Judges

State government project among range of works celebrated for community-centred design that goes beyond utilityThe reimagined St Kilda pier has added more accolades to its burgeoning trophy cabinet, taking out some of the top gongs at the 2026 Australian Institute of Architects’ Victorian awards.The $53m Victorian government project redesigned by Jackson Clements Burrows Architects, alongside Site Office Landscape Architecture and AW Maritime, took home the Victorian architecture medal on Friday, the award given to the most outstanding project of the year.Sign up for a weekly email featuring our best reads Continue reading...

Conservatives accused of attack on ‘crucial safeguards’ and of fostering ‘climate of hostility’ towards judiciaryRefugee groups and lawyers have described Conservative proposals to strip judges of their powers to rule on asylum seekers’ appeals against deportations as “an attack on the concept of justice and equality under the law”.In a speech on Tuesday, Chris Philp, the shadow home secretary, said a Conservative government would quit the European convention on human rights (ECHR) and abolish the judicial tribunal system that claimants use to appeal against their removal. Continue reading...

Lawsuit says settlement fund was ‘fraud on the court’ that would funnel taxpayer dollars to Trump alliesDozens of former federal judges have joined the push to thwart Donald Trump’s creation of a $1.776bn “anti-weaponization fund” that would funnel taxpayer dollars to the president’s political allies.The bipartisan group of 35 judges filed a lawsuit in the southern district of Florida on Wednesday seeking to reopen Trump’s legal case against the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) over the leaking of his tax information by a whistleblower who was later sentenced to five years in prison. Continue reading...

• A federal three-judge panel temporarily blocked Alabama’s newly redrawn congressional map, ordering the state to keep using its current districts while litigation continues. • The ruling is a major development in an ongoing redistricting fight tied to race and representation, with the map potentially affecting partisan control in the 2026 midterms. • Alabama Republicans may appeal, including to the Supreme Court, after the panel issued a preliminary injunction.

• A Los Angeles Times report published May 24, 2026 says federal judges, lawyers and law professors are alarmed by President Donald Trump’s pressure on the legal system and by a broader breakdown in respect for court authority. • The article cites repeated clashes over deportation flights, 48-hour notice requirements, and Justice Department conduct, including allegations that administration lawyers have misled judges and targeted firms that opposed Trump. • The concern matters because judges say the administration’s behavior is testing checks and balances, while federal marshal data reportedly show a 78% increase in threats against judges over four years.

Judges have been fired or taken buyouts, and those remaining say they toe the government lineDavid Koelsch, a former immigration judge based in Maryland, was in Minneapolis visiting his mother and sister the day Alex Pretti was shot and killed by federal agents. He drove to Nicollet Avenue, parked a few blocks away, and walked toward the scene.“I didn’t go there to protest. I didn’t bring a sign. I didn’t bring anything. I just went to stand and bear witness,” Koelsch said. Continue reading...

• The Union Cabinet approved increasing the Supreme Court's sanctioned strength from 34 to 38 judges, adding four additional judicial positions. • This expansion aims to address growing judicial backlogs and improve the court's capacity to handle pending cases more efficiently. • The move is seen as a significant step toward reducing case disposal timelines and strengthening India's judicial system.