{"id":112194,"date":"2025-03-27T14:05:17","date_gmt":"2025-03-27T22:05:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/2025\/03\/27\/trump-admin-learns-you-cant-insult-a-judge-in-order-to-force-them-off-a-case\/"},"modified":"2025-03-27T14:05:17","modified_gmt":"2025-03-27T22:05:17","slug":"trump-admin-learns-you-cant-insult-a-judge-in-order-to-force-them-off-a-case","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/2025\/03\/27\/trump-admin-learns-you-cant-insult-a-judge-in-order-to-force-them-off-a-case\/","title":{"rendered":"Trump Admin Learns You Can\u2019t Insult A Judge In Order To Force Them Off A Case"},"content":{"rendered":"<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignright is-resized\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" height=\"341\" width=\"620\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/abovethelaw.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2023\/02\/gavel-3575414_640-620x341.jpg?resize=620%2C341&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" title=\"\"><figcaption><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Judge Beryl Howell is overseeing<a href=\"https:\/\/abovethelaw.com\/2025\/03\/perkins-coie-drags-trump-administration-clear-to-hell-in-new-lawsuit\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"> Perkins Coie\u2019s case against the Trump administration<\/a> over the wild <a href=\"https:\/\/abovethelaw.com\/2025\/03\/trump-signs-executive-order-calling-out-top-50-biglaw-firm-with-intent-to-wage-war-against-other-leading-law-firms-over-their-dei-policies\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Executive Order<\/a> targeting the firm. The list of constitutional violations the lawsuit advances against the EO is epic and the firm sought a temporary restraining order preventing the administration from enforcing key provisions. Judge Howell worked quickly <a href=\"https:\/\/abovethelaw.com\/2025\/03\/perkins-coie-gets-temporary-restraining-order-against-trumps-punitive-executive-order\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">granting the TRO<\/a>, finding the \u201cretaliatory animus\u201d is clear from both the EO and related fact sheet. \u201cThis is viewpoint discrimination plain and simple,\u201d Howell wrote. The overly broad EO is also a likely violation of the firm\u2019s due process rights, noting the order creates a \u201cbadge of infamy,\u201d and no process was given to the firm.<\/p>\n<p>And for doing her job and upholding the constitution, Howell has been subjected to attacks from the right. And, as a result, the Department of Justice moved to have her removed from the case. Yesterday, <a href=\"https:\/\/news.bloomberglaw.com\/business-and-practice\/judge-rejects-doj-bid-to-oust-her-from-trump-perkins-coie-fight\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Howell ruled<\/a> that the DOJ cannot make \u201cad hominem attacks\u201d\u00a0against her in order to force her off the case. And of course that\u2019s the correct legal standard \u2014 could you imagine the chaos if every time a litigant lost a motion they could insult the judge and boot them from the case?<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis strategy is designed to impugn the integrity of the federal judicial system and blame any loss on the decision-maker rather than fallacies in the substantive legal arguments presented,\u201d Howell said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe parties will have the opportunity to present relevant evidence and legal arguments, which will receive full, fair, and impartial consideration, as does every case before this court,\u201d Howell continued. And frankly this is a pretty measured response from Judge Howell, given the <a href=\"https:\/\/abovethelaw.com\/2025\/03\/doj-lawyer-tells-court-it-will-comply-with-order-doj-writes-back-weve-decided-to-violate-it-instead-thx-bye\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">questionable tactics<\/a> the DOJ has advanced in the case.<\/p>\n<p>Of course, Howell\u2019s order seems unlikely to keep the far right from <a href=\"https:\/\/abovethelaw.com\/tag\/impeachment\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">attacking judges<\/a> and the entire <a href=\"https:\/\/abovethelaw.com\/2025\/03\/trumps-latest-con-is-designed-to-turn-the-public-against-lawyers\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">legal system<\/a>. But I guess that\u2019s what you have to do when repeatedly advancing<a href=\"https:\/\/abovethelaw.com\/2025\/03\/trump-admin-unveils-new-legal-standard-we-have-no-proof-which-actually-proves-our-case\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"> policies that are unconstitutional.<\/a><\/p>\n<hr>\n<p><strong><em><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\" wp-image-80083 alignright\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/abovethelaw.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2021\/06\/IMG_5243-1-scaled-e1623338814705-620x568.jpg?resize=174%2C160&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"174\" height=\"160\" title=\"\">Kathryn Rubino is a Senior Editor at Above the Law, host of <a href=\"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/show\/1XC11QhFCWxWr4NQrk2sEA\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">The Jabot podcast<\/a>, and co-host of <a href=\"https:\/\/legaltalknetwork.com\/podcasts\/thinking-like-a-lawyer\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Thinking Like A Lawyer<\/a>. AtL tipsters are the best, so please connect with her. Feel free to email <a href=\"mailto:kathryn@abovethelaw.com?subject=Your%20Column\" target='_blank\"' rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">her<\/a> with any tips, questions, or comments and follow her on Twitter <a href=\"https:\/\/abovethelaw.com\/2025\/03\/trump-admin-learns-you-cant-insult-a-judge-in-order-to-force-them-off-a-case\/%E2%80%9C\/\/twitter.com\/Kathryn1%22%E2%80%9D\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">@Kathryn1<\/a>\u00a0or Mastodon <a href=\"https:\/\/abovethelaw.com\/2025\/03\/trump-admin-learns-you-cant-insult-a-judge-in-order-to-force-them-off-a-case\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">@Kathryn1@mastodon.social.<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/p>\n<p>The post <a href=\"https:\/\/abovethelaw.com\/2025\/03\/trump-admin-learns-you-cant-insult-a-judge-in-order-to-force-them-off-a-case\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Trump Admin Learns You Can\u2019t Insult A Judge In Order To Force Them Off A Case<\/a> appeared first on <a href=\"https:\/\/abovethelaw.com\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Above the Law<\/a>.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignright is-resized\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" height=\"341\" width=\"620\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/abovethelaw.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2023\/02\/gavel-3575414_640-620x341.jpg?resize=620%2C341&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" title=\"\"><figcaption><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Judge Beryl Howell is overseeing<a href=\"https:\/\/abovethelaw.com\/2025\/03\/perkins-coie-drags-trump-administration-clear-to-hell-in-new-lawsuit\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"> Perkins Coie\u2019s case against the Trump administration<\/a> over the wild <a href=\"https:\/\/abovethelaw.com\/2025\/03\/trump-signs-executive-order-calling-out-top-50-biglaw-firm-with-intent-to-wage-war-against-other-leading-law-firms-over-their-dei-policies\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Executive Order<\/a> targeting the firm. The list of constitutional violations the lawsuit advances against the EO is epic and the firm sought a temporary restraining order preventing the administration from enforcing key provisions. Judge Howell worked quickly <a href=\"https:\/\/abovethelaw.com\/2025\/03\/perkins-coie-gets-temporary-restraining-order-against-trumps-punitive-executive-order\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">granting the TRO<\/a>, finding the \u201cretaliatory animus\u201d is clear from both the EO and related fact sheet. \u201cThis is viewpoint discrimination plain and simple,\u201d Howell wrote. The overly broad EO is also a likely violation of the firm\u2019s due process rights, noting the order creates a \u201cbadge of infamy,\u201d and no process was given to the firm.<\/p>\n<p>And for doing her job and upholding the constitution, Howell has been subjected to attacks from the right. And, as a result, the Department of Justice moved to have her removed from the case. Yesterday, <a href=\"https:\/\/news.bloomberglaw.com\/business-and-practice\/judge-rejects-doj-bid-to-oust-her-from-trump-perkins-coie-fight\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Howell ruled<\/a> that the DOJ cannot make \u201cad hominem attacks\u201d\u00a0against her in order to force her off the case. And of course that\u2019s the correct legal standard \u2014 could you imagine the chaos if every time a litigant lost a motion they could insult the judge and boot them from the case?<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis strategy is designed to impugn the integrity of the federal judicial system and blame any loss on the decision-maker rather than fallacies in the substantive legal arguments presented,\u201d Howell said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe parties will have the opportunity to present relevant evidence and legal arguments, which will receive full, fair, and impartial consideration, as does every case before this court,\u201d Howell continued. And frankly this is a pretty measured response from Judge Howell, given the <a href=\"https:\/\/abovethelaw.com\/2025\/03\/doj-lawyer-tells-court-it-will-comply-with-order-doj-writes-back-weve-decided-to-violate-it-instead-thx-bye\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">questionable tactics<\/a> the DOJ has advanced in the case.<\/p>\n<p>Of course, Howell\u2019s order seems unlikely to keep the far right from <a href=\"https:\/\/abovethelaw.com\/tag\/impeachment\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">attacking judges<\/a> and the entire <a href=\"https:\/\/abovethelaw.com\/2025\/03\/trumps-latest-con-is-designed-to-turn-the-public-against-lawyers\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">legal system<\/a>. But I guess that\u2019s what you have to do when repeatedly advancing<a href=\"https:\/\/abovethelaw.com\/2025\/03\/trump-admin-unveils-new-legal-standard-we-have-no-proof-which-actually-proves-our-case\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"> policies that are unconstitutional.<\/a><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><strong><em><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-80083 alignright\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/abovethelaw.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2021\/06\/IMG_5243-1-scaled-e1623338814705-620x568.jpg?resize=174%2C160&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"174\" height=\"160\" title=\"\">Kathryn Rubino is a Senior Editor at Above the Law, host of <a href=\"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/show\/1XC11QhFCWxWr4NQrk2sEA\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">The Jabot podcast<\/a>, and co-host of <a href=\"https:\/\/legaltalknetwork.com\/podcasts\/thinking-like-a-lawyer\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Thinking Like A Lawyer<\/a>. AtL tipsters are the best, so please connect with her. Feel free to email <a href=\"https:\/\/abovethelaw.com\/cdn-cgi\/l\/email-protection#d8b3b9acb0aaa1b698b9bab7aebdacb0bdb4b9aff6bbb7b5e7abadbab2bdbbace581b7adaafdeae89bb7b4adb5b6\" target=\"_blank&quot;\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">her<\/a> with any tips, questions, or comments and follow her on Twitter <a href=\"https:\/\/abovethelaw.com\/2025\/03\/trump-admin-learns-you-cant-insult-a-judge-in-order-to-force-them-off-a-case\/%E2%80%9C\/\/twitter.com\/Kathryn1%22%E2%80%9D\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">@Kathryn1<\/a>\u00a0or Mastodon <a href=\"https:\/\/mastodon.social\/@Kathryn1%22%22\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">@[email\u00a0protected].<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Judge Beryl Howell is overseeing Perkins Coie\u2019s case against the Trump administration over the wild Executive Order targeting the firm. The list of constitutional violations the lawsuit advances against the EO is epic and the firm sought a temporary restraining order preventing the administration from enforcing key provisions. Judge Howell worked quickly granting the TRO, [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":112195,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[16],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-112194","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-above_the_law"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/xira.com\/p\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/IMG_5243-1-scaled-e1623338814705-620x568-1ttgtG.jpeg?fit=620%2C568&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/112194","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=112194"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/112194\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/112195"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=112194"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=112194"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=112194"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}