Supreme Court Delays Decision on Trump Administration's Authority to Fire Copyright Office Director
The Supreme Court has postponed a decision on the Trump administration's authority to unilaterally remove the director of the U.S. Copyright Office, Shira Perlmutter, leaving lower court rulings in effect for now.
Overview
The Supreme Court has postponed its decision regarding the Trump administration's authority to remove the director of the U.S. Copyright Office, Shira Perlmutter.
This postponement means lower court rulings preventing the unilateral firing of Perlmutter by the Trump administration remain in effect for now.
Justice Clarence Thomas expressed a dissenting view, stating he would have allowed the Trump administration to proceed with the firing of the copyright office head.
The Court is examining two cases involving presidential firing powers, with arguments for a related case concerning the Federal Trade Commission scheduled for December.
In other cases, the Supreme Court has previously permitted presidents to temporarily remove heads of agencies on the periphery of the executive branch.
Analysis
Center-leaning sources cover this story neutrally, focusing on factual reporting of the Supreme Court's decision to delay action on the Copyright Office head's firing. They present the court's order, the reasons for the delay, and relevant background information without loaded language or selective emphasis, ensuring a balanced overview of the legal proceedings.
Articles (4)
FAQ
By law, only the Librarian of Congress has the authority to appoint or remove the Register of Copyrights, not the President.
Perlmutter sued the Trump administration alleging her removal was unlawful and ineffective because the President lacked authority to remove her and appoint a temporary replacement Librarian of Congress.
The Supreme Court has postponed its decision on the matter, leaving the lower court rulings that protect Perlmutter from unilateral removal in effect for now.
The Trump administration attempted to use the FVRA to name Todd Blanche as acting Librarian of Congress, but this was challenged as invalid since the Library of Congress is part of the Legislative Branch, not the Executive.
The Supreme Court is considering multiple cases about presidential authority to remove agency heads, with some precedents allowing temporary removal for heads of agencies on the executive branch's periphery, potentially impacting how future removals are regulated.
History
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