A study has revealed that some US courts are losing trust in the Trump Justice Department, citing a significant increase in cases where judges have criticized the administration's conduct. The research, conducted by Ryan Goodman, a law professor at New York University, examined over 400 lawsuits filed against the administration since President Trump took office.
According to Goodman, the study identified three main categories of cases where courts have expressed concerns about the government's behavior. Firstly, there were instances where judges called out the government for non-compliance with court orders, amounting to over 15 cases. Secondly, some courts had found the government to be providing false or misleading information, including false sworn declarations, in around 35 cases.
The third category involved administrative law disputes where courts made determinations that the government's conduct was arbitrary and capricious, meaning it failed to consider trade-offs or was unreasoned. This category saw over 50 instances of such findings.
What's more striking is that some judges appointed by both Republican and Democratic presidents have criticized the Justice Department's work. The study has since found even more cases where this is the case, including 20 instances where judges questioned the government's compliance with their judicial orders.
Goodman described this trend as "unbelievably shocking" and pointed out that it suggests the Justice Department is engaging in "some of the most abhorrent behavior imaginable". He warned that losing the trust of the courts would have serious consequences for the department, both short-term and long-term. In the short term, the Justice Department relies on the courts to validate its work, while in the long term, it could lead to significant damage to its reputation.
The implications of this trend are far-reaching, with Goodman arguing that it poses a threat to the very foundations of our system of justice. "What's at stake is our system of justice," he said. "I think what's at stake is checks and balances within our system of government." The fact that these concerns are being expressed by judges from different party backgrounds highlights the gravity of the situation.
Ultimately, Goodman's study suggests that the Justice Department's behavior has crossed a critical threshold, eroding the trust between the department and the courts. This could have serious consequences for the administration's ability to carry out its policies and for the integrity of our system of justice as a whole.
According to Goodman, the study identified three main categories of cases where courts have expressed concerns about the government's behavior. Firstly, there were instances where judges called out the government for non-compliance with court orders, amounting to over 15 cases. Secondly, some courts had found the government to be providing false or misleading information, including false sworn declarations, in around 35 cases.
The third category involved administrative law disputes where courts made determinations that the government's conduct was arbitrary and capricious, meaning it failed to consider trade-offs or was unreasoned. This category saw over 50 instances of such findings.
What's more striking is that some judges appointed by both Republican and Democratic presidents have criticized the Justice Department's work. The study has since found even more cases where this is the case, including 20 instances where judges questioned the government's compliance with their judicial orders.
Goodman described this trend as "unbelievably shocking" and pointed out that it suggests the Justice Department is engaging in "some of the most abhorrent behavior imaginable". He warned that losing the trust of the courts would have serious consequences for the department, both short-term and long-term. In the short term, the Justice Department relies on the courts to validate its work, while in the long term, it could lead to significant damage to its reputation.
The implications of this trend are far-reaching, with Goodman arguing that it poses a threat to the very foundations of our system of justice. "What's at stake is our system of justice," he said. "I think what's at stake is checks and balances within our system of government." The fact that these concerns are being expressed by judges from different party backgrounds highlights the gravity of the situation.
Ultimately, Goodman's study suggests that the Justice Department's behavior has crossed a critical threshold, eroding the trust between the department and the courts. This could have serious consequences for the administration's ability to carry out its policies and for the integrity of our system of justice as a whole.