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United States District Court

Northern district of ohio, sara lioi, chief judge | sandy opacich, clerk of court, search form.

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CJA attorneys and CJA experts can be reimbursed for their travel. A motion for travel from the CJA attorney to the Court should be made with specific information, such as travel dates, travel location, and reason for travel. Once the judicial officer approves the motion for travel, the CJA attorney or expert can then make travel arrangements. National Travel (800) 445-0668 may be used so that the airfare can be paid with the Government's travel credit card. Questions regarding travel should be directed to Leeann Weber (216) 357-7025.

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New York’s LaGuardia Airport is getting another gorgeous new building: Delta is set to open the doors to its Terminal C facility on Saturday, June 4. The modern, $4 billion structure houses a slick check-in lobby, 11 TSA security lanes, and five baggage claim carousels, as well as a new concourse with 10 gates. It’s the latest space to debut in the sweeping construction overhaul of LaGuardia, which will see practically every passenger building torn down and rebuilt from scratch by 2024.

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United States District Court

Middle district of north carolina, honorable catherine c. eagles, chief judge • john s. brubaker, clerk of court, search form, you are here.

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Judiciary Staff Travel Regulations   The link below will take you to the Judiciary Staff Travel Regulations.  The travel regulations are for staff use, use by traveling contract court interpreters, Criminal Justice Act (CJA) panel attorneys, investigators, and experts.   http://www.uscourts.gov/RulesAndPolicies/TravelRegulations.aspx

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Procedures for submitting travel request and authorization.

As set forth in the Travel Guidelines for the CJA Attorneys and Experts approved by the Court on October 6, 2005, a written travel authorization is required prior to commencing inter-district and all overnight travel. The following are new procedures for submitting and processing the Travel Request and Authorization (“TA”).

The attorney is to complete the TA and submit it to the Office of the CJA Supervising Attorney via CJA Services . If a Court Order has been issued authorizing the travel, a copy of the order should be included. Once authorized, the attorney will be notified by e-mail and the attorney should log into CJA Services to obtain a copy of the TA. The traveler is to then contact National Travel Service (NTS) at 1-800-445-0668 to arrange the travel. NTS will provide an itinerary which the traveler must submit with the voucher billing for the associated time and expenses.  A copy of the TA and the passenger's airfare receipt must also be attached to the voucher when submitted.

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Travel Authorizations may be processed in eVoucher and set up to automatically email National Travel upon approval. Travel Authorizations in eVoucher may be used whether or not a court is using centralized accounts for billing.

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Probation Officers approve or deny travel requests based on the duties assigned to this agency by Statute, Monograph, or the Court. In the District of Nevada, recurring travel should be limited, as supervision of an offender is inhibited otherwise. For each request, completed travel permits will be issued and copied to the district of travel. For non-emergency requests, complete the Travel Request Form and submit it to your probation officer at least two weeks (14 days) in advance .

Requests for travel outside of the United States must be approved by the Court or the Parole Commission. Vacation travel exceeding 30 days must be approved by the Court. Otherwise, the Probation Officer has the authority to approve all other requests for travel outside of the district.

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Trial Practice:

Attorneys in the National Courts Section have active trial practices in both the United States Court of Federal Claims and the United States Court of International Trade . Many of our cases are decided on dispositive motions, particularly in the trade court, but we also handle numerous trials each year in the United States Court of Federal Claims . These bench trials range from one or two days in length to multi-week, team-based efforts. Because the courts exercise jurisdiction nationwide, attorneys often travel outside of Washington, D.C., for trials and other matters. Attorneys also gain considerable experience preparing for trial through discovery. We routinely take and defend depositions around the country. Our attorneys also participate in settlement activities, including mediation and direct negotiations. Occasionally, our attorneys handle matters in other tribunals, such as the boards of contract appeals.

United States Court of Federal Claims Matters

A brief history of the United States Court of Federal Claims

Although the United States Court of Federal Claims , in its present form, has existed for a little more than a quarter-century, the court’s origin can be traced to the establishment of the United States Court of Claims more than 150 years ago.

The United States Court of Claims was created by the Act of February 24, 1855 , primarily to relieve pressure on Congress caused by the volume of private bills. Initially, the court was one in name only, for its power extended only to the preparation of such private bills to be submitted to Congress. The court’s authority later was enhanced by the Act of March 3, 1863, when Congress adopted President Lincoln’s recommendation to empower the court to enter final judgments, with the right to appeal to the Supreme Court in certain cases.

The enactment of the Tucker Act in 1887 codified the court’s jurisdiction in a form that largely has survived to the present day, see 28 U.S.C. § 1491, and generally encompasses legal claims against the United States based upon the Constitution, statute, regulation or contract, excluding claims sounding in tort. The court also was granted special jurisdiction to render advisory findings, but not judgments, on any claim referred to the court by either House of Congress or by an Executive Department (so-called Congressional Reference cases).

In 1982, Congress created the present structure of the court. Specifically, Congress created the United States Claims Court and granted it all of the original jurisdiction possessed by the United States Court of Claims. The trial judges of the United States Court of Claims were designated to serve as the original judges of the United States Claims Court and served by appointment pursuant to Article I of the Constitution. The United States Court of Claims and the United States Court of Customs and Patent Appeals were abolished, and the judges of those two courts were designated to serve as judges of the newly created United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit , and were appointed pursuant to Article III of the Constitution.

In October 1992, the Federal Courts Administration Act renamed the United States Claims Court as the United States Court of Federal Claims . The court, as now constituted, consists of 16 judges, appointed by the President and subject to confirmation by the United States Senate, for terms of 15 years, as well as senior judges. For those interested in a detailed discussion of the court’s history, we recommend W. Cowen, P. Nichols, M. Bennett, The United States Court of Claims, A History (Part II, Origin Development Jurisdiction 1855-1978) , reproduced in 216 Ct. Cl. 1 (1978).

Litigation handled by National Courts attorneys in the United States Court of Federal Claims

As discussed in more detail below, National Courts is responsible in the United States Court of Federal Claims for contract and procurement dispute litigation, certain constitutional claims, and pay claims. National Courts does not represent the United States before the Court of Federal Claims in land, tax, patent, vaccine, or Indian claims. These types of claims are handled by other components of the Department of Justice.

Contract claims

The majority of our cases in the United States Court of Federal Claims involve disputes regarding federal government contracts. These disputes arise from and implicate a wide variety of factual and legal scenarios. Though they frequently stem from the federal government’s purchases of goods and services, these cases may also concern more unusual circumstances. The response of Congress to the savings and loan crisis of the 1980s, for example, generated extensive litigation in the United States Court of Federal Claims , as have the federal government’s contractual obligations to store spent nuclear fuel. We have litigated contract cases concerning law enforcement informants, water rights, insurance and grant programs, the sale or disposition of federal property, and many other circumstances, in addition to procurement matters.

Contract disputes can be divided roughly into those governed by the Contract Disputes Act (CDA) and those not governed by the CDA. The CDA generally applies to contracts for goods or services entered into by executive agencies, and it provides a mechanism for agency-level review before a matter can be brought to the United States Court of Federal Claims or a board of contract appeals. Suits brought pursuant to the CDA concern a wide array of procurement disputes, including contract interpretation disputes, claims for increased payments due to changed or additional work, challenges to government decisions to terminate contracts, and other disputes. See , e.g. , S & M Management Inc. v. United States , 82 Fed. Cl. 240 (2008); Metric Const. Co., Inc. v. United States , 81 Fed. Cl. 804 (2008).

Our non-CDA matters also concern a wide and diverse range of contract actions. For example, nuclear utilities have filed 71 cases in the United States Court of Federal Claims seeking more than $50 billion in damages allegedly resulting from the delays by the Department of Energy in accepting spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste under standardized contracts entered into by DOE. Damages sought in these cases typically exceed $100 million and often result in multi-week trials. National Courts attorneys handling these matters work in teams lead by senior litigators. They gain extensive experience preparing for and conducting high-stakes trials. See , e.g. , Dominion Resources, Inc. v. United States , 84 Fed. Cl. 259 (2008), and Yankee Atomic Elec. Co. v. United States , 536 F.3d 1268 (Fed. Cir. 2008).

Procurement protests

Procurement protests (often referred to as bid protests) are lawsuits challenging federal government action in connection with awarding government contracts. These actions are permitted to ensure that the government procures its goods and services in a fair and competitive manner. Protests extend to the full range of goods and services the federal government procures -- from high-tech rifle scopes and anti-terrorism devices to more routine matters such as highway construction or medical services. The types of claims protestors frequently make include allegations that the government failed to award a contract pursuant to the terms of its previously published solicitation or that the government unfairly evaluated the protestor’s offer. Litigating procurement protests is often rapid-paced and, hence, exciting. The typical protest involves an immediate hearing on the protestor’s request for preliminary injunctive relief, and a subsequent hearing on the merits (after a round of briefing similar to briefing on a motion for summary judgment). The nature of procurement protests affords attorneys substantial court time, and frequently a quick resolution. See , e.g. , Precision Lift, Inc. v. United States , 83 Fed. Cl. 661 (2008); L-3 Global Communications Solutions, Inc. v. United States , 82 Fed. Cl. 604 (2008).

Constitutional claims

Our attorneys also defend certain constitutional claims in the United States Court of Federal Claims . The majority of these matters involve allegations that the United States deprived a person of private property without just compensation, in violation of the fifth amendment to the constitution. The Environmental and Natural Resources Division of the Department of Justice typically handles takings resulting from the application of environmental laws and takings claims involving real property; National Courts primarily handles takings of other property interests. In these matters, plaintiffs typically allege that the federal government has either physically taken property or regulated in some manner that constrains an owner’s continuing use of its property, without just compensation. These cases, which often turn upon Supreme Court precedent, tend to be complex, fact intensive disputes. See , e.g. , Acceptance Ins. Companies , Inc. v. United States , 84 Fed. Cl. 111 (2008).

National Court attorneys also defend monetary claims made by federal civilian employees and members of the Armed Forces, usually for allegedly denied wages or benefits. The typical civilian or military pay case can involve a single plaintiff or a large-scale class action. National Courts has defended a variety of civilian pay claims, including claims seeking overtime pay pursuant to the Fair Labor Standards Act, 29 U.S.C. § 201 et seq., and claims alleging discriminatory pay practices under the Equal Pay Act, 29 U.S.C. § 206(d). Similarly, our office defends the Department of Defense and the services against claims of current and former military members. These claims are wide in variety, and include challenges to a service member’s involuntary retirement, separation, or discharge; claims for military disability or retirement benefits; collateral attacks to court martial proceedings; and challenges to the imposition of non-judicial punishment for minor criminal offenses. See , e.g. , Lopez-Velazquez v. United States , 85 Fed. Cl. 114 (2008).

Court of International Trade Matters

Brief history of the Court of International Trade

The United States Court of International Trade is an Article III court that handles Customs and international trade matters of great significance. Prior to 1980, cases involving importation and duties on imported goods were handled, first, by the Board of General Appraisers (part of the Department of Treasury), and then by the United States Customs Court. Originally established under Article I and later under Article III of the Constitution, the United States Customs Court’s jurisdiction and powers grew over time but ultimately provided only a patchwork of confusing rules to oversee the nation’s increasingly complex international trade. The United States Court of International Trade was created in 1980, as part of the Customs Court Act of 1980 -- a Congressional effort to develop a more comprehensive system of judicial review for trade matters. The Act granted the court all powers in law and in equity shared by United States district courts and set forth the court’s jurisdiction. The court, located in New York City, consists of nine active judges and four senior judges.

Litigation handled by National Courts attorneys in the United States Court of International Trade

National Courts attorneys handle a variety of trade matters before the United States Court of International Trade . We prosecute civil actions to recover various penalties or customs duties arising out of negligent or fraudulent import transactions. These cases may provide our attorneys with opportunities for jury trials in the court. See , e.g. , United States v. Ford Motor Co. , 463 F.3d 1267 (Fed. Cir. 2006); United States v. Ford Motor Co. , 463 F.3d 1286 (Fed. Cir. 2006).

Additionally, we defend various determinations made by Customs and Border Protection in tariff disputes, the Department of Commerce in antidumping and countervailing duty disputes, and the Department of Labor regarding assistance provided to workers who have lost their jobs because of import competition. See , e.g. , United States v. Eurodif, S.A. , __ U.S. __, 129 S.Ct. 878 (2009); Mittal Steel Galati S.A. v. United States , 491 F. Supp. 2d 1273 (CIT 2007); Lady Kim T. Inc. v. U.S. Secretary of Agriculture , 491 F.Supp.2d 1366 (CIT 2007).

Our New York Field Office also handles matters related to the classification of goods imported into the United States. See , e.g. , Kyocera Indus. Ceramics Corp. v. United States , 469 F. Supp. 2d 1301 (CIT 2006). Finally, we also argue our own appeals in the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit when matters are appealed from the United States Court of International Trade .

Litigation In Other Trial Fora

Attorneys in National Courts also litigate matters related to our subject matter expertise in other trial and administrative fora. For example, we have handled state-to-state international arbitration of certain trade matters in three arbitrations arising under the 2006 Softwood Lumber Agreement between the United States and Canada -- both conducted in the LCIA (formerly the London Court of International Arbitration). We litigate certain contract matters in district courts. We often represent the Department of Justice in its own contract disputes before the boards of contract appeals. Finally, we also represent government agencies in certain circumstances before the boards of contract appeals.

Other Functions

In addition to our active trial and appellate practices, attorneys in National Courts engage in various other functions related to our areas of expertise. Experienced attorneys in the section routinely provide counsel to other government agencies concerning litigation risk stemming from contractual and other liabilities. Given the intensive nature of our litigation practice, we are also frequently called upon to provide advice and training to other Department of Justice attorneys concerning discovery, trial, and appellate skills. Many of our attorneys are also active members of the bar associations of our respective courts, and we periodically organize the publication of the Court of Federal Claims Bar Association’s Deskbook for Practitioners.

Article IV, Section 2, Clause 1:

The Citizens of each State shall be entitled to all Privileges and Immunities of Citizens in the several States.

The Supreme Court has long recognized the right to travel from one state to another under the Privileges and Immunities Clause, 1 Footnote See, e.g. , Ward v. Maryland, 79 U.S. 418, 430 (1870) ( “[The Privileges and Immunities] clause plainly and unmistakably secures and protects the right of a citizen of one State to pass into any other State of the Union . . . .” ); Paul v. Virginia, 75 U.S. 168, 180 (1868) (stating that the Privileges and Immunities Clause includes “the right of free ingress into other States, and egress from them” ), overruled on other grounds by United States v. S.-E. Underwriters Ass’n, 322 U.S. 533 (1944) ; see generally United States v. Guest, 383 U.S. 745, 762–67 (1966) (Harlan, J., concurring in part and dissenting in part) (surveying cases). as well as other constitutional provisions. 2 Footnote See Guest , 383 U.S. at 759 ( “Although there have been recurring differences in emphasis within the Court as to the source of the constitutional right of interstate travel, there is no need here to canvass those differences further. All have agreed that the right exists.” ). For example, the Court held that a state could not constitutionally limit access to medical care to its own residents, and deny access to nonresidents, without interfering with the right to travel. 3 Footnote Doe v. Bolton, 410 U.S. 179, 200 (1973) , abrogated on other grounds by Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Org. , No. 19-1393 (U.S. June 24, 2022) .

In Saenz v. Roe , the Court characterized the constitutional “right to travel” as having “at least three different components” :

It protects [1] the right of a citizen of one State to enter and to leave another State, [2] the right to be treated as a welcome visitor rather than an unfriendly alien when temporarily present in the second State, and, [3] for those travelers who elect to become permanent residents, the right to be treated like other citizens of that State. 4 Footnote 526 U.S. 489, 500 (1999) (numbering added).

While the Court did not expressly identify the constitutional basis of the first component, it noted that the Articles of Confederation’s privileges and immunities clause explicitly protected the “free ingress and regress to and from any other State.” 5 Footnote Id. at 501 (citing Articles of Confederation of 1781 art. IV, § 1) . As for the second component of the right to travel, the Court found it to be “expressly protected by the text of the Constitution” through the Privileges and Immunities Clause. 6 Footnote Id. at 501–502 . Saenz connected the third component of the right to travel to the Fourteenth Amendment ’s Privileges or Immunities Clause. 7 Footnote Id. at 502–03 (citing U.S. Const. amend. XIV, § 1 ). The Commerce Clause is another potential textual basis for the right to travel. See Guest , 383 U.S. at 758 (citing Edwards v. California, 314 U.S. 160, 173 (1941) ).

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Investigations

When judges get free trips to luxury resorts, disclosure is spotty.

Tom Dreisbach

Carrie Johnson

Many federal judges receive free rooms and subsidized travel to luxury resorts for legal conferences. NPR found that dozens of judges did not fully disclose the perks they got. Chelsea Beck for NPR hide caption

Many federal judges receive free rooms and subsidized travel to luxury resorts for legal conferences. NPR found that dozens of judges did not fully disclose the perks they got.

Dozens of federal judges failed to fully disclose free luxury travel to judicial conferences around the world, as required by internal judiciary rules and federal ethics law , an NPR investigation has found. As a result, the public remained in the dark about potential conflicts of interest for some of the United States' top legal officials.

Federal judges — occasionally with family members or even their dog in tow — traveled to luxury resorts in locations as far-flung as London; Palm Beach, Fla.; Bar Harbor, Maine; and the outskirts of Yellowstone National Park for weeklong seminars. The judges received free rooms, free meals and free money toward travel expenses, together worth a few thousand dollars.

Victims of harassment by federal judges often find the judiciary is above the law

At one event, a far-right German politician with a history of racially inflammatory and anti-immigrant statements made a presentation to dozens of judges. At others, judges heard from an advocacy group that uses lawsuits in federal court to change environmental policy, as well as from corporate CEOs in the oil and pharmaceutical industries.

For almost two decades, the federal judiciary has recognized that the combination of apparent luxury and ideological content can present the appearance of undue influence on the courts. In response, the judiciary has required more transparency in the form of public disclosure.

An NPR investigation found that the disclosure systems often fail to give the public timely information about the outside benefits that judges receive and from whom.

As a result, judicial ethics experts say, people with cases before these judges lack important information about a judge's potential biases. That information, if received in time, could be used to request that a judge recuse from a particular case.

"It also matters to the public, even if someone never shows up in a courtroom, to believe in the integrity of our judiciary and to trust in the decisions that are issued by judges," said Renee Knake Jefferson, a professor at the University of Houston Law Center. "Having disclosures of judicial financial interests goes directly to the public having confidence in the outcomes of the decisions — that they are free of any bias or influence."

Many judges defend these events as helpful forums to discuss important issues, and they reject criticism that a stay at a fancy hotel could influence their decisions. Critics call them "junkets" and glorified vacations that reward ideological allies.

Both sides agree that disclosure is needed.

There are two primary ways the public can view information about judicial education events and see which judges attended: One disclosure is filed soon after the event, and the other is submitted much later.

First, within 30 days of an event, judges are required to file a form that details the host of the event and the entities that provided funding, as well as the speakers and topics of discussion. This form, called a " Privately Funded Seminar Disclosure Report ," is posted on every federal court's website.

Second, federal law requires that judges report the reimbursements they received for the events on an annual financial disclosure report. That report also includes information like alternate sources of income (such as a book deal or teaching job) and what stocks a judge might own. Those reports are eventually posted on a centralized online database maintained by the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts.

By closely examining the portion of these events subject to public records laws, NPR identified problems with both systems.

In nearly 40 instances, judges attended events at luxury resorts but failed to properly file a report within 30 days. In fact, the forms were uploaded months or even years late and only after NPR began asking questions.

In 13 cases, NPR found that judges failed to declare the benefits they received on their annual financial disclosure forms.

NPR contacted all those judges for comment.

And in another dozen cases, judges' financial disclosures for 2021 or 2022 were simply unavailable to the public. By all accounts, judges are filing those annual disclosure reports on time. The Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts bears responsibility for posting those reports online and has acknowledged delays in getting the system up to date.

There is no indication that the judges intentionally withheld information in order to deceive the public. And the office that administers the annual financial disclosure website told NPR that it struggles to work through a backlog of reports, as well as requests for redactions to protect judges' safety, but is making progress.

Ethics experts said delays and omissions in these reports undermine the entire purpose of the transparency rules.

"That information loses most of its value if it's a year and a half later," said Kedric Payne, the senior director of ethics at the nonprofit watchdog Campaign Legal Center. "It's just too distant from the potential conflict of interest."

Regardless of intention, the result is that the public is kept in the dark. And NPR's findings likely represent an undercount of the larger problem.

Events with ideological presentations and a side of luxury

Nonprofits, legal organizations and private universities all host judicial education events around the world. But those groups are generally not subject to public records laws. As a result, their full attendee lists are shielded from public scrutiny.

When it comes to the hosts of these events, George Mason University in Fairfax, Va., is exceptional in two ways.

George Mason University's campus in Fairfax, Va., in 2018. Education Images/Universal Images Group via Getty Images hide caption

George Mason University's campus in Fairfax, Va., in 2018.

For one, GMU — particularly the university's conservative-leaning Law & Economics Center — has long stood out as one of the most prolific hosts of judicial education events. Collectively, hundreds of judges have attended the university's events at luxury resorts over the years. GMU is quick to point out that the events are paid for by private donors. The Law & Economics Center's website lists donors that include major corporations like Amazon, Pfizer, Google and Facebook, as well as the business lobby group the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. According to the New York Times , conservative activist Leonard Leo helped gather $30 million in donations to rename the law school after late Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia.

GMU is a public university in Virginia, which means it is subject to the state's Freedom of Information Act. NPR requested attendee lists for eight of its judicial education events from 2021 to 2023. By comparing attendee lists with the publicly available records, NPR was able to identify dozens of missing disclosures.

That missing information may be relevant to both the public at large and people with cases in front of these judges.

For example, dozens of judges took part in a 2022 event that featured a speaker from the far-right Alternative für Deutschland (Alternative for Germany) political party. Germany has been rocked by massive protests in recent months over revelations about AfD's ties to right-wing extremism. A regional AfD leader is facing charges in Germany for allegedly using Nazi slogans, which he denies.

Gunnar Beck, a member of the European Parliament and an AfD member, spoke to the group of American federal judges about "European Jurisprudence." Beck has a history of anti-immigrant and racially inflammatory statements.

In 2021 — the year before his presentation to the judges — Beck took multiple photos of Black families, including young children in strollers, and posted them on social media. In one of the posts, he used the photo to criticize what he called the Afrikanisierung (Africanization) of Germany. (This post was deleted after NPR contacted Beck.) In another, Beck wrote that due to immigration, "Germany has no future as an industrial and cultural nation, but it does have a future as a welfare office."

Beck told NPR in an email that "each country and its people have a right to control their border with a view to safeguarding their maintenance of their national culture and identity" and that "I do not think these views are either fascist or racist."

The GMU events have also featured presentations from a nonprofit that says it uses lawsuits to promote a pro-market, as opposed to pro-regulation, approach to environmental policy; the CEO of a U.K.-based pharmaceutical company ; and the CEO of an energy company that is currently suing the federal government over financial regulations.

One recent event included a reading assignment on the "worst decisions ever handed down by the Supreme Court" as defined by conservative and libertarian legal scholars. Roe v. Wade , which established a constitutional right to abortion, was No. 2. Landmark cases establishing rights to same-sex marriage and the use of birth control also appeared among the top 10 "worst" decisions.

Given the power of judges to affect Americans' lives on issues from guns to abortion, the environment and crime, transparency about these events is critical, said Gabe Roth of the nonprofit watchdog group Fix the Court.

"The public has a right to know whether or not its top legal officials have any potential conflicts going into hearing cases," said Roth. "Sometimes they're small bore, but a lot of the times they have major national impact."

The agendas for the GMU events showed that the event programming often ended around noon, followed by a five- or six-hour "study break." In some instances, the agendas leave days completely free.

It's unclear exactly how judges spent that time. But attendees had the opportunity to enjoy the Ritz-Carlton's clay tennis courts, the Alyeska Resort's Nordic Spa or the short walk to Buckingham Palace from the May Fair Hotel in London. The agenda for GMU's 2022 Bar Harbor Colloquium in Maine reserved 90 minutes for a wine tasting .

The Alyeska Resort in Girdwood, Alaska, in 2009. John Greim/LightRocket via Getty Images hide caption

The Alyeska Resort in Girdwood, Alaska, in 2009.

A spokesperson for GMU did not respond to NPR's specific questions for this story.

"Topics are selected based on foundational concepts in the economic analysis of law relevant to judges and other areas of interest to the judiciary," wrote Ken Turchi, associate dean of GMU's Antonin Scalia Law School, in an email. "Every judge who attends has the option to complete and submit a disclosure form detailing expenses incurred and reimbursed."

Which judges have disclosure problems?

Problems plagued the paperwork for judges appointed by presidents of both major parties going back decades, including Presidents Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, Barack Obama and Donald Trump.

And the judges who failed to fully comply with the disclosure requirements include some notable names.

In this screenshot, Aileen Cannon speaks during a Senate Judiciary Committee nomination hearing to be a U.S. district judge for the Southern District of Florida on July 29, 2020. She was appointed to the position later that year. U.S. Senate via AP hide caption

In this screenshot, Aileen Cannon speaks during a Senate Judiciary Committee nomination hearing to be a U.S. district judge for the Southern District of Florida on July 29, 2020. She was appointed to the position later that year.

Judge Aileen Cannon of the Southern District of Florida is presiding over former President Donald Trump's criminal trial for allegedly mishandling classified documents. Cannon, herself a Trump appointee, attended two seminars at a luxury resort in Montana, but the privately funded seminar disclosures for both events were not posted online until NPR began making inquiries. Clerk of court Angela Noble told NPR in an email that the absence of the disclosures was due to technical issues and that "Any omissions to the website are completely inadvertent."

Judge Robert Conrad is the director of the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts. U.S. Courts hide caption

Judge Robert Conrad is the current director of the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts, which implements the policies of the federal judiciary. Conrad, who was appointed by George W. Bush to the Western District of North Carolina, attended three privately funded seminars from 2021 to 2023. He later included the events on his annual financial disclosure but did not file a publicly available disclosure for any of those events within the required 30-day time limit. "He inadvertently did not make the additional disclosure in the separate system for private seminar attendance," said Peter Kaplan, a spokesperson for the Administrative Office. "Judge Conrad appreciates your bringing this oversight to his attention."

Judge Leslie Gardner of the Middle District of Georgia, who is the sister of prominent Georgia Democrat Stacey Abrams, also failed to file a privately funded seminar disclosure on time. Additionally, NPR found that Gardner omitted the reimbursements she received for lodging, meals and travel on her annual financial disclosure. In a phone call to NPR, clerk of court David Bunt said that Gardner, an Obama appointee, was updating her annual financial disclosure and privately funded seminar disclosure, which were incomplete due to an "oversight."

"I don't have really an excuse for it, and I'm going to correct it"

Judges contacted by NPR largely described the issues with their disclosures as the result of an "inadvertent oversight" or an "accident." In a handful of cases, court clerks blamed technical issues with the online system for uploading paperwork. One judge appeared to be unaware of the requirement to file a disclosure report within 30 days. Several judges thanked NPR for contacting them and prompting them to update their disclosure reports.

"It looks like we blew it," said Judge Philip Gutierrez of the Central District of California in a phone call to NPR. Gutierrez failed to file a disclosure within 30 days of attending a judicial seminar at The Breakers, a resort in Palm Beach, Fla., in 2021. "I apologize. It's important. I'm embarrassed."

Gutierrez immediately uploaded the missing disclosure.

Judge Gary Fenner of the Western District of Missouri attended the same GMU 2021 seminar in Palm Beach but failed to file a privately funded seminar disclosure and omitted the event from his annual financial disclosure that year.

"I am really surprised that I did not report that," said Fenner, an appointee of Bill Clinton, in a phone message to NPR. "I'm going to rectify it. I'm embarrassed about the fact that somehow that was overlooked by me. But I don't have really an excuse for it, and I'm going to correct it."

Judge Keith Starrett of the Southern District of Mississippi, a George W. Bush appointee, said he had thought he marked his attendance at GMU's seminar at the Park Hyatt Beaver Creek Resort and Spa in Colorado in 2021 on his annual financial disclosure. He acknowledged that it was missing from the forms due to an "oversight."

"I'm going to do whatever I need to do to get it right," he said by phone.

In the District Court for the Southern District of Texas, NPR found three judges — Jeffrey Brown, Andrew Edison and Charles Eskridge — who had not filed the required privately funded seminar disclosure forms. After NPR contacted the court, the judges uploaded the forms, and clerk of court Nathan Ochsner said in an email, "At the direction of Chief Judge Randy Crane, my office will routinely remind all [Southern District of Texas] judges of this reporting requirement."

Meanwhile, the delays in getting access to annual financial disclosure reports appear to be the result of the time limits built into the transparency laws, as well as a combination of long processing times for redactions requested by judges and, in some cases, security concerns.

The law requires that judges file their annual financial disclosure reports for the previous year on May 15. Many judges request and receive a 90-day extension, pushing that deadline to mid-August. Judges can then request that the judiciary redact "personal or sensitive information that could directly or indirectly endanger" the judge or the judge's family, but then a committee has to review the request.

"So if you're a judge that asked for a 90-day extension and then, on top of that, you're asking for redactions," said Roth, of Fix the Court, the public release of the annual disclosure is "already well into the following year."

Former federal Judge Jeremy Fogel, who is now the executive director of the Berkeley Judicial Institute, evaluated some of these redaction requests when he served on the judiciary's Committee on Financial Disclosure.

"I don't think that the problem you described is one where the judiciary doesn't want to share the information," said Fogel. "I think the problem is that they have not been able to put the resources in place to get the information online and available to the public in a timely manner."

The Thurgood Marshall Federal Judiciary Building in Washington, D.C., houses the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts. Andrew Harnik/AP hide caption

The Thurgood Marshall Federal Judiciary Building in Washington, D.C., houses the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts.

NPR sent a list of judges to the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts and asked why their annual financial disclosures for 2021 or 2022 were still unavailable. Kaplan, the Administrative Office spokesperson, said he "could not comment on specific judges' filings." In general, Kaplan blamed missing disclosures on backlogs in the system and reviews of filings for possible security issues.

"Currently, nearly all filings from 2021 and more than 80% of the filings from 2022 are available on the database," said Kaplan. "We are continuing to cut into the backlog of reports."

An ongoing debate over judges and luxury trips

Even if judges universally filed their disclosure reports on time and if the federal judiciary sped up the release of information, it would likely not end the ongoing debate over judges getting thousands of dollars in free perks, especially at ideologically slanted conferences.

Fogel said that in his time as a judge, he tended to avoid events that might be perceived as ideological.

"I wouldn't go so far as to say that it's unethical," said Fogel. "But I think it's better — it's a best practice — for judges to avoid programs that have a particular philosophical or ideological viewpoint."

Judge Starrett, of the Southern District of Mississippi, has attended five GMU legal events in the last three years and even brought his German shepherd to one of them.

He rejected the idea that his views could be swayed by a certain speaker's agenda or free perks.

"I've been called a liberal judge. I've been called a conservative judge. I've been called a son of a bitch. That comes with the territory," said Starrett. "I pay close attention to speakers that are politically biased one way or another. I listen to them, and I challenge some of them. I ask pointed questions."

Judge Gutierrez, of the Central District of California, has attended three GMU events in the last three years.

"Certainly, I think people have a slant. But for the most part, I found them to be interesting and educational," he said. He added that a group of federal judges will always tend to ask tough questions and get into spirited debates — whether in court or in a legal seminar.

"We want our judges out in the world learning and teaching. And we want our judges to have friendships. We want our judges to be able to travel," said Jefferson, the legal ethics expert at the University of Houston Law Center. "It's the disclosure that matters."

Nick McMillan and Hilary Fung contributed reporting and visuals, with graphic editing by Alyson Hurt. This story was edited by Barrie Hardymon with research by Barbara Van Woerkom. Photo editing by Emily Bogle.

• financial disclosure
• federal judges
• George Mason University
• Federal Courts
• Aileen Cannon
• Leonard Leo

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No Supreme Court term in recent memory has featured so many cases with the potential to transform American society.

The consequential cases, with decisions arriving by late June or early July, include three affecting former President Donald J. Trump, two on abortion, two on guns, three on the First Amendment rights of social media companies and three on the administrative state.

In recent years, some of the court’s biggest decisions have been out of step with public opinion. Researchers at Harvard, Stanford and the University of Texas conducted a survey in March to help explore whether that gap persists.

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Colorado-based abortion fund sees rising demand. Many are from Texas, where procedure is restricted

FILE - Attendees protest the one-year anniversary of Colorado’s abortion law, the Reproductive Health Equity Act, Tuesday, April 4, 2023, outside the State Capitol in downtown Denver. A Colorado abortion fund said Thursday, May 9, 2024, it’s helped hundreds access abortion in the first months of 2024, many arriving from Texas and other states where abortion is restricted, showing a continued increase in demand since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski, File)

FILE - People march through downtown Amarillo to protest a lawsuit to ban the abortion drug mifepristone, Feb. 11, 2023, in Amarillo, Texas. A Colorado abortion fund said Thursday, May 9, 2024, it’s helped hundreds access abortion in the first months of 2024, many arriving from Texas and other states where abortion is restricted, showing a continued increase in demand since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022. (AP Photo/Justin Rex, File)

Former President Donald Trump speaks to the press with attorney Todd Blanche at his trial at the Manhattan Criminal court, Tuesday, May 7, 2024 in New York. (Win McNamee/Pool Photo via AP)

FILE - Abortion-rights protesters march down Congress Avenue in downtown Austin, Texas following the Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, Friday, June 24, 2022. A Colorado abortion fund said Thursday, May 9, 2024, it’s helped hundreds access abortion in the first months of 2024, many arriving from Texas and other states where abortion is restricted, showing a continued increase in demand since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022. (Sara Diggins/Austin American-Statesman via AP, File)

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DENVER (AP) — A Colorado abortion fund said Thursday it’s helped hundreds access abortion in the first months of 2024, many arriving from Texas where abortion is restricted, showing a steady increase in need each year since Roe v. Wade was overturned in 2022.

The U.S. Supreme Court’s decision left a patchwork of state bans , restrictions and protections across the country. In response, a national makeshift network of individuals and organizations help those seeking abortions in states where it’s restricted, including the Colorado-based Cobalt Abortion Fund.

Cobalt provides financial support for both practical expenses, such as travel and lodging, and abortion procedures, and they operate from the Democratic-led state that has staunchly protected access to abortion, including for nonresidents.

Cobalt’s aid has already jumped since Roe was overturned, from $212,00 in 2021 to $1.25 million by 2023. In Cobalt’s latest numbers, the group spent $500,000 in the first three months of 2024 and predict spending around $2.4 million by the end of the year to help people access abortions. That would nearly double last year’s support.

Over half of that 2024 spending went to some 350 people for practical support, not the procedure, and the vast majority of the clients were from Texas.

“There is this idea that the Dobbs decision and subsequent bans, due to trigger bans, created an increase in volume, and now maybe that volume has decreased or kind of stabilized. That is not the case,” said Melisa Hidalgo-Cuellar, Cobalt’s director.

“The volumes continue to increase every single month,” she said.

Hidalgo-Cuellar says the steady rise is partly due to more access to information on social media and new restrictions. Florida’s restriction went into effect last week and bans most abortions after six weeks of pregnancy, before many women even know they are pregnant.

Colorado has pulled in the opposite direction, becoming a haven for abortion in a region of largely conservative states. Last year, the state passed a law that shields those seeking abortions , and those providing them, from prosecution in other states where it’s restricted, such as Florida.

Now, antiabortion activists are testing the boundaries of those bans in court. That includes a Texas man who is petitioning a court to authorize an obscure legal action to find out who allegedly helped his former partner obtain an out-of-state abortion.

Those out-of-state abortions are in part why Cobalt’s funding for practical support — mainly travel expenses — exceeded it’s aid for the procedure itself.

Bedayn is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.

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8 more Chinese cities join Hong Kong solo travel scheme

Eight Chinese cities have joined a program allowing their residents to travel to Hong Kong on their own, rather than as part of a tour group, as part of efforts to boost Hong Kong's economy.

Hong Kong is battling to revive its economy following a national security crackdown and COVID-related controls, which led to many locals and expats leaving the city and caused tourist numbers to dwindle to a fraction of prepandemic levels.

The Individual Visit Scheme began in 2003 as part of a cooperation agreement between mainland China and Hong Kong to boost the city's economy by allowing Chinese residents to apply for individual travel, rather than in a tour group.

Fifty-one cities have already joined the program and will be joined by Taiyuan in Shanxi Province, Hohhot in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Harbin in Heilongjiang Province, Lhasa in the Tibet Autonomous Region, Lanzhou in Gansu Province, Xining in Qinghai Province, Yinchuan in the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region and Urumqi in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.

Hong Kong city leader John Lee said, "These eight cities are all provincial capital cities with large populations, significant economic growth and high spending power."

Although recent official figures showed the territory growing 2.7% in the first quarter compared with the year before, local businesses have described shopping malls as "dead," with low foot traffic and shops covered with "for lease" or "coming up soon" signs.

One lawmaker recently told the city's legislature that more than 20,000 companies had deregistered in the first quarter of 2024, up more than 70% from the same period last year.

China imposed a sweeping national security law in 2020 after months of pro-democracy protests in 2019. In March, authorities enacted another set of security laws that some foreign governments say further undermine rights and freedoms.

The Hong Kong and Chinese governments have repeatedly said the security laws have brought stability.

Reuters is a news agency founded in 1851 and owned by the Thomson Reuters Corporation based in Toronto, Canada. One of the world's largest wire services, it provides financial news as well as international coverage in over 16 languages to more than 1000 newspapers and 750 broadcasters around the globe.

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United States District Court  for the   District of Massachusetts

Cja travel guidelines, introduction.

Travel expenses reasonably incurred in providing representation under the Criminal Justice Act (CJA) may be claimed on the CJA 20 or 30 voucher form for attorneys and CJA 21 or 31 voucher form for experts and must be itemized and documented with appropriate receipts. Following the passage in late 1992 of Section 702 of the Federal Courts Administration Act of 1992 (Public Law 102-572, 106 Stat. 4506), attorneys and experts providing representation pursuant to the CJA were authorized to obtain government travel rates. These guidelines have been prepared to inform CJA attorneys and experts of the court’s policies and procedures related to travel beyond the local area.

Considerable savings to the government will be achieved through compliance with these guidelines. All CJA attorneys and experts are required to arrange their out-of-district travel in this manner. The guidelines set forth the procedures for obtaining government travel rates and provide a summary of recurring allowable and non-allowable charges. While it is impossible to address all possible travel-related issues, the guidelines are intended to serve as a basic resource.

Authorization to Travel

Prior to inter-district and overnight travel, approval is required. The CJA attorney is to request permission by filing with the court an ex parte motion for travel for themself or their expert.

Once authorized, the traveler is to then contact National Travel (NT) at (800) 445-0668 to arrange the travel. NT will provide the traveler and the CJA Analyst with an itinerary. All passenger receipts must be submitted with the voucher billing for any associated time and expenses.

An attorney or expert traveling as part of his or her representation under the CJA is expected to exercise the same care in incurring expenses that a prudent person would exercise if traveling on personal business. Only those expenses which were actually incurred and were essential to and in connection with representation under the CJA should be claimed.

An attorney or expert may be compensated for time spent in travel status to and from the travel destination. However, since this unproductive travel time is foreseeable, every effort should be made to work on existing matters. All other compensation for time while in travel status will be paid only for actual services rendered.

In addition, an attorney appointed to represent a fact witness has the obligation to inform the witness to contact the U.S. Marshal’s office on how to make travel arrangements and to obtain government transportation rates when the witness is required to remain away from their residence overnight. A fact Witness Voucher, Form OBD-3 must be prepared by the attorney for each witness. For detailed information, call the U.S. Marshal or obtain USMS Pub. No. 74, September 1997.

Transportation Allowable

A.  Expenses Payable as Transportation

Transportation expenses that may be claimed on the voucher or paid directly by the court include fares, automobile rental fees including gasoline charges, mileage payments for use of privately-owned vehicle (POV), parking and any expenses incident to transportation such as baggage transfer, business-related telephone, and food when on overnight travel. Regardless of the dollar amount, receipts are required for reimbursement of all travel expenses.

B.  Methods of Transportation

Authorized Methods. Methods of transportation authorized for travel include railroads, airlines, ferries, buses, subways, transportation terminal limousines, taxis, rental automobiles, privately-owned vehicles, and other necessary means of conveyance. Travel shall be by the method of transportation that will result in the greatest advantage to the government, cost and other factors considered. There is no reimbursement for first class or business class travel expenses. Travelers should exercise prudence in the selection of the least expensive rental vehicle necessary to adequately perform the official travel. The court will not reimburse Personal Accident Insurance (PAI) or Personal Effects Coverage (PEC) for rental automobiles. In addition, no reimbursement will be made for add-ons or upgrades when renting an automobile, or for the excessive cost of refueling a rental car at the rental agency.

Privately-Owned Vehicle. Use of a privately-owned vehicle for CJA case-related travel should be claimed at the mileage rate then in effect for the federal judiciary employees. The government will reimburse case-related parking fees and tolls if documented with receipts.

C.  Travel Rates

Travel at Government Discount Rate. The use of government discount fares is considered advantageous to the government. In order to obtain the government discount fare, tickets must be charged to the court’s Government Transportation Account (GTA). Only officially authorized travel related to CJA representation may be arranged in this manner.

Because the TA is an official government document, it should enable the traveler to obtain government rates at hotels and car rental agencies as well. Costs for other than common carriers (which are paid directly by the court) may be claimed for reimbursement on the CJA 20 or 30 form under the travel section and must be documented with receipts, regardless of the dollar amount. Credit card statements alone is not sufficient for reimbursement purposes.

Other special, excursion, and reduced rate round-trip fares for official travel may be used (in lieu of government-contract fares and regular coach) when the traveler can determine prior to the start of a trip that any such type of service is practical and more economical to the government. Special fares that involve penalties for changes or cancellation may be utilized provided that, to a high degree of certainty, no changes or cancellation will occur. Liability for costs for changes or cancellation over which the traveler had control will accrue to the traveler if a change or cancellation was due to personal preferences.

Travel at Other Than Government Rate. When an attorney or expert arranges their own travel without using the government rate, they will be reimbursed using the contracted government coach fare or the actual rate paid, whichever is lower. Reimbursement will be for the common carrier that is the most efficient, expeditious and advantageous to the court. All reimbursement for use of a common carrier must be supported by travel receipts. Submission of credit card statements alone is not sufficient for reimbursement purposes.

Reimbursable Expenses

Travel expenses that will be reimbursed are confined to those expenses essential to and in connection with representation under the CJA and supported by receipts. In determining the reasonableness of travel costs, the court will be guided by the prevailing limitations placed upon travel and subsistence expenses of federal judiciary employees in accordance with existing government travel regulations. The court’s Financial Manager may be contacted for guidance in determining the reasonableness of such costs.

With the exception of tips and mileage calculations, receipts must be submitted with the voucher for all travel (including to and from the court) and subsistence expenses regardless of the amount incurred. Submission of credit card statements alone is not sufficient for reimbursement purposes.

When the travel period is 24 hours or less and no lodging is incurred, meals will not be reimbursed. Only those travel expenses related to the case will be reimbursed such as mileage, parking, and tolls.

During authorized overnight travel, reimbursement will be made for actual subsistence expenses. Expenses of subsistence include all reasonable charges for meals (maximum three per day), lodging, all fees and tips to waiters, porters, and hotel maids, and transportation between places of lodging and business.

Non-Reimbursable Expenses

The cost of travel for spouses, other family members and friends is not allowable. In addition, snacks, alcoholic beverages, entertainment (e.g., movies), travel insurance taken while traveling, parking fines or fees for traffic violations, personal automobile expenses, expenses incurred in traveling by indirect routes for personal reasons, use of taxis to obtain meals, and expenses submitted without receipts are not reimbursable. If a traveler lengthens a trip or incurs any cost for personal reasons or performs work that is not related to the purpose of the official travel, the increased cost caused by such action is not allowable.

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Honor the struggles and achievements of Asian Pacific Americans, and explore individual histories of federal judges who are Asian.

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Mexico tightens travel rules on Peruvians in a show of visa diplomacy to slow migration to US

The Associated Press

May 8, 2024, 3:54 AM

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BOULEVARD, Calif. (AP) — Julia Paredes believed her move to the United States might be now or never. Mexico was days from requiring visas for Peruvian visitors. If she didn’t act quickly, she would have to make a far more perilous, surreptitious journey over land to settle with her sister in Dallas.

Mexico began requiring visas for Peruvians on Monday in response to a major influx of migrants from the South American country, after identical moves for Venezuelans, Ecuadorians and Brazilians. It effectively eliminated the option of flying to a Mexican city near the U.S. border, as Paredes, 45, did just before it was too late.

“I had to treat it as a emergency,” said Paredes, who worked serving lunch to miners in Arequipa, Peru, and borrowed money to fly to Mexico’s Tijuana, across from San Diego. Last month smugglers guided her through a remote opening in the border wall to a dirt lot in California, where she and about 100 migrants from around the world shivered over campfires after a morning drizzle and waited for overwhelmed Border Patrol agents to drive them to a station for processing.

Senior U.S. officials, speaking to reporters ahead of a meeting of top diplomats from about 20 countries in the Western hemisphere this week in Guatemala, applauded Mexico’s crackdown on air travel from Peru and called visa requirements an important tool to jointly confront illegal migration.

For critics, shutting down air travel only encourages more dangerous choices. Illegal migration by Venezuelans plummeted after Mexico imposed visa requirements in January 2022, but the lull was short-lived. Last year Venezuelans made up nearly two-thirds of the record-high 520,000 migrants who walked through the Darien Gap, the notorious jungle spanning parts of Panama and Colombia.

More than 25,000 Chinese traversed the Darien last year. They generally fly to Ecuador, a country known for few travel restrictions, and cross the U.S. border illegally in San Diego to seek asylum. With an immigration court backlog topping 3 million cases, it takes years to decide such claims, during which time people can obtain work permits and establish roots.

“People are going to come no matter what,” said Miguel Yaranga, 22, who flew from Lima, Peru’s capital, to Tijuana and was released by the Border Patrol Sunday at a San Diego bus stop. He had orders to appear in immigration court in New York in February 2025, which puzzled him because he said he told agents he would settle with his sister on the other side of the country, in Bakersfield, California.

Jeremy MacGillivray, deputy chief of the Mexico mission of the U.N.’s International Organization for Migration, predicts that Peruvian migration will drop “at least at the beginning” and bounce back as people shift to walking through the Darien Gap and to Central America and Mexico.

Mexico said last month that it would require visas for Peruvians for the first time since 2012 in response to a “substantial increase” in illegal migration. Large-scale Peruvian migration to Mexico began in 2022; Peruvians were stopped in the country an average of 2,160 times a month from January to March of this year, up from a monthly average of 544 times for all of 2023.

Peruvians also began showing up at the U.S. border in 2022. The U.S. Border Patrol arrested Peruvians an average of about 5,300 times a month last year before falling to a monthly average of 3,400 from January through March, amid a broad immigration crackdown by Mexico .

Peru immediately reciprocated Mexico’s visa requirement but changed course after a backlash from the country’s tourism industry. Peru noted in its reversal that it is part of a regional economic bloc that includes Mexico, Chile and Colombia.

Adam Isacson, an analyst at the Washington Office on Latin America, said Peru’s membership with Mexico in the Pacific Alliance allowed its citizens visa-free travel longer than other countries.

It is unclear if Colombia, also a major source of migration , will be next, but Isacson said Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador is in a “lovefest” with his Colombian counterpart, Gustavo Petro, while his relations with Peru’s government are more strained.

Colombians are consistently near the top nationalities of migrants arriving at Tijuana’s airport. Many find hotels before a guide takes them to boulder-strewn mountains east of the city, where they cross through openings in the border wall and then walk toward dirt lots that the Border Patrol has identified as waiting stations.

Bryan Ramírez, 25, of Colombia, reached U.S. soil with his girlfriend last month, only two days after leaving Bogota for Cancun, Mexico, and continuing on another flight to Tijuana. He waited alongside others overnight for Border Patrol agents to pick him up as cold rain and high winds whipped over the crackle of high-voltage power lines.

The group waiting near Boulevard, a small, loosely defined rural town, included several Peruvians who said they came for economic opportunity and to escape violence and political crises.

Peruvians can still avoid the Darien jungle by flying to El Salvador, which introduced visa-free travel for them in December in reciprocation for a similar move by Peru’s government. But they would still have to travel over land through Mexico, where many are robbed or kidnapped.

Ecuadoreans, who have needed visas to enter Mexico since September 2021, can also fly to El Salvador, but not all do. Oscar Palacios, 42, said he walked through Darien because he couldn’t afford to fly.

Palacios, who left his wife and year-old child in Ecuador with plans to support them financially from the U.S., said it took him two weeks to travel from his home near the violent city of Esmeralda to Mexico’s border with Guatemala. It then took him two months to cross Mexico because immigration authorities turned him around three times and bused him back to the southern part of the country. He said he was robbed repeatedly.

Palacios finally reached Tijuana and, after three nights in a hotel, crossed into the U.S. A Border Patrol agent spotted him with migrants from Turkey and Brazil and drove them to the dirt lot to wait for a van or bus to take them to a station for processing. Looking back on the journey, Palacios said he would rather cross Darien Gap 100 times than Mexico even once.

Associated Press writer Christopher Sherman in Mexico City contributed.

Copyright © 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.

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Money blog: Gen Z would rather deliver parcels than work in restaurants, top chef claims

A reader seeks help as her employer of 24 years is bringing in a new clock-in system to pay her by the minute. Read this and all the latest personal finance and consumer news in the Money blog - and share your own problem or dispute below.

Monday 13 May 2024 11:39, UK

• Gen Z would rather deliver parcels than work in restaurants, Michel Roux Jr claims
• Free childcare applications open for new age band
• Money Problem: My workplace is bringing in new clock-in system to pay us by the minute - is this allowed?

Essential reads

• How to make sure your car passes its MOT
• 'Loud budgeting': The money-saving trend that has nothing to do with giving up your daily coffee
• How to avoid a holiday data roaming charge (while still using the internet)
• Best of the Money blog - an archive

Ask a question or make a comment

Restaurants might only be able to open three or four days a week due to staffing problems, Michel Roux Jr has warned. 

Speaking to The Telegraph as he gears up to open his new restaurant Chez Rouz, the Michelin starred chef admitted the industry needs to change to accommodate flexible working hours. 

"Just because I worked 80 hours a week or more doesn't mean the next generation should," he said. 

"Quite the contrary. That is something that we have to address in our industry."

But, he warned that the move will come at a cost... 

"It will mean ultimately that going out is going to be more expensive, and that maybe your favourite restaurant is no longer open seven days a week - it's only open three or four days a week," he said. 

The industry is known for its long, unsociable working hours, and Roux Jr explained that the real issue hit after the pandemic, with people no longer wanting to work weekends. 

"People don't want to work unsociable hours and would rather work delivering parcels as and when they want to. It's as simple as that," he added. 

Earlier this year, Roux Jr said goodbye to his famous restaurant Le Gavroche in London. 

It had been opened by his father Albert Roux and uncle Michel Roux in 1967. 

Now, he said it's "brave" to open a new restaurant, with the market "very, very tough". 

"I really feel for anyone that is brave enough to open up a restaurant now. It's incredibly difficult," he added. 

Chez Rouz at The Langham in Marylebone, central London, is due to open on 22 May. 

By James Sillars , business news reporter

A pause for breath on the FTSE 100 after a 3% gain over the course of past week that took the index to a fresh record closing high.

The rally of recent weeks - significant for London's standing and pension pots alike - has been broad based and reflects several factors.

A major driver has been sterling's weakness versus the US dollar.

The US currency has been strong as the Federal Reserve, its central bank, has hinted it will be some time yet before it begins to cut interest rates.

Language out of the Bank of England last week sparked a flurry of bets that UK rates could be cut as early as next month.

A weaker pound boosts dollar-earning constituents on the FTSE 100 because they get more for their money when dollars are converted to pounds.

Also at play is the view that UK stocks represent good value, as they are cheaper compared to many of their international peers.

A few moments ago, the FTSE 100 was trading 6 points lower at 8,423.

A major talking point is the possibility of the Chinese fast fashion firm Shein listing in London.

According to Reuters, the company has shifted its focus to the UK after receiving a lukewarm reception in the United States.

The news agency, citing two sources, reported that Shein was stepping up its preparations for an initial public offering in London that would be expected to be one of the biggest carried out globally this year.

By Emily Mee , Money team

No one likes the date in their calendar when their MOT rolls around. 

But to make things a little less stressful, consumer expert Scott Dixon - known as The Complaints Resolver - has given us some tips on what to look out for to help your vehicle pass with flying colours. 

Some of the most common failures are faulty steering, brakes, suspension, worn or damaged tyres, cracked windscreens and faulty lights. 

Mr Dixon recommends you get your car serviced a couple of weeks before your MOT, in case there are any complex or costly issues. 

This will give you time to get them fixed and get your car through first time without any advisories. 

Aside from taking your car for a service, there are also some easy checks you can run yourself... 

Listen for unusual clunks while you're driving - this could be a sign of a damaged suspension. 

You could also check by pushing the car down on each corner. It should return to normal without bouncing a few times. 

Another option is to look with a torch under the wheel arch, as this should reveal any obvious defects. 

Blown bulbs are a common MOT failure, but they're cheap to fix. 

Walk around your car and check all the bulbs are working - this includes the headlights, sidelights, brake lights, indicators and the number plate bulb.

Mr Dixon says it's "not an easy job" to change the lightbulbs yourself on most modern cars, as the MOT will also check the positioning of the light. Therefore he recommends getting this done professionally. 

Squealing or grinding noises may be a sign your brake pads need replacing. 

You should also check whether your car stops in a straight line, or whether it pulls in different directions. 

Don't forget about the handbrake, too. Test it out on a slope and see if it securely holds the car. If it doesn't, you should get it adjusted. 

It's easy to check if your wipers work okay, but you should also make sure to inspect the blades for tears and rips. 

They should be able to clean the windows with no smears. 

Mr Dixon says you don't need to pay Halfords to change your wiper blade as you can "do it yourself in seconds". All you need to do is look for a YouTube tutorial. 

He also recommends buying the Bosch wiper blades, as he says these are good quality and will also be a sign you've looked after your car well when you come to sell it. 

One thing to look out for is tread depth. You can do this by looking for the "wear bar" that sits between the tread. 

If it's close to 1.6mm and is low, you should get the tyre replaced so it's not flagged as an advisory. 

Also check for perished tyre walls, which can happen when a vehicle is standing for any length of time. 

Uneven tyre wear is another potential issue, and if there are signs of this you should get the tyre replaced and tracking and suspension checked. 

These must be in good condition and working order, with no tears or knots. 

Registration plates

Your number plates should be clean and visible with a working light bulb at the rear. You may need to give them a wipe and replace the bulb if necessary. 

This should be in good condition, without damage such as loose bumpers or sharp edges. 

Mr Dixon advises against using automatic car washes during your car's lifetime, saying they "wreck your car". 

"It's not just your paintwork but they can also damage the wiper blades and the bodywork," he says. 

Check for warning lights

You'll need to take your vehicle to a trusted garage or mechanic for this. 

Exhaust emissions

Some diesel vehicles can fail their MOTs based on emissions. To avoid this, you can buy a fuel treatment pack and take your car for a good run to clear the fuel lines and tank.

Driving for at least 30 to 50 minutes at a sustained speed on a motorway or A-road should help to clear the filter. 

You should make sure the driver's view of the road isn't obstructed, so check for stone chips at eye level and remove any obstructions such as air fresheners and mobile phone cradles. 

What else should you think about? 

Make sure your car is clean beforehand, as a tester can refuse to do your MOT if the vehicle is filthy and full of rubbish. 

Giving your car a clean can also give you a chance to inspect it, Mr Dixon says. 

Another thing to do is to check last year's MOT for any advisories that might crop up this time. 

These potential issues will still be there - so it's best not to ignore them. 

You can check your vehicle's MOT history using  https://car-check.co.uk . 

Every Monday we get an expert to answer your money problems or consumer disputes. Find out how to submit yours at the bottom of this post. Today's question is...

I have worked at a bank for 24 years - the facilities are outsourced. This new company is bringing in a system where the staff have to click in and out and are then paid by the minute? Is this allowed? Amber

Ian Jones, director and principal solicitor at Spencer Shaw Solicitors, has picked this one up...

Your rights depend on your contract and what it says about payment. Does it specify an annual salary, or payment by time? Does it allow for changes to how payment is calculated?

If the contract does not allow for this type of payment, your employer may be trying to vary the contract of employment unlawfully.

If you're directly employed by the bank, and your pay arrangements are changing because of a new monitoring system, this would be an internal contract variation. If you work in the facilities department and the new contractor is taking over as your employer, the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations (TUPE) 2006 may apply. 

In this case, your current terms, conditions and previous service will transfer to the new employer.

TUPE may make the issue sound more complicated but, in practice, either way the changes will be valid only if the employee agrees to them.

If you have not agreed to the change, then this could be a breach of contract. This could give rise to a successful claim in the civil courts or the employment tribunal. 

If the breach is serious (for example, you're paid less than agreed in the original contract) and you resign in response, this could amount to constructive dismissal for which a claim can be made in the employment tribunal. 

It would be sensible to get the contract reviewed by a solicitor for advice. But act swiftly - if you continue working for the employer, you are effectively waiving the breach and accepting the change to your contract.

To make it possible to pay by the minute, employees may be monitored while at work. When collecting and processing data and using it to make a decision, the employer must comply with data protection laws. If not, the employee could be entitled to compensation, depending on the breach, or the employer could be at risk of a sanction by the regulator the Information Commissioner's Office.

This feature is not intended as financial advice - the aim is to give an overview of the things you should think about.  Submit your dilemma or consumer dispute via:

• The form above - make sure you leave a phone number or email address
• Email [email protected] with the subject line "Money blog"
• WhatsApp us  here .

Please make sure you leave your contact details as we cannot follow up consumer disputes without them.

We're back for another week of consumer news, personal finance tips and all the latest on the economy.

This is how the week in the Money blog is shaping up...

Today : Every week we ask industry experts to answer your Money Problems . Today, a reader's employer is bringing in a new clock-in system to pay workers by the minute - but is this allowed?

Tuesday : This week's  Basically...  explains everything you need to know about the PIP. 

Wednesday : We speak to one of London's top chefs for his Cheap Eats at home and in the capital.

Thursday : Savings Champion  founder Anna Bowes will be back with her weekly insight into the savings market.

Friday : We'll have everything you need to know about the mortgage market this week with the guys from Moneyfacts.

Running every weekday, Money features a morning markets round-up from the  Sky News business team  and regular updates and analysis from our business, City and economic correspondents, editors and presenters -  Ed Conway ,  Mark Kleinman ,  Ian King ,  Paul Kelso  and  Adele Robinson .

You'll also be able to stream  Business Live with Ian King on weekdays at 11.30am and 4.30pm.

Bookmark  news.sky.com/money  and check back from 8am, and through the day, each weekday.

The Money team is Emily Mee, Bhvishya Patel, Jess Sharp, Katie Williams, Brad Young and Ollie Cooper, with sub-editing by Isobel Souster. The blog is edited by Jimmy Rice.

By Jess Sharp , Money team 

Money saving trends are constantly popping up on social media - but one in particular has been gaining huge amounts of attention.

Created accidentally by a comedian, loud budgeting is breaking down the taboo of speaking about money.

The idea is based on being firmer/more vocal about your financial boundaries in social situations and setting out what you are happy to spend your money on, instead of "Keeping up with the Joneses". 

On TikTok alone, videos published under the hashtag #loudbudgeting have garnered more than 30 million views - and that figure is continuing to climb. 

We spoke to Lukas Battle - the 26-year-old who unintentionally created the trend as part of a comedy sketch. 

Based in New York, he came up with the term in a skit about the "quiet luxury" hype, which had spread online in 2023 inspired by shows like Succession. 

The term was used for humble bragging about your wealth with expensive items that were subtle in their design - for example, Gwyneth Paltrow's  £3,900 moss green wool coat from The Row, which she wore during her ski resort trial...

"I was never a big fan of the quiet luxury trend, so I just kind of switched the words and wrote 'loud budgeting is in'. I'm tired of spending money and I don't want to pretend to be rich," Lukas said. 

"That's how it started and then the TikTok comments were just obsessed with that original idea." 

This was the first time he mentioned it...

Lukas explained that it wasn't about "being poor" but about not being afraid of sharing your financial limits and "what's profitable for you personally". 

"It's not 'skip a coffee a day and you'll become a millionaire'."

While talking money has been seen as rude or taboo, he said it's something his generation is more comfortable doing. 

"I've seen more debate around the topic and I think people are really intrigued and attracted by the idea," he said. 

"It's just focusing your spending and time on things you enjoy and cutting out the things you might feel pressured to spend your money on."  

He has incorporated loud budgeting into his own life, telling his friends "it's free to go outside" and opting for cheaper dinner alternatives.

"Having the terminology and knowing it's a trend helps people understand it and there's no awkward conversation around it," he said. 

The trend has been a big hit with so-called American "finfluencers", or "financial influencers", but people in the UK have started practising it as well. 

Mia Westrap has taken up loud budgeting by embarking on a no-buy year and sharing her finances with her 11.3k TikTok followers. 

Earning roughly £2,100 a month, she spends around £1,200 on essentials, like rent, petrol and car insurance, but limits what else she can purchase. 

Clothes, fizzy drinks, beauty treatments, makeup, dinners out and train tickets are just some things on her "red list". 

The 26-year-old PHD student first came across the idea back in 2017, but decided to take up the challenge this year after realising she was living "pay check to pay check". 

She said her "biggest fear" in the beginning was that her friends wouldn't understand what she was doing, but she found loud budgeting helped. 

"I'm still trying my best to just go along with what everyone wants to do but I just won't spend money while we do it and my friends don't mind that, we don't make a big deal out of it," she said. 

So far, she has been able to save £1,700, and she said talking openly about her money has been "really helpful". 

"There's no way I could have got this far if I wasn't baring my soul to the internet about the money I have spent. It has been a really motivating factor."

Financial expert John Webb said loud budgeting has the ability to help many "feel empowered" and create a "more realistic" relationship with money.

"This is helping to normalise having open and honest conversations about finances," the consumer affair manager at Experien said. 

"It can also reduce the anxiety some might have by keeping their financial worries to themselves." 

However, he warned it's important to be cautious and to take the reality of life into consideration. 

"It could cause troubles within friendship groups if they're not on the same page as you or have different financial goals," he said.

"This challenge isn't meant to stop you from having fun, but it is designed to help people become more conscious and intentional when it comes to money, and reduce the stigma around talking about it." 

Rightmove's keyword tool shows Victorian-era houses are the most commonly searched period properties, with people drawn to their ornate designs and features.

Georgian and Edwardian-style are second and third respectively, followed by Tudor properties. Regency ranked in fifth place.

Rightmove property expert Tim Bannister said: "Home hunters continue to be captivated by the character and charm of properties that we see in period dramas.

"Victorian homes remain particularly popular, characterised by their historic charm, solid construction, and spacious interiors. You'll often find Victorian houses in some of the most desirable locations which include convenient access to schools and transport links."

Throughout the week Money blog readers have shared their thoughts on the stories we've been covering, with the most correspondence coming in on...

• A hotly contested debate on the best brand of tea
• Downsizing homes
• The cost of Michelin-starred food

Job interview mistakes

On Wednesday we reported on a new £12m ad from PG Tips in response to it falling behind rivals such as Twinings, Yorkshire Tea and Tetley....

We had lots of comments like this...

How on earth was the PG Tips advert so expensive? I prefer Tetley tea, PG Tips is never strong enough flavour for me. Shellyleppard

The reason for the sales drop with PG Tips could be because they increased the price and reduced the quantity of bags from 240 to 180 - it's obvious. Royston

And then this question which we've tried to answer below...

Why have PG Tips changed from Pyramid shape tea bags, to a square? Sam

Last year PG Tips said it was changing to a square bag that left more room for leaves to infuse, as the bags wouldn't fold over themselves.

We reported on data showing how downsizing could save you money for retirement - more than £400,000, in some regions, by swapping four beds for two.

Some of our readers shared their experiences...

We are downsizing and moving South so it's costing us £100k extra for a smaller place, all money from retirement fund. AlanNorth

Interesting read about downsizing for retirement. We recently did this to have the means to retire early at 52. However, we bought a house in the south of France for the price of a flat in our town in West Sussex. Now living the dream! OliSarah

How much should we pay for food?

Executive chef at London's two-Michelin-starred Ikoyi, Jeremy Chan, raised eyebrows when he suggested to the Money blog that Britons don't pay enough for restaurant food.

Ikoyi, the 35th best restaurant in the world, charges £320 for its tasting menu. 

"I don't think people pay enough money for food, I think we charge too little, [but] we want to always be accessible to as many people as possible, we're always trying our best to do that," he said, in a piece about his restaurant's tie up with Uber Eats... 

We had this in... 

Are they serious? That is two weeks' worth of food shopping for me, if the rich can afford this "tasting menu" then they need to be taxed even more by the government, it's just crazy! Steve T

If the rate of pay is proportionate to the vastly overpriced costs of the double Michelin star menu, I would gladly peel quail eggs for four-hour stints over continuing to be abused as a UK supply teacher. AndrewWard

Does this two-star Michelin star chef live in the real world? Who gives a toss if he stands and peels his quails eggs for four hours, and he can get the best turbot from the fishmonger fresh on a daily basis? It doesn't justify the outrageous price he is charging for his tasting menu. Topaztraveller

Chefs do make me laugh, a steak is just a steak, they don't make the meat! They just cook it like the rest of us, but we eat out because we can't be bothered cooking! StevieGrah

Finally, many of you reacted to this feature on common mistakes in job interviews...

Those 10 biggest mistakes people make in interviews is the dumbest thing I've ever read. They expect all that and they'll be offering a £25k a year job. Why wouldn't I want to know about benefits and basic sick pay? And also a limp handshake? How's that relevant to how you work? Jre90

Others brought their own tips...

Whenever I go for an interview I stick to three points: 1. Be yourself 2. Own the interview 3. Wear the clothes that match the job you are applying Kevin James Blakey

From Sunday, eligible working parents of children from nine-months-old in England will be able to register for access to up to 15 free hours of government-funded childcare per week.

This will then be granted from September. 

Check if you're eligible  here  - or read on for our explainer on free childcare across the UK.

Three and four year olds

In England, all parents of children aged three and four in England can claim 15 hours of free childcare per week, for 1,140 hours (38 weeks) a year, at an approved provider.

This is a universal offer open to all.

It can be extended to 30 hours where both parents (or the sole parent) are in work, earn the weekly minimum equivalent of 16 hours at the national minimum or living wage, and have an income of less than £100,000 per year.

Two year olds

Previously, only parents in receipt of certain benefits were eligible for 15 hours of free childcare.

But, as of last month, this was extended to working parents.

This is not a universal offer, however.

A working parent must earn more than £8,670 but less than £100,000 per year. For couples, the rule applies to both parents.

Nine months old

In September, this same 15-hour offer will be extended to working parents of children aged from nine months. From 12 May, those whose children will be at least nine months old on 31 August can apply to received the 15 hours of care from September.

From September 2025

The final change to the childcare offer in England will be rolled out in September 2025, when eligible working parents of all children under the age of five will be able to claim 30 hours of free childcare a week.

In some areas of Wales, the Flying Start early years programme offers 12.5 hours of free childcare for 39 weeks, for eligible children aged two to three. The scheme is based on your postcode area, though it is currently being expanded.

All three and four-year-olds are entitled to free early education of 10 hours per week in approved settings during term time under the Welsh government's childcare offer.

Some children of this age are entitled to up to 30 hours per week of free early education and childcare over 48 weeks of the year. The hours can be split - but at least 10 need to be used on early education.

To qualify for this, each parent must earn less than £100,000 per year, be employed and earn at least the equivalent of working 16 hours a week at the national minimum wage, or be enrolled on an undergraduate, postgraduate or further education course that is at least 10 weeks in length.

All three and four-year-olds living in Scotland are entitled to at least 1,140 hours per year of free childcare, with no work or earnings requirements for parents. 

This is usually taken as 30 hours per week over term time (38 weeks), though each provider will have their own approach.

Some households can claim free childcare for two-year-olds. To be eligible you have to be claiming certain benefits such as Income Support, Jobseeker's Allowance or Universal Credit, or have a child that is in the care of their local council or living with you under a guardianship order or kinship care order.

Northern Ireland

There is no scheme for free childcare in Northern Ireland. Some other limited support is available.

Working parents can access support from UK-wide schemes such as tax credits, Universal Credit, childcare vouchers and tax-free childcare.

Aside from this, all parents of children aged three or four can apply for at least 12.5 hours a week of funded pre-school education during term time. But over 90% of three-year-olds have a funded pre-school place - and of course this is different to childcare.

What other help could I be eligible for?

Tax-free childcare  - Working parents in the UK can claim up to £500 every three months (up to £2,000 a year) for each of their children to help with childcare costs. 

If the child is disabled, the amount goes up to £1,000 every three months (up to £4,000 a year).

To claim the benefit, parents will need to open a tax-free childcare account online. For every 80p paid into the account, the government will top it up by 20p.

The scheme is available until the September after the child turns 11.

Universal credit  - Working families on universal credit can claim back up to 85% of their monthly childcare costs, as long as the care is paid for upfront. The most you can claim per month is £951 for one child or £1,630 for two or more children.

Tax credits -  People claiming working tax credit can get up to 70% of what they pay for childcare if their costs are no more than £175 per week for one child or £300 per work for multiple children.

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