United States v. State of California — 9th Cir. (argued August 25, 2026)
The Ninth Circuit returns to the United States' challenge to Section 10 of California's No Vigilantes Act. The provision generally requires nonuniformed law-enforcement officers, including federal officers, to display their agency and either a name or badge number while performing specified enforcement duties. The district court declined to block it. In April, this same panel barred California from enforcing it against federal agencies and officers while the appeal proceeds. The merits question is whether the law impermissibly regulates the federal government under the Supremacy Clause.
United States v. State of California (No. 26-926) — U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, argued August 25, 2026.
Sources
Argument audio — U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit (public domain, 17 U.S.C. § 105):https://cdn.ca9.uscourts.gov/datastore/media/2026/08/25/26-926.mp3
Argument listing — Ninth Circuit media archive:https://www.ca9.uscourts.gov/cases/streams-videos/archive?case=26-926&hearingDate=2026-08-25
Prior injunction-pending-appeal opinion — U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit:https://cdn.ca9.uscourts.gov/datastore/opinions/2026/04/22/26-926.pdf
California Penal Code § 13654 — California Legislative Information:https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displayText.xhtml?article=&chapter=&division=&lawCode=PEN&part=4.&title=4.7.
Argument report — Courthouse News Service:https://courthousenews.com/california-faces-uphill-battle-to-keep-no-vigilantes-act-intact/
- 0:00Introduction
- 0:44Andrew M. Bernie — United States
- 8:19Mica L. Moore — California