Reynolds Holding

Climate Cowards Federal judges are folding under political pressure from state AGs

Federal judges are on a roll. Why are they letting a bunch of far-right state attorneys general push them around now? My latest piece:
open.substack.com/pub/renholdi...

Better Judgment: A Review of Reynolds Holding’s New Book on Three Extraordinary Judges Better Judgment, by Reynolds Holding, is a fascinating and detailed look at three distinguished federal district judges: Carlton Reeves (S.D.Miss.), Jed Rakoff (S.D.N.Y.), and Martha Vazquez (D.N.M…

A terrific review from top lawyer Mark Pomerantz of my new book, Better Judgment:
clsbluesky.law.columbia.edu/2026/03/02/b...

The SECRET Force CRUSHING Trump in the COURTS YouTube video by Legal AF

Thanks so much to the great Ray Brescia @raybresia.bsky.social and Legal AF for having me on to discuss my new book, Better Judgment:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=zzIW...

The SECRET Force CRUSHING Trump in the COURTS YouTube video by Legal AF

Thoroughly enjoyed my conversation on @legalafmtn.bsky.social with @renholding.bsky.social discussing his @ucpress.bsky.social book Better Judgment: How Three Judges Are Bringing Justice Back to the Courts. youtu.be/zzIWPygWo7Q?...

Tonight Show At the State of the Union address, will Trump or John Roberts blink first?

Courts get the go ahead to defend against the administration’s assaults. Will it make a difference? The State of the Union may tell us, say I:
open.substack.com/pub/renholdi...

Robe Show If strident judges are auditioning for the Supreme Court, they’re going about it all wrong

Why judges with the loudest voices on the right are unlikely to land on the Supreme Court. My latest piece:
open.substack.com/pub/renholdi...

Good Grief The Supreme Court tells us why the defense of a fatal ICE shooting is nonsense

A recent Supreme Court case tells us why any defense of the ICE agent who gunned down Renee Good won't fly. My latest piece:
open.substack.com/pub/renholdi...

Plain Meaning If Trump were right about birthright citizenship, some lawmakers would have been bounced

New research on the 14th Amendment suggests birthright citizenship can't possibly mean what Trump thinks it means
open.substack.com/pub/renholdi...

The Power of No Grand juries are reminding us that if we won’t say it, who will?

Federal prosecutors are abusing indictments to seek revenge, and ordinary people on grand juries are refusing to play along. It's an inspiration for us all, say I:
open.substack.com/pub/renholdi...

Great stuff from Lawfare. Have a listen to my conversation with Roger Parloff and Judge Jed Rakoff about my new book, Better Judgment, available here: a.co/d/aa3MOcE
Lawfare Daily: The Besieged District Judges, with Reynolds Holding and Judge Jed Rakoff www.lawfaremedia.org/article/lawf...

On Lawfare Daily, @rparloff.bsky.social spoke to @renholding.bsky.social and Judge Jed Rakoff, about Holding's recent book "Better Judgment: How Three Judges Are Bringing Justice Back to the Courts," the role of district judges in our justice system, and attacks those judges are enduring today.

Lone Wolf Will a newly retired judge become Trump’s top critic or just a voice in the wilderness?

A federal judge quit to speak his mind about Trump and the state of the nation, leaving behind a remarkable career of doing justice. Shouldn't we want people like that to stay on the bench? My latest:
open.substack.com/pub/renholdi...

Supreme Hypocrisy Conservative justices’ shift from restraint comes at the worst possible time

In 2023, Joe Biden was just trying to wipe away student loans. Now, for this president and this Supreme Court, it’s the rule of law itself that seems the target. Major questions, elastic principles, and my new piece:
open.substack.com/pub/renholdi...

Riot Act Lies about January 6 portend trouble for fair sentences

My take on the prosecutors bounced last week for mentioning Jan. 6: Airbrushing the facts makes judges' hardest job -- sentencing -- even harder.
open.substack.com/pub/renholdi...

These Three Judges Might Just Restore Your Faith in the Courts Reynolds Holding’s new book details how a trio of judges are trying to protect democracy.

I had a great discussion on Slate's Amicus podcast about Better Judgment, my new book about federal judges standing up for the rule of law right now. Please take a look and have a listen:
slate.com/podcasts/ami...

Must-Read Harvard Books Winter 2025 | Harvard Magazine From aphorisms to art heists to democracy’s necessary conditions

Great review of my book, Better Judgment, about “three dynamic federal judges who embody [Holding’s] case for a strong, intact judicial branch that keeps oligarchies at bay while protecting the constitutional rights of individuals,” says Harvard Magazine bit.ly/47zShBK

Fact Check The courts are building an unprecedented record of presidential misdeeds

Trump is conning us about the need for troops in cities like Portland, but his fantisies are no match for the factual record courts are building, say I:
open.substack.com/pub/renholdi...

Courts at Their Best – and Worst Judges can give us hope despite the deeply flawed among them

Federal judges are flawed heroes for sure and, in some cases, deeply so. But by and large, Republican and Democrat, they are giving us hope, and they are doing it with dignity rather than rancor. My new post:
open.substack.com/pub/renholdi...

This is a terrific book. I was slow in getting to it, but the wait was well worth it. Read it.

Pure Gaslighting What the judge hearing the case against James Comey should say

In the James Comey prosecution, the next move is up to the judge, and he should do what another federal judge did seven years ago: call out the lying. Here’s my latest newsletter — with an excerpt from my new book, Better Judgment a.co/d/1doNEfU:

open.substack.com/pub/renholdi...

No Time for Respect Supreme Court justices and grand juries are telling us enough is enough

Here’s my piece on why the absence of “respectfully” in Supreme Court dissents, and the sudden resistance of grand juries to indicting “ham sandwiches,” matter:
open.substack.com/pub/renholdi...
And don't miss my new book, here: a.co/d/2Tuhko9. Please leave a review!

To read what it's like for federal judges -- on the record -- to defend democracy and the rule of law every day against these abuses, please see my new book, Better Judgment, available here: a.co/d/1LLzvki

To read what it's like for federal judges -- on the record -- to defend democracy and the rule of law every day against these abuses, please see my book, Better Judgment, available here: a.co/d/1LLzvki

Neither Admit Nor Deny A judge takes to task a bank at the heart of the financial crisis

Here’s another excerpt from my new book, Better Judgment, available at a.co/d/1LLzvki. This passage describes Judge Jed Rakoff attempting to hold Citigroup accountable for its role in the financial crisis.
open.substack.com/pub/renholdi...

Read This Book How three judges are bringing justice back to the courts

My book is out, so happy pub day to me. The best argument for why we should not give up on the courts is revealed in the stories of the three remarkable judges I portray in the book.
open.substack.com/pub/renholdi...

Make the Bullies Pay The U.S. Supreme Court has made it way too hard for victims to win damages from the government agents who abuse them.

The swaggering terror that the Trump administration inflicts on immigrants every day feels deeply creepy in a way that abuses of the George Floyd era did not.
open.substack.com/pub/renholdi...

Speak Up, John Roberts The chief justice needs to set us straight on the role of the courts

America needs a smart and authoritative person whose job is to explain what the courts do. Let's call him the Chief Justice of the United States.
open.substack.com/pub/renholdi...

Bench Pressed Judges are feeling the weight of ugly threats and emergency deadlines

Sky falling or not, federal judges are struggling with a new and unnerving reality. The latest from me:

open.substack.com/pub/renholdi...

Putting a Price on Surrender Giving in to a lawless president has become far too easy

There is something perverse about punishing the victim for the raw transgressions of a public servant, a United States president no less, but that may be what our world now requires.
Putting a Price on Surrender open.substack.com/pub/renholdi...

Tin-Eared Justice How the Supreme Court sounds to people matters

When it comes to this Supreme Court, at this moment, under this president, the justices need to wake up and seriously consider how their words and decisions are playing in public.
Tin-Eared Justice open.substack.com/pub/renholdi...