Select Federal Court Decisions, Links, and Memos
WA Office of the Attorney General news releases
6/27/2025: Trump v. CASA 24A884: Universal injunctions likely exceed the equitable authority that Congress has given to federal courts
Contents
- Recent Complaints
- Indirect Cost Caps
- Award terminations
- Funding Certification Requirements & Terminations
- Gender Ideology / Gender Affirming Care
- Organization Dismantling / Reductions Impacting Grants
- Rescinded OMB Memo / Funding Freeze – Issued 1/27/2025
Recent Complaints
- State of New York, et al v. National Science Foundation; Brian Stone ~ destruction of critical higher ed. STEM research 1:25-cv-04452
- 6/13/2025: Hearing on cross-motions for summary judgement
- State of California, et al. v. U.S. Department of Transportation, et al. 1:25-cv-00208
- 6/19/2025 Preliminary Injunction ordered. Court forbids; implementing or enforcing, withholding or terminating federal funding, . . . . or taking adverse action against any state entity or local jurisdiction, including barring it from receiving or making it ineligible for federal funding, based on the Immigration Enforcement Condition as set forth in the Duffy Directive.
Indirect Cost Caps
National Institutes of Health (NIH)
Commonwealth of Massachusetts, et al. v. National Institutes of Health, et al. 1:25-cv-10338
- 3/05/2025: Court issues preliminary injunction blocking proposed NIH indirect cost cap
- Three cases consolidated 1:25-cv-10338, 1:25-cv-10340, and 1:25-cv-10346
- 4/09/2025: Appeal filed USCA 25-1343
- 6/17/2025: Hearing on merits of case scheduled
Department of Defense
- 6/16/2025: Association of American Universities et al v. Department of Defense; Peter Hegseth 1:25-cv-11740
Department of Energy (DOE)
Association of American Universities, et al. v. Department of Energy, et al. 1:25-cv-10912
- 5/15/2025: U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts granted a Preliminary Injunction blocking the DOE from implementing a 15% cap on reimbursement for colleges’ indirect research costs.
National Science Foundation (NSF)
Association of American Universities, et al. v. National Science Foundation, et al. 1:25-cv-11231
- 5/16/2025: Defendant’s (NSF) Notice: Stay (pause) on implementation of the NSF 15% Indirect Cost Rate through June 13
- 6/18/2025: NSF is extending its previously issued temporary pause until a decision on this case is reached.
- 6/20/2025: Court declares that the NSF’s 15% Indirect Cost Rate and the Policy Notice are invalid, arbitrary and capricious, and contrary to law.
Award Terminations
Commonwealth of Massachusetts v. Kennedy, Jr. 1:25-cv-10814
Challenge of NIH grant terminations, delays, and the removal of notices of funding opportunities.
- 5/16/2025: Preliminary Injunction granted
- 6/23/2025: Challenged Directives and resulting terminations are ruled arbitrary and capricious and therefore void. Voided terminations includes terminated NIH awards as well as non-competing continuations that were delayed on the basis of challenged directives.
State of Colorado, et al. v. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, et al. 1:25-cv-00121
Challenges termination of Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) grants funded through COVID-19 legislation.
National Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education, et al. v. Donald J. Trump, et al. 1:25-cv-00333
Challenges the enforcement of certain portions of Executive Orders related to diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) efforts.
- 3/14/2025: USCA 25-1189 Stay of earlier preliminary injunction
Funding Certification Requirements & Terminations
Funding Certification Requirements and Terminations – DEI, Title VI, Immigration Enforcement Related
National Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education, et al. v. Donald J. Trump, et al.
See listing under Award Terminations
Gender Ideology / Gender Affirming Care
State of Washington, et al. v. Donald J. Trump, et al. 2:25-cv-00244
- 2/28/2025: Preliminary Injunction: Defendant fully enjoined from enforcing or implementing certain sections of Executive Order on gender affirming care within the Plaintiff States (includes Washington)
- 3/06/2025: Notice of Court Order to Agencies in light of preliminary injunction
- 3/17/2025: District Court denies Plaintiff’s Motion for Contempt and grant expedited discovery; Court orders Defendants to correct their too narrow interpretation of the original preliminary injunction
- 3/24/2025: Appeal filed USCA 25-1922
- 5/16/2025: Order to stay proceedings pending decisions of U.S. v Skrmetti USCA 23-477
Organization Dismantling / Reductions Impacting Grants
USAID
AIDS Vaccine Advocacy Coalition, et al. v. U.S. Department of State, et al. 1:25-cv-00400
- Consolidated with Global Health Council, et al. v. Donald J. Trump, et al. 1:25-cv-00402
- 3/10/2025: Preliminary Injunction granted in part and denied in part: Defendants enjoined from enforcing or giving effect to sections 1, 5, 7, 8, and 9 of the January 24 State Department memorandum, and any other directives that implement sections 3(a) and 3(c) of Executive Order No. 14169…
- 7/07/2025: Oral arguments scheduled
Institute of Museum & Library Sciences
State of Rhode Island, et al. v. Donald J. Trump, et al. 1:25-cv-00128
- 5/6/25: Preliminary Injunction restraining the Defendant federal agencies from implementing the President’s Executive Order 14238, “Continuing the Reduction of the Federal Bureaucracy” (“Reduction EO”), as it applies to these federal agencies, including the Institute of Museum and Library Services.
- 5/21/2025: Appeal filed USCA 25-1477
- 6/05/2025: Defendants appeal to stay preliminary injunction denied
Rescinded OMB Memo / Funding Freeze – Issued 1/27/2025
State of New York v. Trump et al. 1:25-cv-00039
- 3/6/2025: U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island issues preliminary injunction; government enjoined from implementing or giving effect to OMB Memo M-25-13 or otherwise impeding disbursement of appropriated federal funds
- 05/05/2025 Appeals 25- 1236 and 25-1413 consolidated
National Council of Nonprofits, et al. v. Office of Management and Budget, et al. 1:25-cv-00239
- 2/25/2025: U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia issues preliminary injunction; government enjoined from implementing or giving effect to OMB Memo M-25-13 with respect to disbursement of federal funds
- 4/25/2025: Appeal filed USCA 25-5148