Covering the Supreme Court, lower courts, and the law

The Supreme Court on Thursday asked lawyers for advice on whether the Justices still can decide the most important voting rights case in years – a basic test under the Constitution of who in state government controls federal elections. In a new order, the Justices called for new legal briefs discussing the impact of the… Read More

In a Supreme Court hearing Wednesday that may bring back memories of the famous 1954 movie, On the Waterfront, the Justices will examine a constitutional idea that had its origins even before the Constitution existed. The Court will broadcast “live” the audio (no video) of the hearing on its homepage, supremecourt.gov  To listen, click on… Read More

The Supreme Court on Tuesday takes on the complex puzzle over President Biden’s plan to forgive more than $400 billion of college loan debt owed by students and graduates.  Two cases raise core constitutional questions about presidential power and the authority of the courts against a background of intense political and cultural controversy. The Court… Read More

The Supreme Court will be on the bench tomorrow for a single hearing, examining what Congress meant when it outlawed identity theft and added extra punishment when that crime occurs along with another crime. The Court will broadcast “live” the audio (no video) of the hearing on its homepage, supremecourt.gov  To listen, click on “Live… Read More

On Wednesday, the Supreme Court will continue its examination – begun today – of the legal rules governing the operation of some of the biggest social media platforms.  The Justices will next hear a case involving Twitter, reviewing the scope of anti-terrorism laws when used to challenge those platforms’ hosting of terrorist propaganda. The Court… Read More

Back after a four-week winter recess and a federal holiday on Monday, the Supreme Court this week takes up two highly important tests of the laws governing the Internet, including legal rules on the operation of some of the biggest online platforms. The Court will broadcast “live” the audio (no video) of the hearings on… Read More

In a bold move that could stir up a major new controversy over abortion, a federal judge in Washington, D.C., has decided to test a theory that could restore a constitutional right for a woman to end a pregnancy – under the anti-slavery Thirteenth Amendment. In a four-page order on Monday, U.S. District Judge Colleen… Read More

A major constitutional dispute that the Supreme Court is now reviewing – one of history’s most important tests of voters’ rights — may be ended without a ruling by the Justices, because of new developments in the state where that case began – North Carolina. On Friday, a newly installed majority of Republican members of… Read More

The Supreme Court staff officer who ran the internal investigation of the leak of the draft abortion opinion moved on Friday to head off speculation that one or more of the Justices released that document. Gail A. Curley, who is the Court’s Marshal, said she spoke “with each of the Justices, several on multiple occasions,”… Read More

The most embarrassing, and probably most disruptive, “leak” in Supreme Court history – the unauthorized public disclosure last year of a draft of the historic Dobbs abortion decision – may have resulted from flawed internal secrecy procedures, but no individual leaker could be found, the Court said on Thursday. After an internal investigation that began… Read More