Filed Date: Feb. 13, 2025
Closed Date: Feb. 4, 2026
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This case challenged President Trump's removal of an individual from her position at the Federal Labor Relations Authority (FLRA). The plaintiff here was Chair of the FLRA, appointed to a five-year term by President Biden and confirmed by the U.S. Senate in May 2022. On February 10, 2025, she received a one-sentence email from the Trump Administration stating that her position at the FLRA was “terminated, effective immediately,” with no context or reasoning for the firing. Her termination occurred within the broader context of the Trump Administration’s actions to shrink the federal workforce.
On February 13, 2025, the ex-Chair filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia against the President of the United States and the chairman of the FLRA. Represented by the State Democracy Defenders Fund, she sought a declaration that her removal was unlawful and an injunction, ordering her reinstatement as a member of the Board and preventing the administration from obstructing her duties. She claimed that her removal was a violation of the Federal Service Labor-Management Relations Statute, specifically 5 U.S.C. § 7104. This statute states that members of the FLRA may only be removed upon “notice and hearing” and only for “inefficiency, neglect of duty, or malfeasance in office.” Noting that none of these reasons were mentioned in the termination email, the plaintiff here contends that the firing was unlawful and a “clear attempt” to contravene Congress’s statutory scheme. Judge Sparkle L. Sooknanan was assigned to this case on February 14, 2025.
Also on February 14, 2025, the plaintiff filed a motion for a preliminary injunction and summary judgment. She requested preliminary relief due to the irreparable nature of the injury that an injunction would prevent. Explaining that there was no genuine issue of material fact, along with a clear violation of law causing the plaintiff to suffer irreparable injury, she requested the Court to consider the motion on an expedited basis. On February 17, 2025, based on a Joint Status Report filed by the parties, the Court set a briefing schedule with a hearing, if necessary, scheduled for March 7, 2025. The government filed a cross-motion for summary judgment on February 25th.
Following the March 7 hearing, the Court granted the plaintiff's motion for summary judgment and denied the defendant's cross-motion. In the order, filed on March 12, 2025, Judge Sooknanan emphasized the need for checks and balances and the importance of abiding by longstanding Supreme Court precedent. She explained that the government's removal of the plaintiff from her position was in "clear contravention" of the Federal Service Labor-Management Relations Statute. She further held that the statute is constitutional under Congress's Article I authority. 770 F.Supp.3d 166.
As a result of this order, the plaintiff will continue to serve as a member of the FLRA until her term expires or unless she is removed earlier for inefficiency, neglect of duty, or malfeasance. Defendants are enjoined from removing her without cause or impeding her ability to fulfill her duties in any way. On May 27, the defendants asked the court to stay its order while the defendants appealed. The court rejected the request on June 13. 786 F.Supp.3d 188.
On May 8, 2025, Defendants appealed the Court's grant of summary judgment to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, asking the court for an immediate administrative stay and a stay pending appeal. On June 18, the court of appeals issued a per curiam order administratively staying the district court's order. Without elaborating on its reasoning, the court stayed the order pending further direction and instructed the parties to complete briefing on the defendants' motion for a stay pending appeal by June 27. The court also denied a motion for rehearing en banc on July 16. 2025 WL 1995785
The following states filed an amicus brief on behalf of the government: State of Florida, Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona House of Reps., Arizona Senate, Georgia, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, N. Dakota, Oklahoma, S. Carolina, S. Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, and W. Virginia.
On January 21, 2026, plaintiff moved to dismiss the case as moot. On February 4, 2026, the District of Columbia Circuit entered a per curiam order directing the district court to dismiss with prejudice. Reuters and other media outlets state that Grundmann moved to dismiss her lawsuit after the D.C. Circuit upheld the firing of Gwynne Wilcox from the NLRB and Cathy Harris from the Merit Systems Protection Board.
Summary Authors
Aanvi Jhaveri (5/8/2025)
Jeremiah Price (6/24/2025)
Jinan Abufarha (10/26/2025)
Allison Opheim (2/10/2026)
Wilcox v. Trump, District of District of Columbia (2025)
Harris v. Bessent, District of District of Columbia (2025)
For PACER's information on parties and their attorneys, see: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69637796/parties/grundmann-v-trump/
Attorney, Pooja Chaudhuri, (District of Columbia)
Attorney, Mark Reiling (District of Columbia)
Attorney, Michael S. (District of Columbia)
Attorney, Daniel J. (District of Columbia)
Attorney, Darin Dalmat, (District of Columbia)
Attorney, Darin Dalmat, (District of Columbia)
Attorney, Jeffrey Paul (District of Columbia)
Counsel, Elizabeth Wydra, (District of Columbia)
Esquire, Kris W. (District of Columbia)
Frazelle, Brian Rene (District of Columbia)
Ginsburg, Matthew James (District of Columbia)
See docket on RECAP: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69637796/grundmann-v-trump/
Last updated Feb. 11, 2026, 1:30 a.m.
State / Territory:
Case Type(s):
Presidential/Gubernatorial Authority
Special Collection(s):
Trump Administration 2.0: Challenges to the Government
Key Dates
Filing Date: Feb. 13, 2025
Closing Date: Feb. 4, 2026
Case Ongoing: No
Plaintiffs
Plaintiff Description:
Member of the Federal Labor Relations Authority (FLRA) who was terminated.
Plaintiff Type(s):
Public Interest Lawyer: Yes
Filed Pro Se: No
Class Action Sought: No
Class Action Outcome: Not sought
Defendants
Federal Labor Relations Authority (- United States (national) -), Federal
President Donald Trump (- United States (national) -), Federal
Defendant Type(s):
Case Details
Other Dockets:
District of District of Columbia 1:25-cv-00425
U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit 25-05165
Available Documents:
Injunctive (or Injunctive-like) Relief
Outcome
Prevailing Party: None Yet / None
Relief Granted:
Injunction / Injunctive-like Settlement
Source of Relief:
Content of Injunction:
Follow recruitment, hiring, or promotion protocols
Order Duration: 2025 - 2026
Issues
General/Misc.:
Presidential/Gubernatorial Authority: