Reynolds Holding

Lone Wolf Will a newly retired judge become Trump’s top critic or just a voice in the wilderness?

A federal judge quit to speak his mind about Trump and the state of the nation, leaving behind a remarkable career of doing justice. Shouldn't we want people like that to stay on the bench? My latest:
open.substack.com/pub/renholdi...

Supreme Hypocrisy Conservative justices’ shift from restraint comes at the worst possible time

In 2023, Joe Biden was just trying to wipe away student loans. Now, for this president and this Supreme Court, it’s the rule of law itself that seems the target. Major questions, elastic principles, and my new piece:
open.substack.com/pub/renholdi...

Riot Act Lies about January 6 portend trouble for fair sentences

My take on the prosecutors bounced last week for mentioning Jan. 6: Airbrushing the facts makes judges' hardest job -- sentencing -- even harder.
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These Three Judges Might Just Restore Your Faith in the Courts Reynolds Holding’s new book details how a trio of judges are trying to protect democracy.

I had a great discussion on Slate's Amicus podcast about Better Judgment, my new book about federal judges standing up for the rule of law right now. Please take a look and have a listen:
slate.com/podcasts/ami...

Must-Read Harvard Books Winter 2025 | Harvard Magazine From aphorisms to art heists to democracy’s necessary conditions

Great review of my book, Better Judgment, about “three dynamic federal judges who embody [Holding’s] case for a strong, intact judicial branch that keeps oligarchies at bay while protecting the constitutional rights of individuals,” says Harvard Magazine bit.ly/47zShBK

Fact Check The courts are building an unprecedented record of presidential misdeeds

Trump is conning us about the need for troops in cities like Portland, but his fantisies are no match for the factual record courts are building, say I:
open.substack.com/pub/renholdi...

Courts at Their Best – and Worst Judges can give us hope despite the deeply flawed among them

Federal judges are flawed heroes for sure and, in some cases, deeply so. But by and large, Republican and Democrat, they are giving us hope, and they are doing it with dignity rather than rancor. My new post:
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This is a terrific book. I was slow in getting to it, but the wait was well worth it. Read it.

Pure Gaslighting What the judge hearing the case against James Comey should say

In the James Comey prosecution, the next move is up to the judge, and he should do what another federal judge did seven years ago: call out the lying. Here’s my latest newsletter — with an excerpt from my new book, Better Judgment a.co/d/1doNEfU:

open.substack.com/pub/renholdi...

No Time for Respect Supreme Court justices and grand juries are telling us enough is enough

Here’s my piece on why the absence of “respectfully” in Supreme Court dissents, and the sudden resistance of grand juries to indicting “ham sandwiches,” matter:
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And don't miss my new book, here: a.co/d/2Tuhko9. Please leave a review!

To read what it's like for federal judges -- on the record -- to defend democracy and the rule of law every day against these abuses, please see my new book, Better Judgment, available here: a.co/d/1LLzvki

To read what it's like for federal judges -- on the record -- to defend democracy and the rule of law every day against these abuses, please see my book, Better Judgment, available here: a.co/d/1LLzvki

Neither Admit Nor Deny A judge takes to task a bank at the heart of the financial crisis

Here’s another excerpt from my new book, Better Judgment, available at a.co/d/1LLzvki. This passage describes Judge Jed Rakoff attempting to hold Citigroup accountable for its role in the financial crisis.
open.substack.com/pub/renholdi...

Read This Book How three judges are bringing justice back to the courts

My book is out, so happy pub day to me. The best argument for why we should not give up on the courts is revealed in the stories of the three remarkable judges I portray in the book.
open.substack.com/pub/renholdi...

Make the Bullies Pay The U.S. Supreme Court has made it way too hard for victims to win damages from the government agents who abuse them.

The swaggering terror that the Trump administration inflicts on immigrants every day feels deeply creepy in a way that abuses of the George Floyd era did not.
open.substack.com/pub/renholdi...

Speak Up, John Roberts The chief justice needs to set us straight on the role of the courts

America needs a smart and authoritative person whose job is to explain what the courts do. Let's call him the Chief Justice of the United States.
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Bench Pressed Judges are feeling the weight of ugly threats and emergency deadlines

Sky falling or not, federal judges are struggling with a new and unnerving reality. The latest from me:

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Putting a Price on Surrender Giving in to a lawless president has become far too easy

There is something perverse about punishing the victim for the raw transgressions of a public servant, a United States president no less, but that may be what our world now requires.
Putting a Price on Surrender open.substack.com/pub/renholdi...

Tin-Eared Justice How the Supreme Court sounds to people matters

When it comes to this Supreme Court, at this moment, under this president, the justices need to wake up and seriously consider how their words and decisions are playing in public.
Tin-Eared Justice open.substack.com/pub/renholdi...

Killing Us Softly With Its Words Maybe a little understatement from the Supreme Court is OK

On gender transition and other divisive issues of culture and politics, It’s not just what the Supreme Court says that’s important but also how the justices say it. Here’s may latest piece, and thanks for reading.
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ICE'd Out of Court A DOJ lawsuit aims to put immigrants seeking justice in peril

The Lander arrest and similar moves are only the half of it --ICE is hell bent on snatching all sorts of people out of New York's courts: renholding.substack.com/p/iced-out-o...

ICE'd Out of Court A DOJ lawsuit aims to put immigrants seeking justice in peril

Trump’s war on immigrants threatens to stop people from seeking justice and the courts from performing the most basic elements of their job. Read about the latest lawsuit from Trumpland.
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Oh look, an actual book. It's pretty good, timely at least, and you can pre-order it here: www.ucpress.edu/books/better...

Newsom: "Arrest me. Let's just get it over with, tough guy. I don't give a damn ... Tom, arrest me. Let's go."

A hard but undeniable truth

Terry Moran told the truth and ABC News appallingly suspended him. So-called journalistic “neutrality” serves a fascist regime. This is why we need independent media.

Government Works – for Now With at least one obvious exception

We’re so focused on how government and this administration fails us that we often don’t notice when public officials actually do their jobs. Here’s a reminder — with a nod to the Big Exception

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When a federal judge starts a ruling about the government's actions with an extended retelling of Kafka's "The Trial," you know the state of democracy in the good old US of A is in tip-top shape 🙃

Favoring a President Over Precedent Under this Supreme Court, executive excess seems A-OK

My take on last week's important Supreme Court ruling about who the president can fire
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Trust Is for Suckers An essential legal presumption is all but dead

My latest piece. Thanks for reading.
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