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Payvand Ahdout

@payvandahdout.bsky.social

290 followers 200 following 31 posts

Associate Professor at UVA Law writing (mostly) about federal courts and constitutional law

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Payvand Ahdout @payvandahdout.bsky.social · Nov 22

Seems like a good time to re-up my Article on judicial review of uses of executive enforcement power ssrn.com/abstract=381...

Enforcement Lawmaking and Judicial Review

It is — and has long been — well known that the Executive’s power is expanding. To date, there are two dominant analyses of the judiciary’s role in that expansi

ssrn.com

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UVA Law School @uvalaw.bsky.social · 3h

The First Circuit may offer the “best shot” for legal challenges against the Trump administration, says Prof. @payvandahdout.bsky.social. @legal.reuters.com

New England courts become a battleground for challenges to Trump

A federal judge in Boston had some pointed words for Donald Trump as he issued one of the dozens of decisions by courts in four New England states against the Republican president in challenges to the legality of his policies.

www.reuters.com

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UVA Law School @uvalaw.bsky.social · 3d

What does the “legal mid-transition” mean for clean energy? Prof. Alison Gocke explores the phenomenon in a new paper.

Professor Explores How Energy Law Is in Flux

In a new paper, University of Virginia School of Law professor Alison Gocke examines how legal frameworks are in flux amid the transition to clean energy.

www.law.virginia.edu

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Sharon Brett @sharonbrett.bsky.social · 10d

Call for Papers for 15th Annual Fed Courts Junior Scholars conference is now up: law.ku.edu/junior-facul.... Lots of advanced notice, hope you will consider submitting!

Will work on distributing this to various listservs and blogs, but please share if you are able.

15th Annual Junior Faculty Federal Courts Workshop

April 24, 2026| KU School of Law

law.ku.edu

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Alex Hemmer @ahemmer.bsky.social · 12d

Our office is again hiring one or more attorneys for a one-year fellowship to work directly with the Illinois Solicitor General and her team, beginning in August/September 2026.

www.governmentjobs.com/careers/ilag...

Job Opportunities | Office of the Illinois Attorney General

www.governmentjobs.com

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Stanford CIS @stanfordcis.bsky.social · 14d

New research from @daniellecitron.bsky.social @ariezra.bsky.social examines growing concerns around content moderators — people tasked with keeping social media free of explicit content. Their upcoming paper adds to mounting warnings about this challenging job www.techpolicy.press/is-trust-saf...

Is Trust & Safety Dead, or Just Evolving? | TechPolicy.Press

Tech Policy Press contributing editor Dean Jackson considers the conclusions of a new paper by Danielle Keats Citron and Ari Ezra Waldman.

www.techpolicy.press

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Payvand Ahdout @payvandahdout.bsky.social · 13d

There are literally no words. SMH

Payvand Ahdout @payvandahdout.bsky.social · 13d

This from my incomparable colleague, Caleb Nelson, on originalism and the unitary executive theory.

Rick Pildes @rickpildes.bsky.social · 14d

At NYU's Democracy Project (more on that later), Prof. Caleb Nelson has a feature essay arguing that originalism does not support the unitary executive branch theory. Caleb is one of the country's leading originalist scholars, frequently cited by the Court.

democracyproject.org/posts/must-a...

Special Feature: Must Administrative Officers Serve at the President’s Pleasure?

A broad range of views on democracy to help break the stalemate caused by partisan conflict.

democracyproject.org

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Alexandra Lahav @alahav.bsky.social · 27d

If you want some descriptive statistics of litigation in the federal courts, my co authored article providing them is out in JELS!
doi.org/10.1111/jels...

No Adjudication

Using the complete record of all federal civil docket sheets for cases filed in a two-year period, recently made available by the SCALES-OKN project, we find that most cases that enter the federal sy...

doi.org

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William Baude @williambaude.bsky.social · 27d

Out today: The Fall of Affirmative Action, by Justin Driver www.amazon.com/Fall-Affirma...

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Alan Rozenshtein @alanrozenshtein.com · Sep 11

The video from DeeksFest 2025 (the celebration of the wonderful Ashley Deeks's terrific recent book on national security AI) is up, with @daniellecitron.bsky.social hosting and comments from @martylederman.bsky.social @asaflubin.bsky.social and me. www.youtube.com/watch?v=exMW...

Inside ‘The Double Black Box’

YouTube video by University of Virginia School of Law

www.youtube.com

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UVA Law School @uvalaw.bsky.social · Sep 10

WATCH: Scholars discuss Vice Dean Ashley Deeks’ new book, “The Double Black Box: National Security, Artificial Intelligence, and the Struggle for Democratic Accountability.”

Inside ‘The Double Black Box’

YouTube video by University of Virginia School of Law

youtu.be

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Steve Vladeck @stevevladeck.bsky.social · Sep 10

For folks who are wondering just how long #SCOTUS has had the power to behave the way it’s behaving on emergency applications (mostly since 1925), and whether the Court’s recent behavior is meaningfully different from, say, prior to 2015 (it sure is), you might find my book at least somewhat useful:

The Shadow Docket

An instant New York Times bestseller: An acclaimed legal scholar’s “important” (New York Times) and “fascinating” (Economist) exposé of how the ...

www.basicbooks.com

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Payvand Ahdout @payvandahdout.bsky.social · Sep 4

/3 "Re-upping" = academic I told you so.

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Payvand Ahdout @payvandahdout.bsky.social · Sep 4

/2 Re-upping Enforcement Lawmaking & Judicial Review, where I argued that the Supreme Court risked subverting judicial power for executive power if they curbed lower court decisionmaking.
papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers....

Enforcement Lawmaking and Judicial Review

It is — and has long been — well known that the Executive’s power is expanding. To date, there are two dominant analyses of the judiciary’s role in that expansi

papers.ssrn.com

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Payvand Ahdout @payvandahdout.bsky.social · Sep 4

/1 Lower court judges interviewed for this article discuss their frustration with the Supreme Court's not having their back: www.nbcnews.com/politics/sup...

In rare interviews, federal judges criticize Supreme Court's handling of Trump cases

Ten judges tell NBC News the Supreme Court needs to explain its rulings better, with some urging Chief Justice John Roberts to do more to defend the judiciary against external criticism.

www.nbcnews.com

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State Democracy Research Initiative @uwlawdemocracy.bsky.social · Sep 3

📢Call for papers for a Scholarship Roundtable on State and Local Governance, organized by @uwlawdemocracy.bsky.social and Professors Alexandra Klass, Nina Mendelson, and @chrisjwalker.bsky.social and taking place at @umichlaw.bsky.social, 4/10/26 in Ann Arbor!

Details here: go.wisc.edu/rx53ph

Committed Commentators to Date:

Sara Bronin, George Washington University Law School
Sheila Foster, Columbia Law School & Columbia University Climate School
Alexandra Klass, University of Michigan Law School
Nina Mendelson, University of Michigan Law School
Miriam Seifter, University of Wisconsin Law School
Ganesh Sitaraman, Vanderbilt University Law School
Christopher Walker, University of Michigan Law School
Rob Yablon, University of Wisconsin Law School

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Liz Sepper @lsepper.bsky.social · Sep 3

Texas Law has a new academic fellowship program. Please share with any aspiring legal academics!

(The first fellow started this summer and I can say the level of mentorship, support, and inclusion of fellows is exceptional)

Texas Law Academic Fellowships

We are delighted to announce the launch of the Texas Law Academic Fellowships program. The program supports individuals who are committed to obtaining an appointment as a tenure-track member of a law...

law.utexas.edu

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Jamal Greene @jamalgreene.bsky.social · Aug 28

Will Baude is always rewarding reading. Here on the unconstitutional birthright citizenship EO. blog.dividedargument.com/p/complicati...

Complications and Clarity in Birthright Citizenship

The conventional wisdom is right.

blog.dividedargument.com

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Just Security @justsecurity.org · Aug 28

We’re hiring! JS is seeking a full-time Editorial Assistant to support our democracy and rule of law initiatives and help advance our broader work and mission.

Application deadline is September 15. Early applications are highly encouraged. Apply here: www.justsecurity.org/just-securit...

Just Security Is Hiring: Editorial Assistant - Democracy and Rule of Law

Just Security is seeking strongly qualified candidates to fill a full-time Executive Assistant/Editorial Assistant (EA) role.

www.justsecurity.org

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Micah Schwartzman @micahschwartzman.bsky.social · Aug 27

This conference in honor and memory of Fred Schauer is open to the public and will be held at @uvalaw.bsky.social on Sept. 11-12. The full schedule of panels and speakers is linked below.

www.law.virginia.edu/event/rules-...

Rules and Reasons: A Conference for Fred Schauer

An interdisciplinary and international group of scholars will explore the legacy of the late UVA Law professor Frederick Schauer, a world-renowned scholar whose work spanned law and philosophy, eviden...

www.law.virginia.edu

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Richard M Re @richardre.bsky.social · Aug 27

richardresjudicata.wordpress.com/2025/08/27/c...

Call for Nominations: Best Untenured Article on Federal Courts

Posting the following announcement: The AALS Section on Federal Courts is pleased to announce the annual award for the best article on the law of federal courts or federal jurisdiction by a full-ti…

richardresjudicata.wordpress.com

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Payvand Ahdout @payvandahdout.bsky.social · Aug 27

I guess it wasn't a ham sandwich. www.nytimes.com/2025/08/27/u...

Prosecutors Fail to Secure Indictment Against Man Who Threw Sandwich at Federal Agent

www.nytimes.com

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Danielle Citron @daniellecitron.bsky.social · Aug 26

Wise wise words of scholar studying deeply our structural constitution and separation of powers @payvandahdout.bsky.social. Great thread on the US v. Russell head scratcher of a litigation and insights on ruling.

Payvand Ahdout @payvandahdout.bsky.social · Aug 26

Reading the court's opinion in United States v. Russell -- interbranch litigation that the Executive initiated against the District of Maryland. Some thoughts on the opinion, which reaches the right result, sometimes on the right grounds and sometimes on incorrect ones. /1

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The Washington Post @washingtonpost.com · Aug 26

Breaking news: A federal judge dismisses the Justice Department's lawsuit against all 15 of Maryland’s judges over their handling of deportations.

Judge dismisses unprecedented DOJ lawsuit against Maryland federal court

Justice Department officials are expected to continue their legal challenge, either by appealing Cullen’s ruling or pursuing separate legal challenges..

www.washingtonpost.com

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Payvand Ahdout @payvandahdout.bsky.social · Aug 26

And stay tuned for a new, more comprehensive article on the topic.

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