August Showdowns: Voting rights and authoritarian overreach

 

August 2, 2025

Congress may be in recess, but it's a busy month on the docket for democracy. The GOP’s anti-voting machine isn’t slowing down and key cases in the fight against President Donald Trump’s authoritarian agenda will take center stage.   Here’s what you can expect this month.   — Ashley Cleaves, Legal Content Editor

This premium newsletter will keep you in the loop on what to expect next month, the top cases to look out for and other legal tidbits you won’t find anywhere else. Become a member to receive every edition.

MLB returned to Georgia, voter suppression never left The MLB All Star Game returned to Georgia last month after the league moved the game in response to pressure from voting advocates after the passage of Georgia’s sweeping voter suppression bill a few years ago. But much of the law still stands, and Republicans are seeking to revive two more provisions in the 11th Circuit this month. Georgia Republicans also want to appoint two election conspiracists to Fulton County’s election board. The board oversees elections in the state’s largest county. Their efforts have been repeatedly thwarted by local officials, but a state court will hear a GOP lawsuit on the issue this month.   Arizona Republicans in disarray There are two hearings scheduled in an ongoing dispute between Republican officials over election duties in Arizona’s most populous county. The rancor between officials could undermine the county’s preparedness for the 2026 elections. While Republicans clash in Maricopa, the Arizona Court of Appeals will hear arguments in an anti-voting challenge seeking to limit the documents election workers can use to verify a voter’s signature.  It’s Trump vs. everybody While some troops have been withdrawn from Los Angeles, the fight is not over. Later this month, California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) will be back in court to face Trump in a trial over the deployment of National Guard troops in the state.  A key hearing is also scheduled in Trump’s sweeping lawsuit against all of Maryland’s federal judges. Trump wants the judges to ignore due process in support of his deportations. Unlike some major institutions, the judges refuse to bend the knee. They’ll take their chances in court.  Federal courts will also hear several cases concerning the administration’s requests to uphold Trump’s birthright citizenship order, dismantle the Department of Education and greenlight efforts to terminate thousands of federal workers.

Here’s a full rundown of court activities this month    August 1:  The 1st Circuit will hear arguments in the government’s appeal of a nationwide order blocking Trump’s birthright citizenship executive order.  A Georgia state court will hear a lawsuit challenging Fulton County’s refusal to seat two election conspiracists on its elections board.  August 8:  A hearing is scheduled in a pro-voting lawsuit challenging a South Dakota law that makes the signature collection process for ballot initiatives more difficult. A federal court will hear a request to release federal funding for the National Endowment for Democracy.  August 11:  Trial begins in Newsom’s challenge to Trump’s deployment of the military in Los Angeles.  A state court will hear a Republican dispute over election duties in Maricopa County.  August 13:  The 11th Circuit will hear arguments in an appeal over Georgia SB 202’s linewarming ban and birthdate requirement provision.  A federal court will hear the government’s request to stop federal judges from blocking deportations.  August 15:  A federal court will hear a lawsuit seeking to block the dismantling of the Department of Education through mass layoffs and cancellation of grants. A state court will conduct another hearing in a Republican dispute over election duties in Maricopa county.  August 18: The 9th Circuit will hear arguments in the government’s appeal of an order blocking the federal government from conducting mass layoffs.  August 19: The Arizona Court of Appeals will hear arguments in an anti-voting lawsuit challenging the state’s rules for signature verification.

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