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The former leader's government on Monday requested the nation's highest court to permit the removal of the director of the US Copyright Office.

This urgent appeal follows about a month and a half after a federal appeals court in Washington decided that the director, Shira Perlmutter, cannot be unilaterally dismissed.

Almost one month ago, the entire District of Columbia circuit court declined to review that ruling.

This case is the most recent in a line of cases concerning presidential power to appoint preferred heads at federal agencies.

The High Court has mostly allowed such actions, even as court challenges proceed.

However, this particular case involves an bureau inside the Library of Congress. Perlmutter serves as the copyright registrar and also counsels the legislature on intellectual property issues.

The government's top lawyer, D John Sauer, argued in the filing that, despite connections to Congress, the register “wields administrative power” in regulating copyrights.

Perlmutter claims she was terminated in May because the former president disapproved with recommendations she gave to lawmakers in a document related to AI.

She reportedly received an email from the administration notifying her that her role was “ended effective immediately,” as stated by her staff.

A split appellate group decided that Perlmutter could keep her position while the case proceeds.

“The Executive's claimed obvious interference with the duties of a congressional officer, as she carries out statutorily approved responsibilities to advise the legislature, strikes us as a breach of the division of government authority,” wrote Judge Florence Pan for the appellate panel.

Judge J Michelle Childs supported the opinion. Both justices were nominated to the appellate court by Democrat President Joe Biden.

In dissent, Judge Justin Walker, a former president's nominee, argued that Perlmutter “uses executive power in a variety of ways.”

Perlmutter's attorneys have contended that she is a renowned copyright specialist. She has served as copyright director since ex- head librarian Carla Hayden selected her to the position in October 2020.

The ex-leader appointed assistant attorney general Todd Blanche to succeed Hayden at the Library of Congress. The White House had dismissed Hayden amid complaints from conservatives that she was advancing a “woke” program.