Until 2025, it was common for one or more district court judges to issue “universal injunctions” to block specific federal policies, which were often issued in the form of executive orders from the Office of the President.
The Supreme Court ruled in Trump v. CASA (2025) that universal injunctions exceed the power granted to the judiciary under the 1789 Judiciary Act.
A policy may still be blocked, with respect to a specific person or class of persons, if the block will provide “complete relief” to the person or class bringing the complaint (the formal plaintiff) against the government.
Image: Army-Navy Game, 2014. Blocking a Pass.
