Appeals court halts Boasberg's contempt proceedings against Trump administration [View all]
Source: The Hill
04/18/25 8:31 PM ET
A divided federal appeals court panel on Friday temporarily halted U.S. District Judge James Boasbergs contempt proceedings against the Trump administration over its deportation flights to El Salvador last month.
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit indicated its order is intended to provide sufficient opportunity for the court to consider the governments appeal and should not be construed in any way as a ruling on the merits of that motion.
But for now, it prevents Boasberg from moving ahead with his efforts to hold administration officials in contempt. The judge on Wednesday found probable cause for contempt, calling the governments refusal to turn around the March 15 deportation flights a willful disregard for the courts order.
The three-judge D.C. Circuit panel split 2-1. The two Trump appointees, Judges Gregory Katsas and Neomi Rao, ruled for the administration. Judge Cornelia Pillard, an appointee of former President Obama, dissented. In the absence of an appealable order or any clear and indisputable right to relief that would support mandamus, there is no ground for an administrative stay, Pillard wrote in a brief explanation.
Read more: https://thehill.com/regulation/court-battles/5256814-appeals-court-boasberg-trump-contempt/