No Presidential Administration is Above the Law

Federal courts have broad inherent powers to ensure presidential administrations comply with judicial orders, even when those administrations resist or defy rulings. Courts can employ civil contempt sanctions, designed either to compel compliance or compensate harmed parties. These sanctions do not require proof of intentional wrongdoing; instead, the administration's actions must merely be objectively unreasonable.

However, courts exercise caution, reserving civil contempt for clear violations where no legitimate doubt exists about the wrongdoing. Persistent defiance or bad faith actions further justify judicial intervention, emphasizing that no administration, including the presidency, stands above the law.