The Supreme Court on Thursday afternoon declined to temporarily block an Illinois law that bans the purchase, sale, possession, and manufacture of assault-style weapons. In a brief unsigned order, without any explanation, the justices denied a request to intervene after two lower courts rejected requests to put the law on hold. There were no recorded… Read More
Justices to weigh in on scope of law used in Jan. 6 prosecutions
Two days after Special Counsel Jack Smith asked the justices to decide quickly whether former President Donald Trump can face criminal charges for conspiring to overturn the results of the 2020 elections, the Supreme Court agreed to hear a case that could affect the charges against Trump even if the court ultimately rules that he… Read More
Justices will review lower-court ruling on access to abortion pill
The Supreme Court on Wednesday morning agreed to review a ruling by a federal appeals court that would significantly restrict (but not eliminate altogether) access to a drug used in medication abortions, which account for over half of all abortions performed in the United States. Wednesday’s announcement means that the justices will weigh in on… Read More
Supreme Court won’t block new maps for Galveston County
The Supreme Court on Tuesday afternoon declined to block a ruling by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit that leaves in place a new map for Galveston County, Tex. A federal district judge ruled last year that the new map violates Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, which prohibits election practices… Read More
Special counsel asks justices to weigh in now on Trump’s immunity
Describing the case as presenting a “fundamental question at the heart of our democracy,” Special Counsel Jack Smith asked the Supreme Court on Monday to decide early next year, without waiting for a federal appeals court to weigh in, whether former President Donald Trump can be tried on criminal charges that he conspired to overturn… Read More
Justices won’t hear “conversion therapy” case
A divided Supreme Court declined on Monday to decide whether a Washington state law that prohibits licensed therapists from practicing conversion therapy on children violates the First Amendment. The announcement was part of a list of orders released from the justices’ private conference on Friday. The justices granted one new case from that conference, involving… Read More
Court grants review in federal employee’s filing deadlines case
The Supreme Court on Friday afternoon agreed to take up another case exploring the distinction between filing deadlines that are jurisdictional – so that courts cannot hear a case if they are not met – and those that are instead simply a limitations period that can be waived or extended. The justices granted review in… Read More
Justices dismiss “civil rights tester” case
In its first opinion of the 2023-24 term in an argued case, the Supreme Court on Tuesday morning threw out a dispute over whether a self-appointed “civil rights tester” has a legal right to file a lawsuit under the Americans with Disabilities Act alleging that a hotel had failed to provide information about its accessibility… Read More
Oral argument suggests narrow ruling to uphold disputed tax
The Supreme Court on Tuesday appeared likely to reject a challenge to the constitutionality of a provision of a 2017 corporate tax reform law that taxes the undistributed profits from U.S. shares of foreign corporations that are majority American owned. The Washington state couple at the center of the case is seeking a refund of… Read More
Justices to hear major tax case
The Supreme Court will hear oral argument on Tuesday in a challenge to the constitutionality of a provision of a 2017 corporate tax reform law. A Washington State couple went to court to challenge the law after it increased their tax bill by a one-time payment of roughly $15,000. The federal government says that if… Read More