Does 1-26 v. Musk, 8:25-cv-00462-TDC. On March 18, 2025, Judge Chuang issued a memorandum opinion and a preliminary injunction, granted in part and denied in part, on Appointments Clause and separation-of-powers claims about actions to shut down the United States Agency for International Development.
The RECAP opinion states the finding used for the injunction: “Where the Court finds that Defendants’ unilateral actions to shut down USAID likely violated the United States Constitution, the Motion will be GRANTED IN PART and DENIED IN PART.” The accompanying injunction (RECAP ECF 75) bars Musk and DOGE from taking further shutdown steps as written in that order and directs restoration of systems access as specified there. Just the News, the New York Post, and Epoch Times reported the same day.
A preliminary injunction is not a final judgment. It is not a criminal finding against Elon Musk. Ten days later the Fourth Circuit stayed it. That stay is the next post. Subsequent amended complaints and later district-court discovery orders do not revive the stayed PI as the last word.