Matthew Segal
@segalmr.bsky.social
Civil Rights Lawyer | Personal Views | Not Legal Advice | https://as.tufts.edu/politicalscience/people/faculty/matthew-segal
Pinned
Reposted by Matthew Segal
New from me in @theatlantic.com : Trump is learning that although it's easy to convict people in a social media rant, in the courtroom things are a bit more complicated.
www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2025/1...
www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2025/1...
Why the Comey Prosecution Is Falling Apart
In the criminal-justice system, when the president’s bluster collides with facts and evidence, he keeps losing.
www.theatlantic.com
November 24, 2025 at 11:52 PM
New from me in @theatlantic.com : Trump is learning that although it's easy to convict people in a social media rant, in the courtroom things are a bit more complicated.
www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2025/1...
www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2025/1...
Reposted by Matthew Segal
BREAKING: Judge rules Lindsey Halligan's appointment was not valid, thus, she had no authority to present the James Comey or Letitia James indictments and the indictments are dismissed without prejudice.
November 24, 2025 at 5:47 PM
BREAKING: Judge rules Lindsey Halligan's appointment was not valid, thus, she had no authority to present the James Comey or Letitia James indictments and the indictments are dismissed without prejudice.
Reposted by Matthew Segal
The Trump administration cannot expand rapid deportations, a 2-1 panel of the D.C. Circuit ruled reut.rs/49y5vR3
November 24, 2025 at 3:47 PM
The Trump administration cannot expand rapid deportations, a 2-1 panel of the D.C. Circuit ruled reut.rs/49y5vR3
Reposted by Matthew Segal
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They planned to force him to crash or shoot him for recording their crimes. They then accused him of assaulting them. www.charlotteobserver.com/news/local/c...
ICE video shows officers planned to ‘smash’ into Charlotte man filming Border Patrol
Immigration agents had a 12-pack of Modelos in their car while making arrests, Miguel Angel Garcia Martinez told investigators.
www.charlotteobserver.com
November 23, 2025 at 3:00 AM
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This is unfortunate.
Three states — OH, ND, and NE — require judicial supermajorities to strike down statutes. I don’t get it. Allowing a state to enforce a law, despite a state supreme court majority deeming it unconstitutional, does not promote respect for law.
Three states — OH, ND, and NE — require judicial supermajorities to strike down statutes. I don’t get it. Allowing a state to enforce a law, despite a state supreme court majority deeming it unconstitutional, does not promote respect for law.
SCOND, 3-2, says North Dakota’s 6-week abortion ban violates the state’s constitution, but because 4 justices are required to strike down a state law, the ban goes back into effect.
www.ndcourts.gov/supreme-cour...
www.ndcourts.gov/supreme-cour...
November 22, 2025 at 10:21 PM
This is unfortunate.
Three states — OH, ND, and NE — require judicial supermajorities to strike down statutes. I don’t get it. Allowing a state to enforce a law, despite a state supreme court majority deeming it unconstitutional, does not promote respect for law.
Three states — OH, ND, and NE — require judicial supermajorities to strike down statutes. I don’t get it. Allowing a state to enforce a law, despite a state supreme court majority deeming it unconstitutional, does not promote respect for law.
Reposted by Matthew Segal
In the latest episode of @dividedargument.bsky.social argument, they discuss the perennial issue of the first-time SCOTUS advocate, and what obligations you have as the non-SCOTUS bumpkin to your client to tell them a member of the SCOTUS bar is volunteering to argue /1
November 22, 2025 at 7:15 PM
In the latest episode of @dividedargument.bsky.social argument, they discuss the perennial issue of the first-time SCOTUS advocate, and what obligations you have as the non-SCOTUS bumpkin to your client to tell them a member of the SCOTUS bar is volunteering to argue /1
Reposted by Matthew Segal
Especially for the 1Ls out there, preparing for their 1st set of law school exams, I wrote this post back in 2007 about how to get a good grade on a law school issue spotter. The post, "Bad Answers, Good Answers, and Terrific Answers," is available here:
volokh.com/posts/116838...
volokh.com/posts/116838...
November 22, 2025 at 6:12 AM
Especially for the 1Ls out there, preparing for their 1st set of law school exams, I wrote this post back in 2007 about how to get a good grade on a law school issue spotter. The post, "Bad Answers, Good Answers, and Terrific Answers," is available here:
volokh.com/posts/116838...
volokh.com/posts/116838...
If the outcome is in the job description, then the job isn't "judge."
Instead of hiring more immigration judges, the Department of Justice just posted an ad for "deportation judges." join.justice.gov
November 22, 2025 at 3:52 AM
If the outcome is in the job description, then the job isn't "judge."
Reposted by Matthew Segal
They misidentified the intern. The judge told them they had misidentified the intern. But instead of double checking, they took that as an affront to their authority. So they surrounded the judge's car and threatened to smash the windows to get to the intern.
They had misidentified the intern.
They had misidentified the intern.
The part where they threatened to break a judge’s car windows should be a bigger story … they feel comfortable treating judges this way, which means they are being told that they can do literally anything to nearly everyone
#BREAKING: A student intern at Rhode Island Superior Court was briefly taken into custody by ICE this afternoon before a judge intervened, 12 News has learned. Story by @jusolyn.bsky.social and @timwhiteri.bsky.social: ⤵️
November 21, 2025 at 5:03 PM
They misidentified the intern. The judge told them they had misidentified the intern. But instead of double checking, they took that as an affront to their authority. So they surrounded the judge's car and threatened to smash the windows to get to the intern.
They had misidentified the intern.
They had misidentified the intern.
In a weird way, SCOTUS's apparent unwillingness to allow district court *legal* rulings to stand in Trump cases might be pushing those courts to let fly with adverse *credibility* findings that they otherwise might have withheld as a courtesy.
November 21, 2025 at 12:46 AM
In a weird way, SCOTUS's apparent unwillingness to allow district court *legal* rulings to stand in Trump cases might be pushing those courts to let fly with adverse *credibility* findings that they otherwise might have withheld as a courtesy.
Reposted by Matthew Segal
This is a thread detailing a series of incidents where federal Judge Ellis rules that Gregory Bovino and his agents lied or misrepresented what was happening on the streets of Chicago. In this one, she says body cam footage suggests they brake checked to cause accidents
November 20, 2025 at 9:27 PM
This is a thread detailing a series of incidents where federal Judge Ellis rules that Gregory Bovino and his agents lied or misrepresented what was happening on the streets of Chicago. In this one, she says body cam footage suggests they brake checked to cause accidents
"Bovino appeared evasive over the three days of his deposition, either providing 'cute' responses to Plaintiffs’ counsel’s questions or outright lying."
Judge Ellis derides Greg Bovino as a serial fabulist who brazenly lied on the stand and seemingly considered it funny to perjure himself. cst.brightspotcdn.com/49/34/daecfb...
November 20, 2025 at 9:28 PM
"Bovino appeared evasive over the three days of his deposition, either providing 'cute' responses to Plaintiffs’ counsel’s questions or outright lying."
In the next Knives Out film Benoit Blanc once again encounters an unsavory group that is hiding serious wrongdoing, but this time he tricks them into supporting legislation requiring the DOJ to release the underlying files.
November 20, 2025 at 7:11 PM
In the next Knives Out film Benoit Blanc once again encounters an unsavory group that is hiding serious wrongdoing, but this time he tricks them into supporting legislation requiring the DOJ to release the underlying files.
Reposted by Matthew Segal
Incredible—according to @talkingpointsmemo.com, Judge Nachmanoff in the Comey case found a DC Circuit opinion almost directly on point that seems to prohibit what Halligan did with the indictment all the way back in 1969!
talkingpointsmemo.com/news/due-to-...
talkingpointsmemo.com/news/due-to-...
November 19, 2025 at 7:17 PM
Incredible—according to @talkingpointsmemo.com, Judge Nachmanoff in the Comey case found a DC Circuit opinion almost directly on point that seems to prohibit what Halligan did with the indictment all the way back in 1969!
talkingpointsmemo.com/news/due-to-...
talkingpointsmemo.com/news/due-to-...
Reposted by Matthew Segal
Criminal practitioners don’t astonish easily.
This is astonishing.
This is astonishing.
The facts are complicated, but here’s a summary of what appears to have happened based on the filings and today’s hearing:
NEWS: During a hearing in federal court in VA, prosecutors confirmed that the operative indictment in the case against James Comey was never shown to or voted on by the entire grand jury before it was presented in open court.
Defense counsel argued that’s a complete bar to further prosecution
Defense counsel argued that’s a complete bar to further prosecution
November 19, 2025 at 6:51 PM
Criminal practitioners don’t astonish easily.
This is astonishing.
This is astonishing.
Reposted by Matthew Segal
This shouldn't be a controversial position.
At today's Comey hearing, Michael Dreeben argued: "This has to stop. ... A message needs to be sent to the Executive Branch. You cannot allow the president to take advantage of the authority of the EB to use as a cudgel to damage [and intimidate] political opponents."
November 19, 2025 at 6:56 PM
This shouldn't be a controversial position.
Reposted by Matthew Segal
At today's Comey hearing, Michael Dreeben argued: "This has to stop. ... A message needs to be sent to the Executive Branch. You cannot allow the president to take advantage of the authority of the EB to use as a cudgel to damage [and intimidate] political opponents."
November 19, 2025 at 6:54 PM
At today's Comey hearing, Michael Dreeben argued: "This has to stop. ... A message needs to be sent to the Executive Branch. You cannot allow the president to take advantage of the authority of the EB to use as a cudgel to damage [and intimidate] political opponents."
This case should be thrown out, but the DOJ can perhaps claim privilege about whether an internal memo made a particular recommendation.
However, if there was in fact a memo recommending against charging Comey, any *evidence* it cited as support might have to be disclosed as Brady material.
However, if there was in fact a memo recommending against charging Comey, any *evidence* it cited as support might have to be disclosed as Brady material.
BREAKING: Prosecutors in the Comey case just told the judge that they’re under orders from the Deputy Attorney Generals’s office not to disclose whether career prosecutors wrote a memo recommending *against* indicting Comey prior to Halligan going to the grand jury.
November 19, 2025 at 4:47 PM
This case should be thrown out, but the DOJ can perhaps claim privilege about whether an internal memo made a particular recommendation.
However, if there was in fact a memo recommending against charging Comey, any *evidence* it cited as support might have to be disclosed as Brady material.
However, if there was in fact a memo recommending against charging Comey, any *evidence* it cited as support might have to be disclosed as Brady material.
Reposted by Matthew Segal
In @thebulwark.com pushing back on the "unreviewability" trend we're seeing among judges & others on executive authority when it comes to the military & foreign policy. Extreme cases aside, the courts play a vital role in military & FP questions.
www.thebulwark.com/p/military-a...
www.thebulwark.com/p/military-a...
“Military” and “Foreign Policy” Are Not Magic Words to Give the Government Unrestrained Power
And the courts should make that clear.
www.thebulwark.com
November 19, 2025 at 2:51 PM
In @thebulwark.com pushing back on the "unreviewability" trend we're seeing among judges & others on executive authority when it comes to the military & foreign policy. Extreme cases aside, the courts play a vital role in military & FP questions.
www.thebulwark.com/p/military-a...
www.thebulwark.com/p/military-a...
Reposted by Matthew Segal
NEW:
In 2024, Tierra Walker was sick and getting sicker. She was also pregnant.
She knew abortion was illegal in Texas, but thought there was an exception for women like her, whose health was at risk. Doctors told her there was no emergency.
Then she died.
www.propublica.org/article/texa...
In 2024, Tierra Walker was sick and getting sicker. She was also pregnant.
She knew abortion was illegal in Texas, but thought there was an exception for women like her, whose health was at risk. Doctors told her there was no emergency.
Then she died.
www.propublica.org/article/texa...
“Ticking Time Bomb”: A Pregnant Mother Kept Getting Sicker. She Died After She Couldn’t Get an Abortion in Texas.
Walker is one of several women ProPublica found with underlying health conditions who died when they couldn’t access abortions.
www.propublica.org
November 19, 2025 at 11:08 AM
NEW:
In 2024, Tierra Walker was sick and getting sicker. She was also pregnant.
She knew abortion was illegal in Texas, but thought there was an exception for women like her, whose health was at risk. Doctors told her there was no emergency.
Then she died.
www.propublica.org/article/texa...
In 2024, Tierra Walker was sick and getting sicker. She was also pregnant.
She knew abortion was illegal in Texas, but thought there was an exception for women like her, whose health was at risk. Doctors told her there was no emergency.
Then she died.
www.propublica.org/article/texa...
I think Trump's Law & Order messaging, including on immigration, has maybe possibly been a *teensy* bit undermined by his consistent pardoning, covering up, and downplaying of serious crimes.
November 19, 2025 at 2:11 AM
I think Trump's Law & Order messaging, including on immigration, has maybe possibly been a *teensy* bit undermined by his consistent pardoning, covering up, and downplaying of serious crimes.
Reposted by Matthew Segal
No tape, no testimony @segalmr.bsky.social
Nearly two weeks of surveillance footage from the Broadview ICE Detention Center has been "irretrievably destroyed" and cannot be produced as evidence in a lawsuit against the government over abhorrent conditions there:
www.404media.co/two-weeks-of...
www.404media.co/two-weeks-of...
Two Weeks of Surveillance Footage From ICE Detention Center ‘Irretrievably Destroyed’
"Defendants have indicated that some video between October 19, 2025 and October 31, 2025 has been irretrievably destroyed and therefore cannot be produced on an expedited basis or at all."
www.404media.co
November 18, 2025 at 11:48 PM
No tape, no testimony @segalmr.bsky.social
Reposted by Matthew Segal
NEW: In light of widespread allegations of civil rights violations arising from Trump's immigration crackdown, Democrats are renewing efforts to pass legislation to hold federal agents individually accountable:
www.nbcnews.com/politics/con...
www.nbcnews.com/politics/con...
Democrats target federal officials accused of civil rights violations in new legislation
Lawmakers are launching a new effort to close a legal loophole that means federal officials, including law enforcement agents, cannot be sued for constitutional violations.
www.nbcnews.com
November 18, 2025 at 9:42 PM
NEW: In light of widespread allegations of civil rights violations arising from Trump's immigration crackdown, Democrats are renewing efforts to pass legislation to hold federal agents individually accountable:
www.nbcnews.com/politics/con...
www.nbcnews.com/politics/con...
Reposted by Matthew Segal
"But when the Trump Administration reframed its request as a demand to redistrict congressional seats based on their racial makeup, Texas lawmakers immediately jumped on board."
— Trump appointee Jeffrey V. Brown, writing for a 3-judge panel storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
— Trump appointee Jeffrey V. Brown, writing for a 3-judge panel storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
November 18, 2025 at 6:17 PM
"But when the Trump Administration reframed its request as a demand to redistrict congressional seats based on their racial makeup, Texas lawmakers immediately jumped on board."
— Trump appointee Jeffrey V. Brown, writing for a 3-judge panel storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
— Trump appointee Jeffrey V. Brown, writing for a 3-judge panel storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
Reposted by Matthew Segal
Here is the federal district court's 2–1 ruling, authored by a very conservative Trump appointee, striking down Texas' new Republican gerrymander on the grounds that it unlawfully discriminates against racial minorities. storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
November 18, 2025 at 6:43 PM
Here is the federal district court's 2–1 ruling, authored by a very conservative Trump appointee, striking down Texas' new Republican gerrymander on the grounds that it unlawfully discriminates against racial minorities. storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...