Federal Judge Blocks Trump's Executive Order Targeting Perkins Coie Law Firm
A federal judge has ruled Trump's executive order against Perkins Coie unconstitutional, citing violations of multiple amendments and calling it an unprecedented attack on the judicial system.
In her ruling, Judge Howell framed the targeting of Perkins as an attack on the independence of the legal profession and the judicial system.
Federal judge strikes down Trump order targeting the law firm Perkins Coie
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Howell found in particular that the executive order violated the first, fifth and sixth amendments and permanently barred its implementation.
Trump order targeting law firm Perkins Coie is unconstitutional, judge rules
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Trump’s executive order represented “an unprecedented attack” on the country’s “foundational principles”.
Judge strikes down Trump’s executive order targeting law firm Perkins Coie
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Those allegations were later disproven, as Trump had maintained all along, but the reputational damage was already done.
Federal Judge Blocks Trump’s Order Against Perkins Coie Law Firm
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U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell said Friday that the order violated three separate amendments to the Constitution and ordered that it be permanently blocked.
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The decision from Howell, who sits on the U.S. district court in Washington, D.C., is the first summary ruling in one of four cases brought by law firms that have been penalized by the president as a result of their associations with people and causes he disfavors.
Judge rules Trump executive order targeting law firm Perkins Coie is unconstitutional
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Trump’s multi-year history of lodging public attacks on Perkins Coie and his promises during the 2024 campaign to act on his displeasure toward the firm if he won further demonstrates that the executive order was issued to seek retribution against plaintiff for the Firm’s representation of clients in political campaigns or litigation, about which President Trump expressed disapproval, dating back to 2017.
Judge strikes down 'unprecedented' Trump order targeting Perkins Coie law firm
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The judge's ruling represented the broadest rebuke yet for Trump's pressure campaign against law firms that he has accused of "weaponizing" the justice system against him and his political allies.
Judge strikes down Trump order against law firm as unconstitutional
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Using the powers of the federal government to target lawyers for their representation of clients and avowed progressive employment policies in an overt attempt to suppress and punish certain viewpoints, however, is contrary to the Constitution, which requires that the government respond to dissenting or unpopular speech or ideas with ‘tolerance, not coercion.’
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It was one in a series of similar executive actions aimed at punishing some of the country’s most prestigious law firms, in some cases over prior legal representations out of favor with the Trump administration or because of their associations with prosecutors who previously investigated Trump.
Judge blocks Trump executive order targeting elite law firm Perkins Coie
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Judge blocks Trump executive order targeting elite law firm, a blow to his retribution campaign
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Summary
U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell permanently blocked President Trump's executive order penalizing Perkins Coie, calling it unconstitutional retaliation for the firm’s representation of clients he dislikes. Howell’s ruling emphasized the importance of independent lawyers in upholding justice and outlined the order's violation of First, Fifth, and Sixth Amendment rights. She criticized Trump's approach as an attack on legal professionals, noting his past statements about the firm’s work for clients like Hillary Clinton. Other law firms have faced similar executive actions but have temporarily succeeded in blocking them or have negotiated settlements to prevent retaliation.
Perspectives
Judge Howell's ruling represents a significant rebuke against President Trump's executive order targeting law firms based on their political affiliations and client representations, emphasizing constitutional protections for free speech and due process.
The executive order was characterized as an unprecedented assault on the independence of the judiciary and the legal profession, reminiscent of Shakespeare's warning about targeting lawyers for personal grievances.
The ruling highlights a growing concern in the legal community about political pressure on lawyers and firms, with some firms opting to negotiate with the Trump administration to protect their interests.