Covering the Supreme Court and the Judiciary in (mostly) Plain English

This morning the Supreme Court heard oral argument in a challenge to the constitutionality of a New York City rule that barred gun owners from taking their licensed guns outside the city. The gun owners argued that the rule violated their right to “keep and bear arms” under the Constitution’s Second Amendment. But it’s not… Read More

For nearly a century, the Anaconda Smelter, located in southwestern Montana, refined copper ore for use in phone wires and power lines. The smelter shut down in 1980, the same year that Congress enacted the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act to manage and clean up hazardous-waste sites, dubbed “Superfund” sites. Three years later,… Read More

This morning the Supreme Court released the calendar for the justices’ February argument session, which begins on Monday, February 24, and runs through the first week of March. During the session, the court will hear nine hours of oral argument over six days. The highest-profile cases of the sitting will come at the end of… Read More

Ten days ago lawyers for President Donald Trump asked the Supreme Court to temporarily block a decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit that upheld a subpoena for Trump’s financial records. Today the justices granted that request, at least until the president’s lawyers file a petition for review of… Read More

This morning the Supreme Court issued more orders from last week’s private conference. The justices did not add any new cases to their merits docket for this term, and they denied review in several closely watched cases. Perhaps most notably, they turned down a request to reconsider one of last term’s significant decisions – even… Read More

UPDATED: The Supreme Court’s Public Information Office reported on Sunday afternoon that Ginsburg had been discharged from the hospital; she is “home and doing well.” Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg was admitted to Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore on Friday night. The Supreme Court announced tonight that the 86-year-old Ginsburg, who has been treated for cancer… Read More

The Supreme Court added one new case to its merits docket this morning. The justices agreed to hear the government’s appeal in FNU [First Name Unknown] Tanzin v. Tanvir, a dispute over whether the Religious Freedom Restoration Act allows lawsuits for money damages against individual federal employees. The question arises in a lawsuit filed by… Read More

It has been nearly 10 years since the Supreme Court ruled that the Second Amendment right of individuals to keep and bear arms applies fully to state and local governments. When the justices return to the bench next month, they will wade into the Second Amendment fray once again, this time hearing oral argument in… Read More

This morning the Supreme Court issued orders from last week’s private conference. The justices granted four cases from that conference on Friday afternoon, so they did not add new cases to their docket today. The justices denied review in the case of Victor Saldano, an Argentinian citizen who has been on death row in Texas… Read More

Yesterday lawyers for President Donald Trump asked the Supreme Court to review a decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit ordering the president to provide New York prosecutors with his tax returns. Those lawyers were back at the court today, this time asking the justices to temporarily put on hold a… Read More