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The International Academy of Trial Lawyers has one mission: to protect and promote the Rule of Law.
We condemn the new administration’s repeated disregard for the U.S. Constitution, as well as statutory and common law. In accordance with their Constitutional mandate, courts have rightfully intervened to protect legal rights and the Rule of Law.
Sunday (Feb. 23, 2025), Vice President JD Vance posted on social media that “judges aren’t allowed to control the executive’s legitimate power.” This continues a series of statements Vice President Vance has made urging the President to ignore court rulings. And yesterday, a court found that the President has done precisely that—he ignored an order from a federal court. Meanwhile, Elon Musk called for impeachment of another judge who ruled their actions violated the law.
In finding that the White House had defied an order to “restore frozen funding” for federal grants, Rhode Island Federal Judge John J. McConnell, Jr. began his ruling with a quote from the United States Supreme Court:
“[It is a] basic proposition that all orders and judgments of courts must be complied with promptly. * * * Persons who make private determinations of the law and refuse to obey an order generally risk criminal contempt even if the order is ultimately ruled incorrect. The orderly and expeditious administration of justice by the courts requires that an order issued by a court with jurisdiction over the subject matter and person must be obeyed by the parties until it is reversed by orderly and proper proceedings.”
Maness v. Meyers, 419 U.S. 449, 458–59 (1975) (citations and quotations omitted) (emphasis added in Order).
As we face assaults on the Judicial Branch, the International Academy of Trial Lawyers stands by an independent judiciary and stands with our fellow lawyers and lawyer organizations to protect and promote the Rule of Law.