The 5th US Circuit Court of Appeals, known for its conservative rulings, has been at the center of legal clashes that have reached the Supreme Court, particularly on the shadow docket. The Supreme Court has frequently overturned or paused the 5th Circuit's decisions, signaling a divergence in views. The trend is driven by Texas being a hub for high-profile cases, often involving culture war issues, and the influence of Trump-appointed judges on the 5th Circuit. Republican attorneys general and conservative litigants are accused of steering cases to the 5th Circuit to potentially reach the majority-conservative Supreme Court.
Pornhub has suspended its services in Texas in response to the state's age-verification law, which requires adult content websites to implement age-verification measures and display health warnings. The 5th Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the age-verification requirement but ruled the health warnings unconstitutional. Legal experts argue that the law infringes on free speech and imposes barriers to accessing protected material. The dispute raises concerns about the regulation of online content and its impact on free speech, with implications for the adult entertainment industry and broader First Amendment issues.
President Joe Biden plans to nominate Judge Irma Carrillo Ramirez to the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, filling a vacancy in the conservative-leaning court that oversees federal appeals from Texas. Ramirez, a U.S. magistrate judge for the Northern District of Texas for more than 20 years and previously an assistant U.S. attorney, would be the first Hispanic woman to serve on the New Orleans-based court. Ramirez's nomination expired before the Senate could vote on her confirmation in 2016.
The 5th US Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans has blocked President Joe Biden's order that federal employees get vaccinated against COVID-19. The ruling maintains the status quo for federal employee vaccines, upholding a preliminary injunction blocking the mandate issued by a federal judge in January 2022. The court rejected the Biden administration's argument that they have the same rights as a private corporation to mandate vaccines. The case will return to that court for further arguments, when "both sides will have to grapple with the White House's announcement that the COVID emergency will finally end on May 11, 2023."
