Steve Klepper

Thanks, just updated!

Maryland’s justices wearing red robes on Thursday and black robes on Friday

What a difference a day makes! The Supreme Court of Maryland appears yo have switched to black robes except for special occasions (like yesterday’s opening day)

mdappblog.com/2025/09/05/m...

Already on its wat

The Appellate Court of Maryland holds its monthly Conference this morning. Watch for new reported opinions!

Sam Weisbaum | Transactional Lawyer | Kramon & Graham Kramon & Graham is consistently recognized as one of Maryland's leading law firms. Preeminent in litigation, we also advise clients in real estate, transactions, and insurance coverage.

Sam Weisbaum at my firm

www.kramonandgraham.com/sam-weisbaum

This makes for interesting timing as the Fourth Circuit Judicial Conference starts today

In “things I’ve never seen before,” the Trump administration is suing Maryland’s federal district judges—challenging the standing order the district court put in place that briefly bars removals of migrants after they initially file habeas petitions there:

storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...

McSweeney's: New York Times’ Style Guide Substitutions for "The President Violated the Constitution" www.mcsweeneys.net/articles/new...

WOW
Fourth Circuit holds that a jurisdiction-stripping statute depends on a functioning Merit Systems Protections Board and Special Counsel. Because we don’t have those, the Court remands to decide whether court has jurisdiction
www.ca4.uscourts.gov/opinions/232...

Target's bold "Pride" collection this year features a colorless hoodie with the words "Out Loud & Proud" written teeny tiny only the string.

UVA Sign-On Letter Please click the link to complete this form.

UVA’s President Jim Ryan is an exemplary leader and educator and I’m so proud to work here. Please sign on to show your support and combat the absurd disinformation that UVA is in decline. The opposite under President Ryan’s leadership is true. We are thriving. form.jotform.com/251478017358...

Seeing as Emil Bove personally fired me from DOJ in retaliation for prosecuting January 6 rioters, I don’t think he should be confirmed to a lifetime seat as a federal judge. But that’s just me.

That movie was the scourge of HBO when I was a kid

Obi Wan: Now that’s a time zone I haven’t heard in a long time

Maryland Certiorari Statistics, 2024 Term By Steve Klepper The judiciary’s annual statistical reports give the overall grant rate for civil and criminal certiorari petitions. But, because unrepresented (pro se) parties file the majority of…

It’s my annual
roundup of the Maryland certiorari statistics that matter: grant rates that exclude pro se petitions

mdappblog.com/2025/05/27/m...

The All Writs Act permits courts to “issue all writs necessary or appropriate in aid of their respective jurisdictions and agreeable to the usages and principles of law.” 28 U.S.C. § 1651(a). Further, the Supreme Court recognizes “a limited judicial power to preserve the court’s jurisdiction or maintain the status quo by injunction pending review of an agency’s action through the prescribed statutory channels.” F.T.C. v. Dean Foods Co., 384 U.S. 597, 604 (1966) (citing cases). Accordingly, in order to preserve existing conditions and the potential jurisdiction of this Court over pending matters while the Court determines the scope of its authority to grant the request relief; to ensure Petitioners are able to participate in the adjudication of their requests for habeas relief, including participation in court proceedings and access to legal counsel for such purpose; to ensure the Court is able to evaluate their respective claims for relief based on their in-court testimony that may be offered; and to ensure the Government has a fulsome opportunity to brief and present arguments in its defense, it is hereby ORDERED by the United States District Court for the District of Maryland that upon the filing of a Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 2241 on behalf of an alien detainee, the Government/Respondents, including all those acting for them or on their behalf, are ENJOINED and RESTRAINED from removing Petitioners in such cases from the continental United States or altering their legal status, provided that Petitioner’s full name and A# have been provided to the Court, either in the Petition or in a separate sealed filing

Maryland federal court issues a standing order automatically staying removals for two business days upon filing of a habeas petition with name and alien ID number

www.mdd.uscourts.gov/sites/mdd/fi...

Cato has published my comprehensive review of the ~240 Venezuelans the US government renditioned 2 months ago to Salvador’s notorious prison. We identified FIFTY who came legally, never violated any immigration law, but are imprisoned at the US government’s request and at US taxpayer expense.

I admire your commitment

Trump admin in Judge Xinis’s courtroom is like a poorly programmed contempt chatbot.

BREAKING: The Supreme Court holds that the Trump administration violated the due process rights of Venezuelan migrants last month in its rushed effort to expel them to El Salvador in the middle of the night (which SCOTUS blocked). Alito and Thomas dissent. www.documentcloud.org/documents/25...

Supporters of Kilmar Abrego Garcia outside the courthouse in Maryland

HAPPENING NOW: Hello from Greenbelt, MD, where a federal judge will hear arguments over whether the Trump administration can invoke the state secrets privilege to withhold information about what it has done to facilitate Kilmar Abrego Garcia’s return to the US.

I'm here for @lawfaremedia.org 🧵

- [ ] Wiress: Maya Hawke - [ ] Haymitch: Walker Scobel - [ ] Magno: Titus Burgess - [ ] Effie: Chloe Fineman - [ ] Drusilla: Parker Posey - [ ] Lenore Dove: Jenna Ortega

Back in March, the Kleppers brainstormed potential Sunrise on the Reaping casting, and so far we got one right! Love love love Maya Hawke as Wiress

I agree no rhetoric was needed on your part, and kudos to your restraint (or at least saving for another case)

We once had an appeal where the record filled an entire room at Baltimore City Circuit Court. The parties had to agree on what portion went to the Appellate Court.

Two push alerts, one about new pope chosen, one about Trump replacing US Attorney pick Ed Martin

Related?

BREAKING: The full D.C. Circuit, on a 7-4 vote, requires the government to pay Radio Free Europe’s April contract, as well as a handful of other obligations.

The en banc court issued an administrative stay of several of the panel’s rulings below — putting Judge Lamberth’s orders back into effect.

America Needs More Judges Like Judge Myers He did the right thing in North Carolina’s Supreme Court fight, and he deserves praise.

My new one @theatlantic.com: When judges act as partisan hacks, it is important to condemn their conduct. But just as important is lauding the Republican judges who stand up against election subversion, including the Trump-appointed federal judge Myers

www.theatlantic.com/politics/arc...

HUGE ruling—by a conservative judge—that is almost certain to be affirmed by the 4th Circuit and is unlikely to be disturbed by SCOTUS. Justice Riggs’ final victory draws much closer.

US judge orders North Carolina to certify Democrat winner of court election A federal judge ordered North Carolina's election board on Monday to not throw out any ballots cast by voters in November in a close race for a seat on the state's Supreme Court and to certify a sitting Democratic justice's electoral victory.

US judge orders North Carolina to certify Democrat winner of court election www.reuters.com/world/us/us-...

How This Conservative Lawyer Became One of Trump’s Toughest Foes in Court The former star of the George W. Bush administration adds conservative credibility for clients in litigation against the administration.

Paul Clement is perhaps the most sought-after conservative lawyer in the country. Increasingly, those seeking him are clients in litigation against the Trump administration. www.wsj.com/us-news/law/... w/@janwolfe