So, as we enter the dog days of August, we're now about two months out from the beginning of the new term. Setting this up in advance as a term discussion thread, given that this place doesn't seem to proliferate threads like the weeds in my back yard.
As of today, there are 32 cases on the active argument docket (with more sure to be added following the long conference at the end of the summer). That, of course, is aside from all of the emergency docket stuff floating around relating to federal employee terminations, grant suspensions, ICE, and the like. For those such as myself nerdy enough to follow this stuff, here are a few of the higher profile cases to be argued so far. So far, it looks like some big themes around elections law and sexuality, though I'm sure we'll start seeing some post-Chevron stuff emerge, and that some of those emergency docket issues will surely get to the point where the court will have to tackle their substantive merits rather than procedural/injunctive relief questions as it has to date. (Conversely, I tend to think the Appointments Clause cases have peaked.) The election stuff, of course, could be a deal in 26 and certainly 28.
1. Louisiana - voting rights/redistricting challenge where the court may call into question the whole majority-minority district approach.
2. Bost - though a standing case, relates to ability to challenge election day rules and processes (how long polls open, how long mail in votes accepted, etc.)
3. NRCC - Ability of national parties and PACs to coordinate spending and messaging.
4. Salazar - ability of states to restrict "conversion" therapy as part of medical practice regulation under the first amendment
5. WV - Trans sports
6. Hammersmith - how IQ scores can be used in death penalty/intellectual disability cases
As of today, there are 32 cases on the active argument docket (with more sure to be added following the long conference at the end of the summer). That, of course, is aside from all of the emergency docket stuff floating around relating to federal employee terminations, grant suspensions, ICE, and the like. For those such as myself nerdy enough to follow this stuff, here are a few of the higher profile cases to be argued so far. So far, it looks like some big themes around elections law and sexuality, though I'm sure we'll start seeing some post-Chevron stuff emerge, and that some of those emergency docket issues will surely get to the point where the court will have to tackle their substantive merits rather than procedural/injunctive relief questions as it has to date. (Conversely, I tend to think the Appointments Clause cases have peaked.) The election stuff, of course, could be a deal in 26 and certainly 28.
1. Louisiana - voting rights/redistricting challenge where the court may call into question the whole majority-minority district approach.
2. Bost - though a standing case, relates to ability to challenge election day rules and processes (how long polls open, how long mail in votes accepted, etc.)
3. NRCC - Ability of national parties and PACs to coordinate spending and messaging.
4. Salazar - ability of states to restrict "conversion" therapy as part of medical practice regulation under the first amendment
5. WV - Trans sports
6. Hammersmith - how IQ scores can be used in death penalty/intellectual disability cases