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... During a one-day bench trial, U.S. District Judge Nol Wise frequently noted her concern over the structure and procedure of the case, which led to a rare proceeding where both parties asked Wise to decide the trial based on the transcript " the testimony and underlying exhibits only " of another case, the American Association of University Professors v. Rubio, without calling any other witnesses or the plaintiffs to testify.

"This feels messy and convoluted, in some ways," Wise, a Joe Biden appointee, said before a court recess. "And it's a critically important issue."

In the American Association of University Professors case, U.S. District Judge William Young, a Ronald Regan appointee, ruled in January the government acted unconstitutionally through its policy of arresting, detaining, and deporting noncitizen students and faculty who engaged in protected pro-Palestinian speech.

However, the attorneys for both parties in the case at hand Wednesday told the judge that Young's ruling isn't what she should look to decide the legal issues at play, and the transcript of the other case should only be used to provide details and context. ...