In 2024, U.S. appellate courts witnessed a multitude of striking and sometimes controversial moments that have left a lasting impact on the legal landscape. A significant incident involved a judge candidly criticizing a litigant’s stance as causing “an effing nightmare.” In a different case, noticeable concern was raised over the legal community’s silence during a barrage of “illegitimate aspersions” aimed at the judiciary. Another notable moment was when public officials dramatically disagreed with a court’s opinion, going so far as to physically destroy the document. This year also saw key rulings involving contentious politicians, the regulation of social media, and long-standing environmental policies.
For a detailed circuit-by-circuit analysis of these and other memorable developments from 2024, refer to the comprehensive review available on Law360.