ @justinfwise.bsky.social: Trump's DOJ plans to dismiss a Biden-era civil suit over sexual abuse of migrant children.
“The United States is turning its back on children who are being abused in our country,” said a former civil rights division official. news.bloomberglaw.com/us-law-week/...
“The United States is turning its back on children who are being abused in our country,” said a former civil rights division official. news.bloomberglaw.com/us-law-week/...
New: The federal judiciary is walking back ethics opinions that said law clerks shouldn't apply to political jobs during their clerkships, now saying it's up to individual judges. Courts say changes were made in response to feedback. news.bloomberglaw.com/us-law-week/...
Courts Soften Stance Against Law Clerks Seeking Political Work
The federal judiciary is walking back an ethics opinion that told judges to prevent their law clerks from seeking jobs with political groups while still working for the court, instead leaving that dec...
news.bloomberglaw.com
March 7, 2025 at 9:04 PM
New: The federal judiciary is walking back ethics opinions that said law clerks shouldn't apply to political jobs during their clerkships, now saying it's up to individual judges. Courts say changes were made in response to feedback. news.bloomberglaw.com/us-law-week/...