Kaplan Hecker & Fink LLP Files Briefs Opposing Supreme Court Review of Decisions Allowing Emoluments Clause Cases to Proceed Against President Trump

On December 14, 2020, Kaplan Hecker & Fink LLP (along with co-counsel) filed briefs at the U.S. Supreme Court in two cases concerning President Trump’s violations of the Emoluments Clauses. In the first case, Trump v. District of Columbia & Maryland, Kaplan Hecker & Fink LLP represents the District of Columbia and the State of Maryland. In the second case, Trump v. Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, et al., Kaplan Hecker & Fink LLP represents a group of hotels and restaurants in New York and Washington, D.C. In both cases, the fundamental question is whether President Trump has violated the Foreign and Domestic Emoluments Clauses by virtue of his continued ownership stake in the Trump Organization. After President Trump's efforts to dismiss these cases on the pleadings were rejected by the United States Courts of Appeals for the Fourth and Second Circuits (respectively), he sought Supreme Court review. The briefs filed by Kaplan Hecker & Fink LLP—along with attorneys at the DC Office of Attorney General, the Maryland Office of Attorney General, and other private counsel—defended the lower court rulings and explained why the Supreme Court should deny President Trump's petitions for certiorari.

Kaplan Hecker & Fink LLP lawyers Joshua Matz, Raymond Tolentino, and Molly Webster contributed to the briefs.

You can read the briefs here (DC & Maryland) and here (CREW).