Appeals court rejects pause on sanctions in Trump IRS lawsuit case
Trump IRS sanctions appeal rejected after court keeps penalties on two lawyers 11th Circuit says bad faith finding stands; see what the ruling means next
A federal appeals court has rejected a request to pause sanctions against two lawyers for President Donald Trump in connection with his $10 billion lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service.
The 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said attorneys Alejandro Brito and Daniel Epstein did not show a strong enough likelihood of success in challenging a district judge’s finding that they acted in bad faith. The panel also said the appeal was premature because key issues in the case, including a possible reopening of the matter and attorneys’ fees, remain unresolved.
U.S. District Judge Kathleen Williams previously found the lawsuit was filed for an improper purpose and said the parties were not truly adverse because Trump controlled the IRS through the executive branch. She also referred Brito to the Florida Bar and restricted Epstein’s future appearances in the Southern District of Florida for one year. The ruling keeps the sanctions in place while the broader legal dispute continues.