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Steve Klepper

@mdappeal.bsky.social
1.1K followers 184 following 85 posts

Baltimore-based MD & DC appellate lawyer. Founder of MdAppBlog. Editor, Appellate Practice for the Maryland Lawyer. 2024 MSBA Litigator of the Year. Advocate for singular “they.”

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Steve Klepper @mdappeal.bsky.social · 04/09/2026
The Supreme Court of Maryland holds 5-2 that the 2026 ballot will include a constitutional referendum that would pave the way for 8-0 Democratic redistricting for the 2028 election mdappblog.com/2026/09/03/m...
mdappblog.com
Maryland Constitutional Referendum to Appear on 2026 Ballot
The Supreme Court of Maryland, by a vote of five to two, today issued a per curiam order that Maryland’s 2026 ballot will include, in slightly modified form, a referendum that exempt Congress…
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Steve Vladeck @stevevladeck.bsky.social · 03/09/2026
As bad as Monday's #SCOTUS ruling in the ballroom case was, it also offers some broader lessons about Chief Justice Roberts; Justice Barrett; how the Court processes emergency applications; and whether criticism of the Court for not explaining itself in Trump cases has hit home. Me in "One First":
stevevladeck.com
Bonus 247: Four Lessons from the Ballroom Ruling
The Court’s latest misadventure offers important lessons about two justices, the Court’s procedures, and its responsiveness to certain types of criticism.
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Steve Klepper @mdappeal.bsky.social · 03/09/2026
Baltimore City Circuit Judge Kendra Ausby was appointed yesterday to the Appellate Court of Maryland mdappblog.com/2026/09/02/j...
mdappblog.com
Judge Kendra Ausby Appointed to ACM
Governor Wes Moore, for his first at-large selection to the Appellate Court of Maryland, has selected Judge Kendra Ausby of the Circuit Court for Baltimore City. In a highly competitive field, Judg…
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Steve Klepper @mdappeal.bsky.social · 11/04/2026
Real history is understanding that the Republican Party of the 1860s was genuinely radical in favor of immigrant rights and an expansive view of citizenship. This is from the 1860 Republican platform.
14. That the Republican party is opposed to any change in our naturalization laws or any state legislation by which the rights of citizens hitherto accorded to immigrants from foreign lands shall be abridged or impaired; and in favor of giving a full and efficient protection to the rights of all classes of citizens, whether native or naturalized, both at home and abroad.
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Steve Klepper @mdappeal.bsky.social · 03/03/2026
Where should we put General Provisions? Title VII with all the hyperspecific provisions about briefs, of course
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Steve Klepper @mdappeal.bsky.social · 03/03/2026
A minor pet peeve: Voluntary dismissal is FRCP 41 and FRAP 42. Why can’t they have moved the numbering to sync up?
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Steve Klepper @mdappeal.bsky.social · 03/03/2026
I was just thinking the same thing reading through the rule
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Doug Nazarian @dnazarian.bsky.social · 24/02/2026
The Appellate Court of Maryland holds its monthly Conference this morning. Watch for new reported opinions!
media.tenor.com
a man in a bowling alley says " yeah well that 's just like your opinion man . "
ALT: a man in a bowling alley says " yeah well that 's just like your opinion man . "
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Steve Klepper @mdappeal.bsky.social · 21/02/2026
That was the most intense hour of television in my life
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Steve Klepper @mdappeal.bsky.social · 15/02/2026
Regardless of whether you like superhero stuff, Wonder Man on Disney+ is an absolute mindless/silly delight, with an all-time great bromance between Ben Kingsley and Yaha Abdul Mateen
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Steve Klepper @mdappeal.bsky.social · 02/02/2026
MAHty
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Steve Klepper @mdappeal.bsky.social · 16/01/2026
Aw thanks!
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Doug Nazarian @dnazarian.bsky.social · 16/12/2025
The Appellate Court of Maryland is holding its monthly Conference this morning. Watch for new reported opinions!
media.tenor.com
a man in a bowling alley says " yeah well that 's just like your opinion man . "
ALT: a man in a bowling alley says " yeah well that 's just like your opinion man . "
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Doug Nazarian @dnazarian.bsky.social · 28/10/2025
The Appellate Court of Maryland holds it monthly Conference today. Stay tuned for new reported opinions!
media.tenor.com
a cartoon illustration of a red circle with a white background .
Alt: a cartoon illustration of a banging gavel
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Steve Klepper @mdappeal.bsky.social · 05/09/2025
Thanks, just updated!
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Steve Klepper @mdappeal.bsky.social · 05/09/2025
What a difference a day makes! The Supreme Court of Maryland appears yo have switched to black robes except for special occasions (like yesterday’s opening day) mdappblog.com/2025/09/05/m...
Maryland’s justices wearing red robes on Thursday and black robes on Friday
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Steve Klepper @mdappeal.bsky.social · 05/09/2025
Already on its wat
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Doug Nazarian @dnazarian.bsky.social · 26/08/2025
The Appellate Court of Maryland holds its monthly Conference this morning. Watch for new reported opinions!
media.tenor.com
a man in a bowling alley says " yeah well that 's just like your opinion man . "
ALT: a man in a bowling alley says " yeah well that 's just like your opinion man . "
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Steve Klepper @mdappeal.bsky.social · 15/07/2025
Sam Weisbaum at my firm www.kramonandgraham.com/sam-weisbaum
kramonandgraham.com
Sam Weisbaum | Transactional Lawyer | Kramon & Graham
Kramon & Graham is consistently recognized as one of Maryland's leading law firms. Preeminent in litigation, we also advise clients in real estate, transactions, and insurance coverage.
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Steve Klepper @mdappeal.bsky.social · 25/06/2025
This makes for interesting timing as the Fourth Circuit Judicial Conference starts today
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Steve Vladeck @stevevladeck.bsky.social · 25/06/2025
In “things I’ve never seen before,” the Trump administration is suing Maryland’s federal district judges—challenging the standing order the district court put in place that briefly bars removals of migrants after they initially file habeas petitions there: storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
storage.courtlistener.com
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Brendan Nyhan @brendannyhan.bsky.social · 04/06/2025
McSweeney's: New York Times’ Style Guide Substitutions for "The President Violated the Constitution" www.mcsweeneys.net/articles/new...
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Steve Klepper @mdappeal.bsky.social · 03/06/2025
WOW Fourth Circuit holds that a jurisdiction-stripping statute depends on a functioning Merit Systems Protections Board and Special Counsel. Because we don’t have those, the Court remands to decide whether court has jurisdiction www.ca4.uscourts.gov/opinions/232...
ca4.uscourts.gov
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Ben Siemon @benjaminjs.bsky.social · 30/05/2025
Target's bold "Pride" collection this year features a colorless hoodie with the words "Out Loud & Proud" written teeny tiny only the string.
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Danielle Citron @daniellecitron.bsky.social · 29/05/2025
UVA’s President Jim Ryan is an exemplary leader and educator and I’m so proud to work here. Please sign on to show your support and combat the absurd disinformation that UVA is in decline. The opposite under President Ryan’s leadership is true. We are thriving. form.jotform.com/251478017358...
form.jotform.com
UVA Sign-On Letter
Please click the link to complete this form.
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Peter Andrews @pfandrews.bsky.social · 28/05/2025
Seeing as Emil Bove personally fired me from DOJ in retaliation for prosecuting January 6 rioters, I don’t think he should be confirmed to a lifetime seat as a federal judge. But that’s just me.
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Steve Klepper @mdappeal.bsky.social · 28/05/2025
That movie was the scourge of HBO when I was a kid
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Steve Klepper @mdappeal.bsky.social · 27/05/2025
Obi Wan: Now that’s a time zone I haven’t heard in a long time
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Steve Klepper @mdappeal.bsky.social · 27/05/2025
It’s my annual roundup of the Maryland certiorari statistics that matter: grant rates that exclude pro se petitions mdappblog.com/2025/05/27/m...
mdappblog.com
Maryland Certiorari Statistics, 2024 Term
By Steve Klepper The judiciary’s annual statistical reports give the overall grant rate for civil and criminal certiorari petitions. But, because unrepresented (pro se) parties file the majority of…
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Steve Klepper @mdappeal.bsky.social · 21/05/2025
Maryland federal court issues a standing order automatically staying removals for two business days upon filing of a habeas petition with name and alien ID number www.mdd.uscourts.gov/sites/mdd/fi...
The All Writs Act permits courts to “issue all writs necessary or appropriate in aid of
their respective jurisdictions and agreeable to the usages and principles of law.” 28 U.S.C.
§ 1651(a). Further, the Supreme Court recognizes “a limited judicial power to preserve the
court’s jurisdiction or maintain the status quo by injunction pending review of an agency’s action
through the prescribed statutory channels.” F.T.C. v. Dean Foods Co., 384 U.S. 597, 604 (1966)
(citing cases). Accordingly, in order to preserve existing conditions and the potential jurisdiction
of this Court over pending matters while the Court determines the scope of its authority to grant
the request relief; to ensure Petitioners are able to participate in the adjudication of their requests
for habeas relief, including participation in court proceedings and access to legal counsel for
such purpose; to ensure the Court is able to evaluate their respective claims for relief based on
their in-court testimony that may be offered; and to ensure the Government has a fulsome
opportunity to brief and present arguments in its defense, it is hereby
ORDERED by the United States District Court for the District of Maryland that upon the
filing of a Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 2241 on behalf of an alien
detainee, the Government/Respondents, including all those acting for them or on their behalf, are
ENJOINED and RESTRAINED from removing Petitioners in such cases from the continental
United States or altering their legal status, provided that Petitioner’s full name and A# have been
provided to the Court, either in the Petition or in a separate sealed filing
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David J. Bier @davidjbier.bsky.social · 19/05/2025
Cato has published my comprehensive review of the ~240 Venezuelans the US government renditioned 2 months ago to Salvador’s notorious prison. We identified FIFTY who came legally, never violated any immigration law, but are imprisoned at the US government’s request and at US taxpayer expense.
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Steve Klepper @mdappeal.bsky.social · 19/05/2025
I admire your commitment
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Walter Olson @walterolson.bsky.social · 16/05/2025
Trump admin in Judge Xinis’s courtroom is like a poorly programmed contempt chatbot.
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Mark Joseph Stern @mjsdc.bsky.social · 16/05/2025
BREAKING: The Supreme Court holds that the Trump administration violated the due process rights of Venezuelan migrants last month in its rushed effort to expel them to El Salvador in the middle of the night (which SCOTUS blocked). Alito and Thomas dissent. www.documentcloud.org/documents/25...
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Anna Bower @annabower.bsky.social · 16/05/2025
HAPPENING NOW: Hello from Greenbelt, MD, where a federal judge will hear arguments over whether the Trump administration can invoke the state secrets privilege to withhold information about what it has done to facilitate Kilmar Abrego Garcia’s return to the US. I'm here for @lawfaremedia.org 🧵
Supporters of Kilmar Abrego Garcia outside the courthouse in Maryland
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Steve Klepper @mdappeal.bsky.social · 14/05/2025
Back in March, the Kleppers brainstormed potential Sunrise on the Reaping casting, and so far we got one right! Love love love Maya Hawke as Wiress
- [ ] Wiress: Maya Hawke 
- [ ] Haymitch: Walker Scobel
- [ ] Magno: Titus Burgess
- [ ] Effie: Chloe Fineman
- [ ] Drusilla: Parker Posey
- [ ] Lenore Dove: Jenna Ortega
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Steve Klepper @mdappeal.bsky.social · 14/05/2025
I agree no rhetoric was needed on your part, and kudos to your restraint (or at least saving for another case)
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Steve Klepper @mdappeal.bsky.social · 09/05/2025
We once had an appeal where the record filled an entire room at Baltimore City Circuit Court. The parties had to agree on what portion went to the Appellate Court.
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Steve Klepper @mdappeal.bsky.social · 08/05/2025
Related?
Two push alerts, one about new pope chosen, one about Trump replacing US Attorney pick Ed Martin
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Chris Geidner @chrisgeidner.bsky.social · 08/05/2025
BREAKING: The full D.C. Circuit, on a 7-4 vote, requires the government to pay Radio Free Europe’s April contract, as well as a handful of other obligations. The en banc court issued an administrative stay of several of the panel’s rulings below — putting Judge Lamberth’s orders back into effect.
United States Court of Appeals
FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA CIRCUIT
September Term, 2024
1:25-cv-00966-RCL
Filed On: May 7, 2025
Middle East Broadcasting Networks, Inc.,
Appellee
v.
United States of America, et al.,
Appellants
No. 25-5151
1:25-cv-00907-RCL
Radio Free Asia,
Appellee
v.
United States of America, et al.,
Appellants
USCA Case #25-5144
Document #2114884
Filed: 05/07/2025
Page 2 of 14
United States Court of Appeals
FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA CIRCUIT
September Term, 2024
No. 25-5150
No. 25-5158
1:25-cv-00799-RCL
RFE/RL, Inc.,
V.
Appellee
AppellantsBEFORE:
Srinivasan, Chief Judge, and Henderson*, Millett, Pillard, Wilkins, Katsas*, Rao*, Walker*, Childs, Pan, and Garcia, Circuit Judges
ORDER
Upon consideration of the emergency petition for rehearing en banc in Nos. 25-5150 and 25-5151, which requests en banc reconsideration and vacatur of the court's May 3, 2025 order entered in Nos. 25-5144, 25-5145, 25-5150, and 25-5151 granting the government's motions for stay pending appeal in those cases, and the response thereto; the emergency petition for initial hearing en banc in No. 25-5158, which the court construes as a petition for rehearing en banc requesting en banc reconsideration and vacatur of the court's May 7, 2025 order entered in No. 25-5158 granting the government's motion for stay pending appeal in that case, and the response thereto; and the Rule 28(j) letter in No. 25-5158, it is
ORDERED, on the court's own motion, that the following parts of the court's May
3, 2025 order in Nos. 25-5144, 25-5145, 25-5150, and 25-5151 be administratively stayed pending further order of the court:
In No. 25-5144, staying provision (2) of the district court's preliminary injunction
filed April 22, 2025;
In No. 25-5150, staying the district court's preliminary injunction filed April 25,
2025;
USCA Case #25-5144|
Document #2114884
Filed: 05/07/2025
Page 3 of 14
United States Court of Appeals
FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA CIRCUIT
No. 25-5150
September Term, 2024
In No. 25-5151, staying the district court's preliminary injunction filed April 25,
2025. It is
FURTHER ORDERED, on the court's own motion, that the court's May 7, 2025 order entered in No. 25-5158 be administratively stayed pending further order of the court.
The purpose of this administrative stay is to give the court sufficient opportunit
• consider the emergency petitions and should not be construed in any way as a ruling on the merits of those petitions. See D.C. Circuit Handbook of Practice and Internal Procedures 33 (2024).
Per Curiam
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Rick Hasen @rickhasen.bsky.social · 07/05/2025
My new one @theatlantic.com: When judges act as partisan hacks, it is important to condemn their conduct. But just as important is lauding the Republican judges who stand up against election subversion, including the Trump-appointed federal judge Myers www.theatlantic.com/politics/arc...
theatlantic.com
America Needs More Judges Like Judge Myers
He did the right thing in North Carolina’s Supreme Court fight, and he deserves praise.
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Reposted by Steve Klepper
Mark Joseph Stern @mjsdc.bsky.social · 05/05/2025
HUGE ruling—by a conservative judge—that is almost certain to be affirmed by the 4th Circuit and is unlikely to be disturbed by SCOTUS. Justice Riggs’ final victory draws much closer.
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Mike Scarcella @mikescarcella.bsky.social · 06/05/2025
US judge orders North Carolina to certify Democrat winner of court election www.reuters.com/world/us/us-...
reuters.com
US judge orders North Carolina to certify Democrat winner of court election
A federal judge ordered North Carolina's election board on Monday to not throw out any ballots cast by voters in November in a close race for a seat on the state's Supreme Court and to certify a sitting Democratic justice's electoral victory.
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Jess Bravin @jessbravin.bsky.social · 05/05/2025
Paul Clement is perhaps the most sought-after conservative lawyer in the country. Increasingly, those seeking him are clients in litigation against the Trump administration. www.wsj.com/us-news/law/... w/@janwolfe
wsj.com
How This Conservative Lawyer Became One of Trump’s Toughest Foes in Court
The former star of the George W. Bush administration adds conservative credibility for clients in litigation against the administration.
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Steve Klepper @mdappeal.bsky.social · 27/04/2025
It’s been a pleasure getting to know you IRL!
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Dara Lind @daralind.bsky.social · 25/04/2025
Shoutout to Daniel Bice of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, who’s been on the Judge Dugan story all week. You can catch up on his coverage here www.jsonline.com/staff/264800...
jsonline.com
Daniel Bice
Daniel Bice is a columnist for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel's Watchdog team.
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Steve Klepper @mdappeal.bsky.social · 25/04/2025
Maryland cert grants are up! mdappblog.com/2025/04/25/a...
mdappblog.com
April 2025 Maryland Certiorari Grants Include Climate Change Litigation
Yesterday, the Supreme Court of Maryland granted two civil petitions, including in climate change litigation. Both matters have been scheduled for argument in October.
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Shannon Locke @shannonwlocke.bsky.social · 24/04/2025
Watching a Federal sentencing. Defense attorney raises an objection to his client being affiliated with MS13 in the pre-sentence report. The judge asks, how do you know that? They could say that about anyone. Response: It's just in the system
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Rick Hasen @rickhasen.bsky.social · 21/04/2025
More on why that 1 am early Saturday morning SCOTUS ruling stopping immediate deportations under the Alien Enemies Act is a truly hopeful sign. Smart analysis by @mjsdc.bsky.social @slate.com slate.com/news-and-pol...
slate.com
The Supreme Court’s Late-Night Rebuke to Trump Is Extraordinary in More Ways Than One
The court didn't even wait to let Alito file his dissent.
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Steve Klepper @mdappeal.bsky.social · 20/04/2025
My favorite part of the Baltimore Banner’s profile of Judge Paula Xinis is that it uses a screenshot of a 2021 Zoom with a Deadpool plushie in the background. My son has the same one!
Screenshot of Judge Xinis with a shelf of many serious things but also a Deadpool plushie
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