Fact Check: "Four major law firms have defeated Trump's executive orders in court without appeals."
What We Know
Recent legal battles have seen four major law firms—Perkins Coie, Jenner & Block, WilmerHale, and Susman Godfrey—successfully challenge a series of executive orders issued by former President Donald Trump. These orders aimed to impose punitive measures on these firms for representing clients or causes that Trump opposed. All four lawsuits resulted in permanent injunctions against the enforcement of these executive orders, with judges declaring them unconstitutional (NPR, 2025) [source-1].
U.S. District Judge Loren AliKhan, in her ruling against Susman Godfrey, stated that "every court to have considered a challenge to one of these orders has found grave constitutional violations" (CBS News, 2025) [source-6]. Additionally, the rulings from judges appointed by both Republican and Democratic presidents emphasized the importance of protecting the First and Fifth Amendment rights of the law firms involved (Washington Post, 2025) [source-4].
Analysis
The claim that four major law firms have defeated Trump's executive orders in court without appeals is substantiated by the documented outcomes of the lawsuits. Each of the four firms filed individual lawsuits against the executive orders, and all four were successful in court, leading to permanent blocks on the enforcement of these orders (New York Times, 2025) [source-2].
The Trump administration did not appeal these decisions, which is unusual given its typical litigation strategy of appealing unfavorable rulings. Legal experts suggest that the administration recognized the weakness of its position and opted not to pursue appeals, likely aiming to intimidate other firms into compliance rather than genuinely contesting the rulings (New York Times, 2025) [source-2]. This strategy reflects a broader pattern of attempting to exert pressure on legal entities rather than engaging in legitimate legal battles.
The credibility of the sources reporting on these events is high, with major news outlets like NPR, CBS News, and the Washington Post providing detailed coverage of the court rulings and the implications of Trump's executive orders. These outlets are known for their journalistic integrity and thorough fact-checking processes, making their reports reliable (NPR, 2025; CBS News, 2025; Washington Post, 2025).
Conclusion
The claim that "four major law firms have defeated Trump's executive orders in court without appeals" is True. All four law firms successfully challenged the executive orders in court, resulting in permanent injunctions without any subsequent appeals from the Trump administration. The rulings were based on constitutional grounds, reinforcing the protection of legal representation rights in the United States.
Sources
- A fourth judge has blocked a Trump executive order ...
- Trump's Strategy in Law Firm Cases: Lose, Don't Appeal, ...
- Judge blocks Trump's order against Susman Godfrey law firm
- Trump's law firm sanctions, harshly rejected in court, still ...
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- Judge finds Trump executive order punishing Susman ...
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