Supreme Court Lets Copyright Register Keep Job For Now In Trump Dispute
The Supreme Court on Tuesday, June 30, 2026, denied the Trump administration's request for emergency relief, leaving Shira Perlmutter in her job as Register of Copyrights for now.[1]
The order leaves in place a D.C. Circuit ruling that had restored Perlmutter while the underlying litigation continues.[1] A concurrence in that appeals decision warned that alleged presidential interference with a legislative officer raised serious separation-of-powers concerns and risked irreparable harm.[1]
On May 8, 2025, President Trump fired Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden and installed Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche as acting librarian under the Federal Vacancies Reform Act.[1] Blanche then notified Shira Perlmutter that she had been terminated and the Copyright Office head sued, arguing only a Senate-confirmed librarian can remove her.[1]
A district court denied a preliminary injunction last July, but in September a divided D.C. Circuit panel reversed and ordered her reinstated while the case proceeds.[1]
The Copyright Office has about 450 staff and typically registers more than 500,000 claims each year, making the office central to copyright policy and licensing.
The mainstream summary does not address the broader implications of the legal battle over Shira Perlmutter's position, particularly the historical context regarding the expansion of executive power. According to historian Arthur Schlesinger Jr., the growth of executive power has been influenced by wartime precedents and congressional acquiescence, which has led to ongoing disputes over presidential removal authority within federal agencies. This context highlights the significance of the case beyond Perlmutter's individual situation, as it reflects a larger struggle over the balance of power between the legislative and executive branches.
Additionally, the summary omits the nuanced classification of the Copyright Office's role. While the mainstream account presents the office primarily as an executive entity, a 2017 analysis by the R Street Institute points out that its advisory capacity to Congress on issues like artificial intelligence distinguishes it from purely executive functions. This hybrid status complicates the legal landscape surrounding removal litigation, an aspect that is crucial for understanding the implications of the Supreme Court's decision in this case.[2], R Street Institute
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📊 Relevant Data
The U.S. Copyright Office has a staff of around 450 and examines hundreds of thousands of copyright claims annually, resulting in an average of over 500,000 registrations per year, while also administering statutory licensing and royalty distributions.
Overview of the Copyright Office — U.S. Copyright Office
📌 Key Facts
- On Tuesday, June 30, 2026, the Supreme Court denied the Trump administration’s request for emergency relief in the Shira Perlmutter removal case.
- The Court’s order leaves in place a D.C. Circuit ruling that restored Perlmutter as Register of Copyrights pending litigation.
- President Trump removed Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden in 2025, named Todd Blanche acting librarian without Senate confirmation, and Blanche then purported to fire Perlmutter.
- Perlmutter argues the librarian of Congress and register of copyrights are legislative-branch officers and that only a Senate-confirmed librarian can remove her.
- The D.C. Circuit concurrence called the alleged presidential interference with a legislative officer a serious separation-of-powers concern likely causing irreparable harm.
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