Legislation enacted by the United States Congress can modify existing federal law to change whether previously sealed investigative or grand jury materials may be released to the public.
November 24, 2025
high
legal
Legislative action can alter statutory confidentiality provisions governing access to judicial and investigative records.
Federal judges may deny requests to unseal grand jury transcripts when they find 'significant and compelling' reasons to keep the materials sealed, such as when existing investigative files already contain substantial information that diminishes the need for release.
November 24, 2025
high
legal
Courts weigh confidentiality interests against public access and may rely on standards like 'significant and compelling reasons' to refuse disclosure.
The North Dakota state constitution requires at least four of five justices on the state Supreme Court to agree in order to declare a law unconstitutional.
November 21, 2025
high
constitutional
Voting threshold for the North Dakota Supreme Court to invalidate legislation under the state constitution.
The local rules for the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee prohibit extrajudicial statements about a party's character, credibility, reputation, or criminal record, and prohibit any opinion as to the accused's guilt or innocence.
October 28, 2025
high
legal
Local court publicity restrictions that govern extrajudicial statements by parties and others in criminal cases.
Under those local rules, government employees, including Department of Justice and Department of Homeland Security personnel, who make statements that have a substantial likelihood of materially prejudicing a criminal prosecution may be subject to sanctions.
October 28, 2025
high
legal
Sanctions exposure for government employees who make prejudicial extrajudicial statements in criminal matters under Middle District of Tennessee local rules.
The same 2017 Texas Law Review argument by Kate Shaw noted a caveat that courts may treat presidential public statements as legally relevant if those statements are made in bad faith.
January 01, 2017
high
academic-findings
The caveat limits the general deference afforded to informal presidential speech in judicial settings.
A U.S. federal district court can issue a temporary restraining order to enjoin or block federal actions, including the deployment of National Guard troops.
high
legal
Federal courts have injunction authority to temporarily halt federal executive actions pending further proceedings.
Pennsylvania Supreme Court justices are elected to 10-year terms, although mandatory age limits can shorten the actual length of service on the bench.
high
institutional
Specifies the standard term length and the effect of age limits on tenure for justices on the Pennsylvania Supreme Court.
The Pennsylvania Supreme Court is composed of seven members.
high
institutional
Basic structural fact about the size of the state's highest court.
Susan Illston is a judge of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California who was appointed to the federal bench by President Bill Clinton.
high
biographical
Judicial position and appointing president for a federal district judge.
Courts, including the U.S. Supreme Court, generally place little weight on presidents' public statements and instead rely primarily on the legal arguments presented by government lawyers in court.
high
judicial-practice
This practice affects how presidential rhetoric is treated in litigation challenging executive actions.
Federal judges and magistrate judges may review grand jury transcripts in camera during judicial hearings to determine whether the transcripts should be disclosed to the defense.
high
procedural
Judicial in-camera review is a mechanism for deciding disclosure of grand jury material.