Forum: Nationwide Injunctions and Federal Regulatory Programs

Forum Transcript

Forum Press Release

Sponsors:

• Administrative Conference of the United States
• The George Washington University Law School
• American Bar Association, Section of Administrative Law and Regulatory Practice

Program Description:

Nationwide injunctions prohibit the federal government from enforcing statutes, executive orders, and regulations against anyone, not just the particular plaintiffs who have challenged them in federal court. Their increasing use in high-profile cases has raised questions as to when, if ever, federal courts should use them to remedy unlawful governmental action. 

This forum will bring together leading commentators, judges, and public officials to debate this controversial subject. They’ll address the arguments for and against nationwide injunctions, special issues that arise in challenges to federal regulations, and possible judicial and statutory reforms. 

Deputy Attorney General Jeffrey Rosen will offer opening remarks, now available at the Department of Justice website here.  Associate Attorney General Beth Williams' prepared remarks are also available.

Attendees are requested to RSVP in advance of the event via the link below. 

Pre-forum public comments are welcome at info@acus.gov. Background reading materials and a PDF version of the agenda are available for download below. 

AGENDA

9:30 a.m. Meet and Greet 

10:00 a.m. Opening Remarks 

The Honorable Jeffrey A. Rosen, Deputy Attorney General of the United States

10:20 a.m. Discussion 

• Loren AliKhan, Solicitor General for the District of Columbia
• The Honorable Ronald A. Cass, President of Cass & Associates, PC; Dean Emeritus, Boston University School of Law
• Emily Hammond, Glen Earl Weston Research Professor, The George Washington University Law School
• David K. Hausman, Ph.D. Candidate, Stanford Department of Political Science; Attorney, ACLU Immigrants’ Rights Project (2016 – 2019)
• Ronald M. Levin, William R. Orthwein Distinguished Professor of Law, Washington University in St. Louis School of Law
• The Honorable Beth A. Williams, Assistant Attorney General, Department of Justice Office of Legal Policy
• The Honorable Stephen F. Williams, Senior Judge, United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit

MODERATORS

• Alan B. Morrison, Lerner Family Associate Dean for Public Interest and Public Service Law, The George Washington University Law School
• Matthew Lee Wiener, Acting Chair, Vice Chair and Executive Director, Administrative Conference of the United States

12:00 p.m. Adjournment