The Supreme Court heard oral argument this morning in an important privacy-rights case. The defendant in the case, Timothy Carpenter, was convicted and sentenced to 116 years in prison for his role in a series of armed robberies in Michigan and Ohio. At his trial, prosecutors introduced Carpenter’s cellphone records, which confirmed that his cellphone… Read More
Challengers respond in latest travel-ban dispute
Challengers in Hawaii and Maryland responded today to the government’s request to have the Supreme Court intervene in the ongoing litigation over President Donald Trump’s effort to restrict travel to the United States by nationals from certain countries, often known as the “travel ban.” The challengers urged the justices to stay out of the dispute… Read More
Argument preview: Justices to consider immunity in terrorism cases
Over 20 years ago, three suicide bombers detonated explosives on a Jerusalem pedestrian mall, killing themselves and five passers-by. Nearly 200 other people were injured, several of them seriously. Eight of the victims were American; they and their family members filed a lawsuit in federal court against the Islamic Republic of Iran, alleging that Iran… Read More
No new grants, court denies review in gun-rights cases
The Supreme Court issued orders from its November 21 conference today. The justices did not add any new cases to their merits docket for the term, but they did deny review in several high-profile cases. Perhaps the most noteworthy denials came in two cases involving gun rights: Kolbe v. Hogan, a challenge to Maryland’s ban… Read More
Trump administration asks Supreme Court to intervene in travel-ban dispute (FURTHER UPDATED Tuesday, 6:15 pm)
The battle over the latest iteration of President Donald Trump’s efforts to restrict travel to the United States by nationals from certain countries came to the Supreme Court on Monday. In a filing late in the day, the Trump administration asked the justices to allow the full set of restrictions – often known as the… Read More
Justices release January calendar
Today the Supreme Court released the calendar for its January sitting, which begins on January 8. The justices will kick off the new year with not one but two interstate disputes over water: Texas v. New Mexico, involving the apportionment of the waters of the Rio Grande River, and Florida v. Georgia, involving the allocation… Read More
Court grants review in three new cases
This morning the justices issued orders from last week’s conference. They added three new cases to their merits docket for the term, including two high-profile First Amendment cases, and they denied review in an Alabama death-penalty case, over a lengthy dissent by Justice Sonia Sotomayor that was joined by Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Elena… Read More
Kagan recuses from immigrant- detention case
The fate of a high-profile challenge to the long-term detention of immigrants facing deportation without a bond hearing appeared less certain tonight, with the announcement – made over a month after oral argument – that Justice Elena Kagan would no longer participate in the case. In a letter sent to lawyers for the two sides… Read More
Court issues orders, but no grants, from November 3 conference
This morning the Supreme Court issued orders from its November 3 conference. For the second week in a row, the justices did not add any new cases to their merits docket for the term. However, they did issue two summary decisions, without briefing on the merits or oral argument, reversing rulings by federal appeals courts… Read More
Government seeks to vacate D.C. Circuit abortion ruling, asks for disciplinary action against lawyers
“Jane Doe,” the 17-year-old pregnant teenager who was caught trying to enter the United States illegally, had an abortion nine days ago, on October 25. A ruling by the full U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit the previous day had cleared the way for Doe’s abortion after the federal government –… Read More