Federal Appeals Court Reinstates Trump-Fired Copyright Official

A federal appeals court has ruled that President Donald Trump lacked the authority to fire Shira Perlmutter as the Register of Copyrights because her role primarily serves the Legislative Branch, not the Executive Branch. The court found that Perlmutter's duties mainly involve advising Congress on copyright matters, protecting her position from presidential removal and marking a significant separation of powers. Judges Florence Pan and J. Michelle Childs, appointed by President Biden, emphasized that Trump's removal of Perlmutter constituted an unconstitutional interference with legislative functions. In contrast, Judge Justin Walker, appointed by Trump, dissented, arguing that Perlmutter exercises executive power and could be removed by the president. This ruling also blocked Trump's attempts to install executive officials in the Library of Congress and the Copyright Office, reinforcing that such appointments violate the statutory structure placing these offices within the Legislative Branch. The decision is seen as a victory for the rule of law and the independence of Congress.