Balls & Strikes
@ballsandstrikes.org
A nonprofit media outlet for progressive, bullshit-free commentary about courts, judges, and the legal system they uphold. Run by @jaywillis.net.
Seven years ago, Hamilton County prosecutors and Nichols’s lawyers reached a deal to re-sentence him to life in prison. The judge refused to accept it. Now, Nichols is scheduled to be executed this week.
Prosecutors and Jurors Don’t Want Harold Wayne Nichols Executed. Tennessee Plans to Execute Him Anyway
Seven years ago, Hamilton County prosecutors and Nichols’s lawyers reached a deal to re-sentence him to life in prison. The judge refused to accept it.
ballsandstrikes.org
December 7, 2025 at 2:49 PM
Seven years ago, Hamilton County prosecutors and Nichols’s lawyers reached a deal to re-sentence him to life in prison. The judge refused to accept it. Now, Nichols is scheduled to be executed this week.
Somehow the Supreme Court's shadow docket jurisprudence is getting even dumber and sloppier
A Thoughtful Child Could Spot the Problem With the Supreme Court’s Sloppy Pro-Gerrymandering Decision
The shadow docket order in the Texas redistricting case provides state lawmakers with step-by-step instructions for drawing discriminatory maps without having to worry about judicial review.
ballsandstrikes.substack.com
December 6, 2025 at 9:22 PM
Somehow the Supreme Court's shadow docket jurisprudence is getting even dumber and sloppier
Prosecutors don't want Harold Wayne Nichols executed. The jury doesn't want Harold Wayne Nichols executed. The judge refused to listen to them.
Prosecutors and Jurors Don’t Want Harold Wayne Nichols Executed. Tennessee Plans to Execute Him Anyway
Seven years ago, Hamilton County prosecutors and Nichols’s lawyers reached a deal to re-sentence him to life in prison. The judge refused to accept it.
ballsandstrikes.org
December 6, 2025 at 6:03 PM
Prosecutors don't want Harold Wayne Nichols executed. The jury doesn't want Harold Wayne Nichols executed. The judge refused to listen to them.
If John Roberts were a Republican political strategist working on keeping the House in 2026, what would he be doing differently
The Supreme Court Wants Republicans to Keep the House In 2026
A federal district court found that Texas Republicans’ redistricting proposal is an illegal racial gerrymander. The conservative justices couldn't care less.
ballsandstrikes.org
December 6, 2025 at 2:49 PM
If John Roberts were a Republican political strategist working on keeping the House in 2026, what would he be doing differently
The Supreme Court's conservative justices are the most powerful Republican political strategists in the country
The Supreme Court Wants Republicans to Keep the House In 2026
A federal district court found that Texas Republicans’ redistricting proposal is an illegal racial gerrymander. The conservative justices couldn't care less.
ballsandstrikes.org
December 5, 2025 at 7:26 PM
The Supreme Court's conservative justices are the most powerful Republican political strategists in the country
One problem with the Supreme Court's refusal to show its work in its pro-Trump shadow docket cases is that lower court judges have plenty of wiggle room to ignore the Supreme Court's pro-Trump shadow docket cases
Federal Judge Has No Interest In Taking Brett Kavanaugh’s Racial Profiling Opinion Seriously
The Trump administration cited Kavanaugh’s infamous concurrence to justify its immigration arrests. Judge Beryl Howell was having none of it.
ballsandstrikes.org
December 5, 2025 at 3:06 PM
One problem with the Supreme Court's refusal to show its work in its pro-Trump shadow docket cases is that lower court judges have plenty of wiggle room to ignore the Supreme Court's pro-Trump shadow docket cases
What unites Republican lawmakers in states across the country is a fervent belief that legal checks on their power are inherently illegitimate
Utah Republicans Are Declaring War On the Utah Supreme Court
Utah Republicans are responding to losses at the Utah Supreme Court by punishing the justices who keep standing in their way.
ballsandstrikes.org
December 5, 2025 at 12:45 PM
What unites Republican lawmakers in states across the country is a fervent belief that legal checks on their power are inherently illegitimate
The Trump administration cited Brett Kavanaugh's solo defense of racial profiling in a recent court case. It didn't go well
Federal Judge Has No Interest In Taking Brett Kavanaugh’s Racial Profiling Opinion Seriously
The Trump administration cited Kavanaugh’s infamous concurrence to justify its immigration arrests. Judge Beryl Howell was having none of it.
ballsandstrikes.org
December 4, 2025 at 9:38 PM
The Trump administration cited Brett Kavanaugh's solo defense of racial profiling in a recent court case. It didn't go well
The Trump administration is pushing out any immigration judges who don't share the president's anti-immigrant politics
Trump Has Never Been Clearer About What an Immigration Judge’s Real Job Is
The president doesn’t want immigration judges who handle cases by the book. He wants immigration judges who will rubber-stamp his mass deportations agenda.
ballsandstrikes.org
December 4, 2025 at 7:26 PM
The Trump administration is pushing out any immigration judges who don't share the president's anti-immigrant politics
The Utah Supreme Court forced Utah Republican lawmakers to follow a voter-passed anti-gerrymandering law. Utah Republican lawmakers are now trying to change the Utah Supreme Court to make sure this never happens again.
Utah Republicans Are Declaring War On the Utah Supreme Court
Utah Republicans are responding to losses at the Utah Supreme Court by punishing the justices who keep standing in their way.
ballsandstrikes.org
December 4, 2025 at 5:12 PM
The Utah Supreme Court forced Utah Republican lawmakers to follow a voter-passed anti-gerrymandering law. Utah Republican lawmakers are now trying to change the Utah Supreme Court to make sure this never happens again.
One of the Trump stooges who helped greenlight the boat bombings is now a life-tenured federal appeals court judge
Report: Trump’s Most Corrupt, Least Qualified Judge Was Also an Enthusiastic Proponent of Extrajudicial Killings
Yet another reason for Senate Democrats to impeach Emil Bove the moment they take back the upper chamber.
ballsandstrikes.org
December 4, 2025 at 3:05 PM
One of the Trump stooges who helped greenlight the boat bombings is now a life-tenured federal appeals court judge
Trump is getting rid of immigration judges who don't do exactly as he says
Trump Has Never Been Clearer About What an Immigration Judge’s Real Job Is
The president doesn’t want immigration judges who handle cases by the book. He wants immigration judges who will rubber-stamp his mass deportations agenda.
ballsandstrikes.org
December 4, 2025 at 12:45 PM
Trump is getting rid of immigration judges who don't do exactly as he says
These people need therapy
Republican Politicians Are Obsessed With Lying About Planned Parenthood
First Choice is a technical case about federal court jurisdiction. Republicans are using it to attack Planned Parenthood instead.
ballsandstrikes.org
December 3, 2025 at 9:38 PM
These people need therapy
The job of an immigration judge under Trump is just to deport as many people as possible
Trump Has Never Been Clearer About What an Immigration Judge’s Real Job Is
The president doesn’t want immigration judges who handle cases by the book. He wants immigration judges who will rubber-stamp his mass deportations agenda.
ballsandstrikes.org
December 3, 2025 at 7:26 PM
The job of an immigration judge under Trump is just to deport as many people as possible
How a gaggle of Republican AGs used a technical Supreme Court case to shriek incoherently about Planned Parenthood
Republican Politicians Are Obsessed With Lying About Planned Parenthood
First Choice is a technical case about federal court jurisdiction. Republicans are using it to attack Planned Parenthood instead.
ballsandstrikes.org
December 3, 2025 at 12:45 PM
How a gaggle of Republican AGs used a technical Supreme Court case to shriek incoherently about Planned Parenthood
Antonin Scalia cared deeply about "diversity" when it helped him become a Supreme Court justice. He hated it whenever it benefited anyone else
Antonin Scalia Was a Diversity Hire
The late justice spent his career ridiculing the notion that elite institutions had any interest in diversity. He might not have made the Supreme Court without it.
ballsandstrikes.substack.com
December 2, 2025 at 9:38 PM
Antonin Scalia cared deeply about "diversity" when it helped him become a Supreme Court justice. He hated it whenever it benefited anyone else
Montana Republicans are very angry that the Montana Supreme Court isn't giving them everything they want
Montana Republicans Are Trying to Hijack the Montana Supreme Court
The state’s highest court ruled against GOP lawmakers in a few high-profile cases. GOP lawmakers are responding in kind.
ballsandstrikes.org
December 2, 2025 at 7:26 PM
Montana Republicans are very angry that the Montana Supreme Court isn't giving them everything they want
Every federal court is a forum for conservative grievance politics
Republican Politicians Are Obsessed With Lying About Planned Parenthood
First Choice is a technical case about federal court jurisdiction. Republicans are using it to attack Planned Parenthood instead.
ballsandstrikes.org
December 2, 2025 at 5:12 PM
Every federal court is a forum for conservative grievance politics
At this point it would be simpler to talk about the Trump scandals in which Emil Bove WASN'T personally involved
Report: Trump’s Most Corrupt, Least Qualified Judge Was Also an Enthusiastic Proponent of Extrajudicial Killings
Yet another reason for Senate Democrats to impeach Emil Bove the moment they take back the upper chamber.
ballsandstrikes.org
December 1, 2025 at 9:38 PM
At this point it would be simpler to talk about the Trump scandals in which Emil Bove WASN'T personally involved
Montana lawmakers are trying to hijack a Supreme Court that keeps getting in their way
Montana Republicans Are Trying to Hijack the Montana Supreme Court
The state’s highest court ruled against GOP lawmakers in a few high-profile cases. GOP lawmakers are responding in kind.
ballsandstrikes.org
December 1, 2025 at 7:26 PM
Montana lawmakers are trying to hijack a Supreme Court that keeps getting in their way
Republicans will take any excuse to peddle demented conspiracy theories about their least favorite healthcare provider
Republican Politicians Are Obsessed With Lying About Planned Parenthood
First Choice is a technical case about federal court jurisdiction. Republicans are using it to attack Planned Parenthood instead.
ballsandstrikes.org
December 1, 2025 at 5:12 PM
Republicans will take any excuse to peddle demented conspiracy theories about their least favorite healthcare provider
Boy, Montana Republicans do NOT like it when the state supreme court issues decisions they don't like!
Montana Republicans Are Trying to Hijack the Montana Supreme Court
The state’s highest court ruled against GOP lawmakers in a few high-profile cases. GOP lawmakers are responding in kind.
ballsandstrikes.org
November 26, 2025 at 7:26 PM
Boy, Montana Republicans do NOT like it when the state supreme court issues decisions they don't like!
Antonin Scalia was a diversity hire
Antonin Scalia Was a Diversity Hire
The late justice spent his career ridiculing the notion that elite institutions had any interest in diversity. He might not have made the Supreme Court without it.
ballsandstrikes.substack.com
November 26, 2025 at 5:12 PM
Antonin Scalia was a diversity hire
Trump loves breaking the law and conservative judges love helping him do it
How Conservative Judges Turned a Throwaway Line Into a Free Pass For ICE Violence
For these judges, the White House not getting its way is a legal crisis that requires immediate intervention.
ballsandstrikes.org
November 25, 2025 at 3:05 PM
Trump loves breaking the law and conservative judges love helping him do it
We are running out of ways to say that Emil Bove has no business being a lawyer, much less a federal judge ballsandstrikes.org/law-politics...
November 25, 2025 at 12:45 PM
We are running out of ways to say that Emil Bove has no business being a lawyer, much less a federal judge ballsandstrikes.org/law-politics...