Covering the Supreme Court, lower courts, and the law

The Minnesota Supreme Court on Wednesday refused, for the time being, to rule on the constitutional claim that Donald Trump is barred from seeking election as President.  The ruling, though, would allow him to be on the ballot for that state’s primary election next March 5, leaving open the question for the general election next… Read More

On Tuesday, as another American city buries the dead from another mass shooting, the Supreme Court takes up a case on whether people who are known to be violent have a constitutional right to have guns.  It poses a fundamental test of where the Court is headed on its understanding of the Constitution’s  Second Amendment…. Read More

On Monday, the Supreme Court will face a basic constitutional dilemma: how does it reconcile two long-standing legal principles, neither of which is actually mentioned in the Constitution but are treated as if they were?  That will be examined in a single hearing on a controversy over consumers’ credit status. Tomorrow’s hearing:  U.S. Department of… Read More

The Supreme Court will be on the bench Wednesday for a single hearing, focusing on a Californian’s plea for the right to get trademark protection for a T-shirt that is unflattering toward former President Donald Trump.  It is a dispute left over from one of the less-edifying moments of the Republican fight for the presidential… Read More

Tomorrow, the Supreme Court explores a lively constitutional question about public officials’ right to block critics or unwanted contacts from access to those officials’ social media pages.  The outcome of the case could have major implications for how the Internet’s content is controlled. Tuesday hearings: O’Connor-Ratcliff v. Garnier, starting at 10 a.m., followed by Lindke… Read More

The Supreme Court resumes its hearings tomorrow, with a single case on property rights – specifically, the limits on the government’s power to take property as a form of punishment. Monday’s hearing:  Culley v. Marshall  Starting at 10 a.m., the hearing is scheduled for one hour. The Court will broadcast “live” the audio (no video)… Read More

The Supreme Court, in a single hearing on Wednesday, will make a new effort to sort out when state legislatures may rely on race in drawing new election districts for the U.S. House of Representatives.  This case from South Carolina could affect Democrats’ chances of controlling the House in 2025. Tomorrow’s hearing:  Alexander v. South… Read More

After a legal holiday on Monday, the Supreme Court returns to the bench tomorrow for two complex but fascinating hearings.  The first will examine the ancient tradition of “whistleblowing,” in a case testing the rights of employees who get fired after exposing misdeeds by companies in the securities industry.  The second involves a decades-long conflict… Read More

The Supreme Court on Wednesday takes up, again, an issue as old as the Constitution: who is allowed to file a lawsuit in federal courts?  There are limits, and they are not always easy to satisfy. Tomorrow’s hearing: Acheson Hotels v. Laufer  Beginning at 10 a.m., the hearing is scheduled for one hour. The Court… Read More

On Tuesday, the Supreme Court takes up a rare constitutional test of one of Congress’s most basic powers: its control over government spending.  Only once before in the nation’s history has the Court faced a case like this one; the outcome this time could affect much of the federal budget. Tomorrow’s hearing: :  Consumer Financial… Read More