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The former leader's administration on Monday requested the nation's highest court to permit the termination of the head of the US Copyright Office.

This emergency appeal comes about a month and a half after a federal appeals court in Washington ruled that the director, Shira Perlmutter, cannot be unilaterally fired.

Almost one month ago, the full District of Columbia appeals court refused to review that decision.

This case is the most recent in a series of disputes related to presidential power to appoint chosen heads at federal agencies.

The High Court has mostly permitted such dismissals, even as court challenges proceed.

However, this particular matter involves an bureau inside the national library. Perlmutter acts as the register of copyrights and also advises Congress on intellectual property matters.

The government's top lawyer, D John Sauer, stated in the filing that, regardless of ties to Congress, the register “wields executive power” in regulating copyrights.

Perlmutter alleges she was terminated in May because the former president disapproved with recommendations she gave to Congress in a report related to artificial intelligence.

She allegedly received an email from the White House notifying her that her role was “terminated effective immediately,” as stated by her staff.

A split appeals court panel ruled that Perlmutter could keep her job while the legal dispute moves forward.

“The administration's claimed blatant interference with the duties of a Legislative Branch officer, as she performs statutorily authorized duties to counsel the legislature, appears to be a violation of the division of government authority,” stated Judge Florence Pan for the appeals court.

Judge J Michelle Childs joined the opinion. Both judges were nominated to the appeals court by Democrat President Joe Biden.

In opposition, Judge Justin Walker, a former president's nominee, argued that Perlmutter “exercises administrative authority in a variety of manners.”

Perlmutter's attorneys have argued that she is a well-known intellectual property specialist. She has acted as register of copyrights since ex- head librarian Carla Hayden selected her to the position in October 2020.

The ex-leader named deputy attorney general Todd Blanche to succeed Hayden at the Library of Congress. The administration had fired Hayden amid complaints from conservatives that she was advancing a “woke” agenda.