Browse D.C. Circuit's 2025 caseload. 24 opinions with AI-powered summaries, key holdings, and legal analysis.
D.C. Circuit Affirms FERC Approval of PJM Settlement Agreement
Independent Market Monitor for PJM v. FERC, decided by D.C. Circuit on December 30, 2025, resulted in a defendant win outcome. The case concerns whether the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC)...
D.C. Circuit Affirms EPA's Denial of Aircraft Greenhouse Gas Regulation Petition
Climate United Fund v. Citibank, N.A.; EPA, decided by D.C. Circuit on December 17, 2025, resulted in a defendant win outcome. The D.C. Circuit reviewed the EPA's denial of a petition to regulate gree...
D.C. Circuit Upholds OPM's Narrow Interpretation of Whistleblower Protection Act
National Treasury Employees Union v. Russell T. Vought, decided by D.C. Circuit on December 17, 2025, resulted in a defendant win outcome. The D.C. Circuit affirmed the district court's dismissal of t...
Trump KKK Act Lawsuit Dismissed Over Intent Requirement
DC v. Donald Trump, decided by D.C. Circuit on December 17, 2025, resulted in a defendant win outcome. The District of Columbia sued Donald Trump for violations of the Ku Klux Klan Act, alleging he in...
Former President Trump's defamation suit immunity claims rejected
In re: Donald Trump, decided by D.C. Circuit on December 15, 2025, resulted in a defendant win outcome. The D.C. Circuit affirmed the district court's denial of Donald Trump's motion to dismiss a defa...
Former President Trump's pre-presidency statements not immune from defamation suit
In re: Donald Trump, decided by D.C. Circuit on December 12, 2025, resulted in a defendant win outcome. The D.C. Circuit affirmed the district court's denial of Donald Trump's motion to dismiss a defa...
D.C. Circuit Upholds Cell Phone Search Incident to Arrest
United States v. Jeffrey Williamson, decided by D.C. Circuit on December 12, 2025, resulted in a defendant win outcome. The D.C. Circuit affirmed the district court's denial of Jeffrey Williamson's mo...
Court Upholds Warrantless Seizure of Electronic Devices at Border
Nicolas Talbott v. USA, decided by D.C. Circuit on December 9, 2025, resulted in a defendant win outcome. The case concerns whether the government's warrantless seizure of Nicolas Talbott's electronic...
Former President Trump Immune from Personal Lawsuit for Official Acts
Gwynne A. Wilcox v. Donald J. Trump, decided by D.C. Circuit on December 5, 2025, resulted in a defendant win outcome. The core dispute centered on whether former President Donald Trump could be sued ...
Court Dismisses KKK Act Claim Against Trump for Jan 6th Riot
DC v. Donald Trump, decided by D.C. Circuit on December 4, 2025, resulted in a defendant win outcome. The District of Columbia sued Donald Trump for violations of the Ku Klux Klan Act, alleging he inc...
D.C. Circuit Upholds Cell Phone Search Incident to Arrest
United States v. Derrek Arrington, decided by D.C. Circuit on December 2, 2025, resulted in a defendant win outcome. The D.C. Circuit affirmed the district court's denial of Derrek Arrington's motion ...
Trump immune from civil liability for Jan 6th incitement claims
DC v. Donald Trump, decided by D.C. Circuit on November 27, 2025, resulted in a defendant win outcome. The District of Columbia sued Donald Trump for violations of the Ku Klux Klan Act, alleging he in...
Court Affirms Dismissal of Suit Against Gov. Noem Over Border Initiative
Make The Road New York v. Kristi Noem, decided by D.C. Circuit on November 22, 2025, resulted in a defendant win outcome. The Second Circuit affirmed the dismissal of a lawsuit brought by Make the Roa...
Seizure of electronic devices incident to arrest upheld
United States v. Michael Rosebar, decided by D.C. Circuit on November 18, 2025, resulted in a defendant win outcome. The case concerns whether the government's warrantless seizure of a defendant's ele...
D.C. Circuit Denies Protective Order in Defamation Case
J.G.G. v. Donald Trump (EN BANC ORDER), decided by D.C. Circuit on November 14, 2025, resulted in a defendant win outcome. The D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals, sitting en banc, reviewed a district court...
Court Denies Stay of Mandate Pending Supreme Court Decision
J.G.G. v. Donald Trump (PANEL ORDER), decided by D.C. Circuit on November 14, 2025, resulted in a defendant win outcome. The panel order addresses a motion to stay the mandate pending the Supreme Cour...
D.C. Circuit Vacates DOT Order Granting EAS Certificate to Southern Airways
Southern Airways Express, LLC v. DOT, decided by D.C. Circuit on November 14, 2025, resulted in a remanded outcome. The D.C. Circuit reviewed the DOT's decision to grant Southern Airways Express (SAE)...
D.C. Circuit Affirms FMCSA's Denial of Medical Waiver for Commercial Driver
Jorge Lujan v. FMCSA, decided by D.C. Circuit on November 13, 2025, resulted in a defendant win outcome. The D.C. Circuit reviewed the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration's (FMCSA) denial of J...
D.C. Circuit Upholds DOE Furnace Energy Standards Against Industry Challenge
American Gas Association v. DOE, decided by D.C. Circuit on November 4, 2025, resulted in a defendant win outcome. The American Gas Association (AGA) challenged the Department of Energy's (DOE) energy...
Border searches of electronic devices are permissible without a warrant
United States v. Jonathan Johnson, decided by D.C. Circuit on November 4, 2025, resulted in a defendant win outcome. The case concerns whether the government's warrantless search of Jonathan Johnson's...
D.C. Circuit Affirms Dismissal of FOIA Suit Against FTC
Media Matters for America v. FTC, decided by D.C. Circuit on October 23, 2025, resulted in a defendant win outcome. The D.C. Circuit affirmed the district court's dismissal of a lawsuit brought by Med...
Appeals court upholds DOJ's withholding of COVID-19 records under FOIA
Campaign for Accountability v. DOJ, decided by D.C. Circuit on October 17, 2025, resulted in a defendant win outcome. The Campaign for Accountability sued the Department of Justice (DOJ) seeking to co...
D.C. Circuit Vacates SEC Approval of Bitcoin Futures Trading Rule
Cboe Global Markets, Inc. v. SEC, decided by D.C. Circuit on October 14, 2025, resulted in a remanded outcome. The D.C. Circuit reviewed the SEC's approval of a rule change by Cboe Global Markets that...
D.C. Circuit Upholds Cell Phone Search Incident to Lawful Arrest
United States v. Mark Clark, decided by D.C. Circuit on October 10, 2025, resulted in a defendant win outcome. The D.C. Circuit affirmed the district court's denial of Mark Clark's motion to suppress ...
CaseLawBrief tracks 24 opinions from D.C. Circuit in 2025. This includes published and unpublished decisions.
The most common legal topics were: Fourth Amendment Search And Seizure (6 cases), Administrative Procedure Act (APA) Arbitrary And Capricious Review (3 cases), Presidential Immunity (3 cases), Administrative Procedure Act Arbitrary And Capricious Review (2 cases), Judicial Review Of Agency Action (2 cases).
Outcomes: Defendant Win: 22, Remanded: 2.