Federal courts run out of funds as government shutdown drags on
The U.S. federal courts have run out of funding as the government shutdown nears its third week, forcing them to limit operations starting next week. Initially, courts continued normal functions using available court fees and other funds not requiring new appropriations. However, since Congress has yet to pass a funding bill for fiscal year 2026, full court operations can no longer be maintained.
According to a statement from the judiciary, courts will continue only essential activities necessary to uphold constitutional functions, including those protecting human life and property. Federal judges will keep working and receiving pay as mandated by the Constitution, but court staff will be restricted to limited, excepted tasks allowed under the anti-Deficiency Act.
The shutdown has increasingly disrupted government services, causing numerous federal offices, museums, and tourist sites to close. While the Trump administration redirected some funds to pay active-duty military personnel and sustain select programs temporarily, continued funding shortages have intensified operational challenges.
With Democrats and Republicans deadlocked over government funding bills-Republicans advocating a continuing resolution to maintain last year’s funding levels and Democrats seeking to add ACA subsidy renewals-the shutdown shows no immediate resolution. Democrats have filibustered GOP-led funding efforts multiple times,prolonging the stalemate. The current shutdown risks becoming the longest in U.S.history, surpassing the 35-day closure from late 2018 to early 2019.
Federal courts run out of funds as government shutdown drags on
The U.S. Courts announced on Friday that funding for the judicial branch has lapsed and that courts will begin limiting their operations next week, as the government shutdown nears three weeks.
The judiciary said at the beginning of the government shutdown it would continue normal operations through Friday using “court fee balances and other funds not dependent on a new appropriation,” but because Congress has yet to pass a government funding package for fiscal 2026, the courts announced they have run out of funding allowing them to continue full operations.
“Until the ongoing lapse in government funding is resolved, federal courts will maintain limited operations necessary to perform the Judiciary’s constitutional functions,” a statement from the U.S. Courts said.
“Federal judges will continue to serve, in accordance with the Constitution, but court staff may only perform certain excepted activities permitted under the Anti-Deficiency Act,” the statement said.
The Anti-Deficiency Act generally prevents government agencies from spending funds that have not been appropriated by Congress, but there are exempted activities that may still continue without appropriated funds. The courts will continue to perform constitutionally mandated functions, including “activities necessary for the safety of human life and protection of property,” among other functions.
The U.S. Courts said each individual court will determine which cases and other activities will continue moving forward without funding, along with which staff will continue to work without pay during the government shutdown. Federal judges and Supreme Court justices will continue to receive pay during the shutdown, as is required by the Constitution.
As the government shutdown continues, the lack of funding has hampered government operations more each day that lawmakers fail to end it.
Government offices and federally-run museums and tourist sites have had to shutter the longer the shutdown has continued. President Donald Trump redirected some leftover and unimpacted funds to ensure 1.3 million active service members received a paycheck earlier this week, along with moving funds to keep some other programs afloat temporarily. As the shutdown lingers, there will be fewer funds to move around to blunt the visible impact of the lack of appropriations.
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With Democrats and Republicans in Congress digging in over their respective government funding bills, the end of the shutdown does not appear to be coming anytime soon. Republicans have pushed for a continuing resolution, which would effectively continue to fund the government at the same levels as last year, through Nov. 21, while Democrats have attempted to include renewed Affordable Care Act subsidies with their continuing resolution.
Despite Republicans holding a majority in both chambers, Democrats have been able to filibuster the GOP-led funding bill 10 times in the Senate, continuing the standoff and the shutdown. The longest shutdown in history occurred from December 2018 through January 2019, lasting 35 days.
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