U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit

Rule Changes

Weighing appeal of federal TRO

Missouri's congressional map fight now has two competing court orders. The state Supreme Court blocked the Republican-drawn map on September 3 and restored the 2022 districts, but a federal judge ordered the new map back into use on September 8.

Updated 2 days ago

Rule Changes

Reversed

Federal courts have debated for decades whether restitution is criminal punishment or a civil remedy—a distinction that matters because the Constitution's Ex Post Facto Clause bars retroactive increases in criminal punishment. On January 20, 2026, the Supreme Court unanimously ruled restitution under the Mandatory Victims Restitution Act is criminal punishment, so defendants cannot be held to payment terms that didn't exist when they committed their crimes.

Updated May 22