WASHINGTON — A divided appeals court ruled Wednesday that President Trump doesn't have the authority to unilaterally remove and replace the director of the U.S. Copyright Office.

A three-judge panel from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit voted 2-1 to temporarily block Trump's Republican administration from firing Shira Perlmutter as the register of copyrights.

Perlmutter claims Trump fired her in May because he disapproved of advice she gave to Congress in a report related to artificial intelligence. Circuit Judges Florence Pan and J. Michelle Childs concluded that Perlmutter's purported firing was likely illegal.

Perlmutter's position is part of legislative branch. Her office is housed within the Library of Congress. Its director is chosen by the librarian

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