#the courts

[the-psudo]

Trump got absolutely dumpstered in court in the last few days.

His and Elon's program to pay people to retire early has been halted by a temporary restraining order issued by District Judge George A. O’Toole Jr. of the US District Court, District of Massachusetts in American Federation of Government Employees et al v. Charles Ezell (acting Acting Director of the Office of Personnel Management). This temporary order only lasts until they have a hearing on Monday to determine whether this program is constitutional.

13 state attorneys general sued to prevent Elon from accessing personal data about government employees and citizen clients of their agencies, leading to Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly in the case Alliance for Retired Americans v. Scott Bessent (Trump's Secretary of the Treasury) ordering the Department of Justice to ensure no unauthorized persons, including Elon and his team, have access to the Labor Department's database of information on tax filings, employment, and the like.

Two separate judges have ruled that Trump's executive order trying to eliminate birthright citizenship under the 14th Amendment is unconstitutional. U.S. District Judge John Coughenour of the western Washington district, a REAGAN appointee (!), said, "It has become ever more apparent that to our president the rule of law is but an impediment to his policy goals. The rule of law is, according to him, something to navigate around or simply ignore, whether that be for political or personal gain." The other judge, US District Judge Deborah Boardman of Maryland, ruled that the executive order cannot be implemented until she has had a chance to rule on the merits of the case.

US District Court Judge Royce C. Lamberth in DC paused Trump’s restrictions on transgender women being incarcerated in women’s prisons and federal prisons providing gender-affirming medical treatment, after inmates (!) sued to block the policy.

US District Judge Loren L. Alikhan of DC broadly blocked the Trump administration’s memo halting almost all federal assistance.

That's six rulings scrapping five of Trump's major policy operations in the past four days (Feb 3rd through the 6th, 2025).

That's news worth celebrating!

[dreaminginthedeepsouth]

Kyle Cheney :: @kyledcheney

!! Judge Biery has ordered the release of 5-year-old Liam Ramos — who became a symbol of ICE's aggression in MN "The case has its genesis in the ill-conceived and incompetently-implemented government pursuit of daily deportation quotas..even if it requires traumatizing children https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.txwd.1172886492/gov.uscourts.txwd.1172886492.9.0.pdf

+

Never seen a ruling like this: "Observing human behavior confirms that for some among us, the perfidious lust for unbridled power and the imposition of cruelty in its quest know no bounds and are bereft of human decency. And the rule of law be damned." https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.txwd.1172886492/gov.uscourts.txwd.1172886492.9.0.pdf

[the-faerie-courts]

Hannah Flanagan

[elsewhereuniversity]

The crisp chilling air is calling, I can feel the soft chill of Winter sink into my bones. The air mists with every breath I take, as frost flakes on my glass. Archivist, I must ask, is Winter a cruel being to serve or should I sink deeper into the cold embrace of ice and snow?

The Winter Court is patient, and hungry, and has a long, long memory. It is the brightest of the courts, days too dazzling-blinding for human eyes, nights luminescent with snowglow and aurora. You may find fires, and mulled wine, and singing - but they are all initiated by mortal guests and only tolerated for the comfort of the same. The court's oldest denizens are silent and predator-slow, colorless except for the borrowed color of the light around them, and more often than not they do not speak at all, but howl like the north wind.

The Court's heart, where the ruler lies entombed, is circled by a ring of pitted blue ice columns. Beyond that is the second ring, formed of black basalt pillars. The third and outer ring is ancient, wind-scoured pines. And beyond that is the night unending, the howling, starving dark.

It is not cruel, but it is unforgiving. To bow your back to the Winter Court will pare away all the extravagances and luxuries of kinder times; you will emerge changed, and hungry, and everlasting. Winter endures.

[usauthoritarianism]

[salllzy]

The courts #9

The Winter Court was nothing like Lucifer had seen before, when he had been younger he had spent all his time indoors, learning the laws that made up the Star Court and he had hated it. It had been far too restricting, you could only drink tea on a certain day at a certain time. Your choice of food had already been picked out for you before the day had even begun. He had hated it. It was why as soon as he had been able to? He had left and had taken up residence in the Spring Court, he had never imagined that he would end up as King of the Spring Court. It was still a lot of work, but nowhere near the amount of the Star Court would have been. Charlie was leaning out of the carriage window waving to anyone who walked past them and the majority of them waved back. Lucifer looked out of the window and tried not to gawk at the sight of fae with animal features, he had always known that the Winter Court was different to the other Courts but he had never known just how different. "Back in the carriage, we will be crossing over the wards." Charlie pouted as she sat in the carriage properly, it was clear that she wasn't happy about having to sit in the carriage and not look out of the window. "It will only be for a few moments." The pout on Charlie's face faded as she looked at the elder female fae, Lucifer watched as the elder female fae sent a small smile towards Charlie. There was a bright flash of blue as the wards activated and Lucifer felt the power wash over him, it felt as if he was being welcomed home. It was a strange feeling. Lucifer wondered if it was normal for everyone to undergo it, it would make sense given that the Winter Court had the biggest army out of all the Courts. "Alright, we are over the warding line." Charlie cheered and went back to hanging out of the carriage window. "Hold!" The carriage came to a stop for a moment he feared that someone was wrong, he doubted that anyone would be foolish enough to attack them now. "Apologies Princess, but there has been an Amalgamation spotted, the King has sent orders for you to intercept it." Lucifer had no idea what an Amalgamation was, but from the whimper that Charlie released? She did and they weren't good news. He scooped Charlie into his arms and cuddled her close. "Who is going to take over?" There was the sound of hooves and Lucifer heard everyone take in gasps. "Papa, I would ask what you are doing here. But the sword on your hip says that you are going to relieve me." There was quiet murmuring and Lucifer wondered if it was common for the King of the Winter Court to do this sort of thing often. No one seemed shocked that he was here. "Of course, I shall take my leave." There was the sound of movement and he leaned forward to look out of the carriage window, Charlie looked upset that she was leaving, yet she didn't protest. "I shall be back before you know it. Vaggie, with me." There was movement and Lucifer watched as a female fae who couldn't be more than two centuries at most followed after the older female fae. A set of grey wings on her back, Lucifer watched as the wings stretched and she began to run, Charlie gasped as she took flight. Her eyes were wide with wonder. "Pretty." Charlie leaned forward and for a moment he feared that she would fall out of the window. "Little Princess." Charlie smiled and Lucifer found his breath catching in his throat as he looked at the King of the Winter Court. Oh, oh, he was fucked.

[mybeautifulchristianjourney]

Furnishings of the Temple

1 He made an altar of bronze, twenty cubits long, twenty cubits wide, and ten cubits high. 2 Then he made the molten sea; it was round, ten cubits from rim to rim and five cubits high. A line of thirty cubits would encircle it completely. 3 Under it were figures of bulls all around, each of ten cubits, surrounding the sea; there were two rows of bulls, cast when it was cast. 4 It stood on twelve bulls, three facing north, three facing west, three facing south, and three facing east; the sea was set on them. The hindquarters of each were toward the inside. 5 Its thickness was a handbreadth; its rim was made like the rim of a cup, like the flower of a lily; it held three thousand baths. 6 He also made ten basins in which to wash and set five on the right side and five on the left. In these they were to rinse what was used for the burnt offering. The sea was for the priests to wash in.

7 He made ten golden lampstands as prescribed and set them in the temple, five on the right side and five on the left. 8 He also made ten tables and placed them in the temple, five on the right side and five on the left. And he made one hundred basins of gold. 9 He made the court of the priests and the great court and doors for the court; he overlaid their doors with bronze. 10 He set the sea at the southeast corner of the house.

11 And Huram made the pots, the shovels, and the basins. Thus Huram finished the work that he did for King Solomon on the house of God: 12 the two pillars, the bowls, and the two capitals on the top of the pillars; and the two latticeworks to cover the two bowls of the capitals that were on the top of the pillars; 13 the four hundred pomegranates for the two latticeworks, two rows of pomegranates for each latticework, to cover the two bowls of the capitals that were on the pillars. 14 He made the stands, the basins on the stands, 15 the one sea, and the twelve bulls underneath it. 16 The pots, the shovels, the forks, and all the equipment for these Huram-abi made of burnished bronze for King Solomon for the house of the Lord. 17 In the plain of the Jordan the king cast them, in the clay ground between Succoth and Zeredah. 18 Solomon made all these things in great quantities, so that the weight of the bronze was not determined.

19 So Solomon made all the things that were in the house of God: the golden altar, the tables for the bread of the Presence, 20 the lampstands and their lamps of pure gold to burn before the inner sanctuary, as prescribed; 21 the flowers, the lamps, and the tongs, of purest gold; 22 the snuffers, basins, ladles, and firepans, of pure gold. As for the entrance to the temple: the inner doors to the most holy place and the doors of the main hall of the temple were of gold. — 2 Chronicles 4 | New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition (NRSVUE) New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. All rights reserved worldwide. Cross References: Genesis 24:15; Exodus 25:25; Exodus 27:1; Exodus 27:3; Exodus 30:17; Joshua 6:3; 1 Kings 6:36; 1 Kings 7:13-14; 1 Kings 7:20; 1 Kings 7:23; 1 Kings 7:25; 1 Kings 7:37-38; 1 Kings 7:41; 1 Kings 7:46-47; 1 Kings 7:48-49; 2 Kings 21:5; 2 Chronicles 5:1; 2 Chronicles 5:7; Matthew 12:4