↑ Courts and the Judiciary 4 Takeaways From Jack Smith’s Testimony Before Lawmakers - In his remarks, the former special counsel repeatedly denied that he had acted out of partisan animus and bemoaned the Trump administration’s efforts to go after the president’s perceived enemies.Supreme Court Hearing Reveals Unease Over Threats to Fed Independence - As the justices weighed the consequences of allowing President Trump to fire a Federal Reserve official, the president reprised his pressure campaign on the central bank.Court Denies Lawmakers Seeking Independent Monitor of Epstein Files - A federal judge said he did not have the authority to supervise the Justice Department’s release of the documents.Supreme Court Considers Trump’s Attempt to Fire Fed Governor Lisa Cook - The justices deferred a decision on the president’s efforts to oust Cook, agreeing to hear arguments on Wednesday instead.In U.S. Attorney Standoff, Judge Denounces ‘Charade’ by Lindsey Halligan - Federal judges are seeking candidates to fill the top federal prosecutor job in eastern Virginia after a court ruled that President Trump’s handpicked choice was unlawfully appointed to the job.Judge Allows Policy Restricting Lawmakers’ Access to ICE Facilities - The decision permitted the Trump administration to continue restricting inspections of the conditions inside immigration detention compounds.In Minneapolis, a Pattern of Misconduct Toward Protesters - Legal and criminal justice experts said a ruling by a federal judge last week revealed conduct by immigration agents that evokes the civil rights era.One Year of Trump. The Time to Act Is Now, While We Still Can. - The United States is broken, but not in every way.The Judge in the Maduro Case Is 92. All Eyes Will Be on His Stamina. - Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein was seen drifting in and out of sleep in court last year. The case of Nicolás Maduro, the Venezuelan leader, will test his endurance.After Minnesota Shooting, ICE Again Limits Congressional Visits - The new guidelines for immigration facilities, issued by Kristi Noem, the homeland security secretary, are virtually identical to a policy that a federal judge halted last month.