Payvand Ahdout
@payvandahdout.bsky.social
Associate Professor at UVA Law writing (mostly) about federal courts and constitutional law
Pinned
Payvand Ahdout
@payvandahdout.bsky.social
· Nov 22
Enforcement Lawmaking and Judicial Review
It is — and has long been — well known that the Executive’s power is expanding. To date, there are two dominant analyses of the judiciary’s role in that expansi
ssrn.com
Seems like a good time to re-up my Article on judicial review of uses of executive enforcement power ssrn.com/abstract=381...
Reposted by Payvand Ahdout
I am excited to host Alice Abrokwa today at the @umnlawschool.bsky.social Public Law Workshop. She will be speaking about her paper, “Anticipating Disability.” I am looking forward to the conversation!
November 10, 2025 at 4:54 PM
I am excited to host Alice Abrokwa today at the @umnlawschool.bsky.social Public Law Workshop. She will be speaking about her paper, “Anticipating Disability.” I am looking forward to the conversation!
Reposted by Payvand Ahdout
WATCH: Vice Dean Ashley Deeks discusses her new book, “The Double Black Box,” and developments at the intersection of artificial intelligence and national security. @nyulaw.bsky.social
Book Talk - The Double Black Box
YouTube video by NYU School of Law
youtu.be
October 28, 2025 at 1:19 PM
WATCH: Vice Dean Ashley Deeks discusses her new book, “The Double Black Box,” and developments at the intersection of artificial intelligence and national security. @nyulaw.bsky.social
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Learn more about the community and student life at #UVALaw. at.virginia.edu/2zasEVV
October 22, 2025 at 12:49 PM
Learn more about the community and student life at #UVALaw. at.virginia.edu/2zasEVV
Delighted to have General Feigenbaum @uvalaw.bsky.social next week!
New Jersey’s SG, Jeremy Feigenbaum, is a really impressive advocate
October 15, 2025 at 2:19 PM
Delighted to have General Feigenbaum @uvalaw.bsky.social next week!
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The First Circuit may offer the “best shot” for legal challenges against the Trump administration, says Prof. @payvandahdout.bsky.social. @legal.reuters.com
New England courts become a battleground for challenges to Trump
A federal judge in Boston had some pointed words for Donald Trump as he issued one of the dozens of decisions by courts in four New England states against the Republican president in challenges to the legality of his policies.
www.reuters.com
October 13, 2025 at 2:28 PM
The First Circuit may offer the “best shot” for legal challenges against the Trump administration, says Prof. @payvandahdout.bsky.social. @legal.reuters.com
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What does the “legal mid-transition” mean for clean energy? Prof. Alison Gocke explores the phenomenon in a new paper.
Professor Explores How Energy Law Is in Flux
In a new paper, University of Virginia School of Law professor Alison Gocke examines how legal frameworks are in flux amid the transition to clean energy.
www.law.virginia.edu
October 9, 2025 at 6:53 PM
What does the “legal mid-transition” mean for clean energy? Prof. Alison Gocke explores the phenomenon in a new paper.
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Call for Papers for 15th Annual Fed Courts Junior Scholars conference is now up: law.ku.edu/junior-facul.... Lots of advanced notice, hope you will consider submitting!
Will work on distributing this to various listservs and blogs, but please share if you are able.
Will work on distributing this to various listservs and blogs, but please share if you are able.
15th Annual Junior Faculty Federal Courts Workshop
April 24, 2026| KU School of Law
law.ku.edu
October 3, 2025 at 2:26 PM
Call for Papers for 15th Annual Fed Courts Junior Scholars conference is now up: law.ku.edu/junior-facul.... Lots of advanced notice, hope you will consider submitting!
Will work on distributing this to various listservs and blogs, but please share if you are able.
Will work on distributing this to various listservs and blogs, but please share if you are able.
Reposted by Payvand Ahdout
Our office is again hiring one or more attorneys for a one-year fellowship to work directly with the Illinois Solicitor General and her team, beginning in August/September 2026.
www.governmentjobs.com/careers/ilag...
www.governmentjobs.com/careers/ilag...
Job Opportunities | Office of the Illinois Attorney General
www.governmentjobs.com
October 1, 2025 at 1:44 PM
Our office is again hiring one or more attorneys for a one-year fellowship to work directly with the Illinois Solicitor General and her team, beginning in August/September 2026.
www.governmentjobs.com/careers/ilag...
www.governmentjobs.com/careers/ilag...
Reposted by Payvand Ahdout
New research from @daniellecitron.bsky.social @ariezra.bsky.social examines growing concerns around content moderators — people tasked with keeping social media free of explicit content. Their upcoming paper adds to mounting warnings about this challenging job www.techpolicy.press/is-trust-saf...
Is Trust & Safety Dead, or Just Evolving? | TechPolicy.Press
Tech Policy Press contributing editor Dean Jackson considers the conclusions of a new paper by Danielle Keats Citron and Ari Ezra Waldman.
www.techpolicy.press
September 29, 2025 at 1:36 PM
New research from @daniellecitron.bsky.social @ariezra.bsky.social examines growing concerns around content moderators — people tasked with keeping social media free of explicit content. Their upcoming paper adds to mounting warnings about this challenging job www.techpolicy.press/is-trust-saf...
This from my incomparable colleague, Caleb Nelson, on originalism and the unitary executive theory.
At NYU's Democracy Project (more on that later), Prof. Caleb Nelson has a feature essay arguing that originalism does not support the unitary executive branch theory. Caleb is one of the country's leading originalist scholars, frequently cited by the Court.
democracyproject.org/posts/must-a...
democracyproject.org/posts/must-a...
Special Feature: Must Administrative Officers Serve at the President’s Pleasure?
A broad range of views on democracy to help break the stalemate caused by partisan conflict.
democracyproject.org
September 29, 2025 at 6:39 PM
This from my incomparable colleague, Caleb Nelson, on originalism and the unitary executive theory.
Reposted by Payvand Ahdout
If you want some descriptive statistics of litigation in the federal courts, my co authored article providing them is out in JELS!
doi.org/10.1111/jels...
doi.org/10.1111/jels...
No Adjudication
Using the complete record of all federal civil docket sheets for cases filed in a two-year period, recently made available by the SCALES-OKN project, we find that most cases that enter the federal sy...
doi.org
September 16, 2025 at 1:27 PM
If you want some descriptive statistics of litigation in the federal courts, my co authored article providing them is out in JELS!
doi.org/10.1111/jels...
doi.org/10.1111/jels...
Reposted by Payvand Ahdout
Out today: The Fall of Affirmative Action, by Justin Driver www.amazon.com/Fall-Affirma...
September 16, 2025 at 12:46 PM
Out today: The Fall of Affirmative Action, by Justin Driver www.amazon.com/Fall-Affirma...
Reposted by Payvand Ahdout
The video from DeeksFest 2025 (the celebration of the wonderful Ashley Deeks's terrific recent book on national security AI) is up, with @daniellecitron.bsky.social hosting and comments from @martylederman.bsky.social @asaflubin.bsky.social and me. www.youtube.com/watch?v=exMW...
Inside ‘The Double Black Box’
YouTube video by University of Virginia School of Law
www.youtube.com
September 11, 2025 at 1:14 PM
The video from DeeksFest 2025 (the celebration of the wonderful Ashley Deeks's terrific recent book on national security AI) is up, with @daniellecitron.bsky.social hosting and comments from @martylederman.bsky.social @asaflubin.bsky.social and me. www.youtube.com/watch?v=exMW...
Reposted by Payvand Ahdout
WATCH: Scholars discuss Vice Dean Ashley Deeks’ new book, “The Double Black Box: National Security, Artificial Intelligence, and the Struggle for Democratic Accountability.”
Inside ‘The Double Black Box’
YouTube video by University of Virginia School of Law
youtu.be
September 10, 2025 at 3:35 PM
WATCH: Scholars discuss Vice Dean Ashley Deeks’ new book, “The Double Black Box: National Security, Artificial Intelligence, and the Struggle for Democratic Accountability.”
Reposted by Payvand Ahdout
For folks who are wondering just how long #SCOTUS has had the power to behave the way it’s behaving on emergency applications (mostly since 1925), and whether the Court’s recent behavior is meaningfully different from, say, prior to 2015 (it sure is), you might find my book at least somewhat useful:
The Shadow Docket
An instant New York Times bestseller: An acclaimed legal scholar’s “important” (New York Times) and “fascinating” (Economist) exposé of how the ...
www.basicbooks.com
September 10, 2025 at 12:22 PM
For folks who are wondering just how long #SCOTUS has had the power to behave the way it’s behaving on emergency applications (mostly since 1925), and whether the Court’s recent behavior is meaningfully different from, say, prior to 2015 (it sure is), you might find my book at least somewhat useful:
/1 Lower court judges interviewed for this article discuss their frustration with the Supreme Court's not having their back: www.nbcnews.com/politics/sup...
In rare interviews, federal judges criticize Supreme Court's handling of Trump cases
Ten judges tell NBC News the Supreme Court needs to explain its rulings better, with some urging Chief Justice John Roberts to do more to defend the judiciary against external criticism.
www.nbcnews.com
September 4, 2025 at 3:55 PM
/1 Lower court judges interviewed for this article discuss their frustration with the Supreme Court's not having their back: www.nbcnews.com/politics/sup...
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📢Call for papers for a Scholarship Roundtable on State and Local Governance, organized by @uwlawdemocracy.bsky.social and Professors Alexandra Klass, Nina Mendelson, and @chrisjwalker.bsky.social and taking place at @umichlaw.bsky.social, 4/10/26 in Ann Arbor!
Details here: go.wisc.edu/rx53ph
Details here: go.wisc.edu/rx53ph
September 3, 2025 at 5:39 PM
📢Call for papers for a Scholarship Roundtable on State and Local Governance, organized by @uwlawdemocracy.bsky.social and Professors Alexandra Klass, Nina Mendelson, and @chrisjwalker.bsky.social and taking place at @umichlaw.bsky.social, 4/10/26 in Ann Arbor!
Details here: go.wisc.edu/rx53ph
Details here: go.wisc.edu/rx53ph
Reposted by Payvand Ahdout
Will Baude is always rewarding reading. Here on the unconstitutional birthright citizenship EO. blog.dividedargument.com/p/complicati...
Complications and Clarity in Birthright Citizenship
The conventional wisdom is right.
blog.dividedargument.com
August 28, 2025 at 5:48 PM
Will Baude is always rewarding reading. Here on the unconstitutional birthright citizenship EO. blog.dividedargument.com/p/complicati...
Reposted by Payvand Ahdout
We’re hiring! JS is seeking a full-time Editorial Assistant to support our democracy and rule of law initiatives and help advance our broader work and mission.
Application deadline is September 15. Early applications are highly encouraged. Apply here: www.justsecurity.org/just-securit...
Application deadline is September 15. Early applications are highly encouraged. Apply here: www.justsecurity.org/just-securit...
Just Security Is Hiring: Editorial Assistant - Democracy and Rule of Law
Just Security is seeking strongly qualified candidates to fill a full-time Executive Assistant/Editorial Assistant (EA) role.
www.justsecurity.org
August 28, 2025 at 6:10 PM
We’re hiring! JS is seeking a full-time Editorial Assistant to support our democracy and rule of law initiatives and help advance our broader work and mission.
Application deadline is September 15. Early applications are highly encouraged. Apply here: www.justsecurity.org/just-securit...
Application deadline is September 15. Early applications are highly encouraged. Apply here: www.justsecurity.org/just-securit...
Reposted by Payvand Ahdout
This conference in honor and memory of Fred Schauer is open to the public and will be held at @uvalaw.bsky.social on Sept. 11-12. The full schedule of panels and speakers is linked below.
www.law.virginia.edu/event/rules-...
www.law.virginia.edu/event/rules-...
Rules and Reasons: A Conference for Fred Schauer
An interdisciplinary and international group of scholars will explore the legacy of the late UVA Law professor Frederick Schauer, a world-renowned scholar whose work spanned law and philosophy, eviden...
www.law.virginia.edu
August 27, 2025 at 6:38 PM
This conference in honor and memory of Fred Schauer is open to the public and will be held at @uvalaw.bsky.social on Sept. 11-12. The full schedule of panels and speakers is linked below.
www.law.virginia.edu/event/rules-...
www.law.virginia.edu/event/rules-...
Reposted by Payvand Ahdout
I guess it wasn't a ham sandwich. www.nytimes.com/2025/08/27/u...
Prosecutors Fail to Secure Indictment Against Man Who Threw Sandwich at Federal Agent
www.nytimes.com
August 27, 2025 at 2:37 PM
I guess it wasn't a ham sandwich. www.nytimes.com/2025/08/27/u...
Reposted by Payvand Ahdout
Wise wise words of scholar studying deeply our structural constitution and separation of powers @payvandahdout.bsky.social. Great thread on the US v. Russell head scratcher of a litigation and insights on ruling.
Reading the court's opinion in United States v. Russell -- interbranch litigation that the Executive initiated against the District of Maryland. Some thoughts on the opinion, which reaches the right result, sometimes on the right grounds and sometimes on incorrect ones. /1
August 26, 2025 at 6:57 PM
Wise wise words of scholar studying deeply our structural constitution and separation of powers @payvandahdout.bsky.social. Great thread on the US v. Russell head scratcher of a litigation and insights on ruling.
Reposted by Payvand Ahdout
Breaking news: A federal judge dismisses the Justice Department's lawsuit against all 15 of Maryland’s judges over their handling of deportations.
Judge dismisses unprecedented DOJ lawsuit against Maryland federal court
Justice Department officials are expected to continue their legal challenge, either by appealing Cullen’s ruling or pursuing separate legal challenges..
www.washingtonpost.com
August 26, 2025 at 3:36 PM
Breaking news: A federal judge dismisses the Justice Department's lawsuit against all 15 of Maryland’s judges over their handling of deportations.