Showing 1–50 of 102 items published in October 2010, most recent first.
Taking a position in court for the first time on the issue of patenting human genes, when isolated outside the body, the Obama Administration opposed monopoly rights. The position runs counter to long-time government policy. The issue likely is bound for the Supreme Court.
Significant dates in the coming week.
After repeatedly showing an interest in a job bias question that has taken the name of a fable written by a 17th Century poet — the story of the “cat’s paw,” the Supreme Court finally addresses the idea in an Illinois hospital employee’s case. A variety of federal workplace bias laws likely will be affected. An eight-Justice Court will hear the case.
Gearing up for next Tuesday’s arguments in Schwarzenegger v. E.M.A.; the recusal process considered in relation to politically active Supreme Court spouses.
Daniel Thies previews United States v. Tohono O’Odham Nation, which is scheduled for oral argument on Monday.
The Court turns down a challenge, in the waning days of the election campaign, to a Minnesota law that controls how corporations may spend their money to try to promote or defeat candidates in state elections. The Court’s vote appeared to be unanimous, and was not explained.
The Court on Tuesday faces a potentially major constitutional conflict over Congress’s power to pass laws to control how state officials run state institutions, such as prisons. A Texas inmate’s case, however, may turn on what one such law actually means, rather than on a core constitutional powers issue. It will be decided by an eight-member Court.
Continued coverage of the Court’s five-to-four decision to lift a stay of execution; retired Justice O’Connor’s “robo-calls” raise ethics questions.
A five-four vote to lift a stay of execution; a study on the Chamber of Commerce’s success rate at the Court over time; Justice O’Connor in the news for 1 a.m. “robo-calls.”
The Court, in its first 5-4 vote of the Term and with new Justice Elena Kagan dissenting for the first time, cleared the way for the state of Arizona to carry out a death sentence using lethal drugs. The Court brushed aside the death-row inmate’s claim that the drugs to be used could cause serious pain as the execution went forward.
Traveling justices, skeet shooting, and even more Citizens United.
The Supreme Court returns on Tuesday to the question of whether to create a new exception to the First Amendment — this time, to give state legislatures and Congress more authority to regulate the kinds of video games that can be sold or rented for playing by those under age 18. A clash of perceptions about video games dominates the briefs.
Habeas experts debate whether federal habeas review of non-capital state court convictions is worth the time and resources expended on it.
Comments on the cert. grant in Ashcroft v. al-Kidd; Justice Stevens on flag burning and the First Amendment.
Significant dates in the coming week.
UPDATE: The Supreme Court on Friday evening refused to block three Maine laws controlling campaign finance in statewide elections. The order drew two dissents as to one of the laws.
An explanation of the arguments heard by the Justices last Tuesday in Bruesewitz v. Wyeth and Premo v. Moore.
Troy Anthony Davis, at the center of a well-known Supreme Court case over a claim of innocence and the death penalty, may have another opportunity to appeal to press his claim — but where would he appeal? The issue is far from clear, but may soon have to be resolved.
Looking forward to the Chief Justice’s annual report; don’t blame Citizens United; Justice Stevens on Harmelin
The authors of Justice Brennan: Liberal Champion answered SCOTUSblog’s questions about their newly published biography.
Speculation on the Court’s possible reaction to the health insurance mandate; politics and the Court.
The Ninth Circuit Court on Thursday scheduled a two-hour hearing on the constitutionality of California’s Proposition 8 ban on gay marriage, to be held at 10 a.m. on Monday, December 6. The three judges on the panel will not be announced until about a week before the hearing.
A federal judge in California refused on Tuesday afternoon to postpone her ruling of last week barring the Pentagon from enforcing the “don’t ask/don’t tell” policy that forbids gays from serving openly in the military services. A government appeal already was promised.
A conservative activist group has asked the Supreme Court to step into the debate over who can challenge the constitutionality of President Obama’s health care plan, without waiting for that question to be answered first in lower courts. The Justices’ reaction may be known shortly.
Analyzing Monday’s order list; continuing to assess Citizens United‘s impact and legacy.
A panel of the Ninth Circuit Court on Wednesday afternoon put on hold temporarily a federal judge’s ruling on gays in the military, thus putting back into effect the 17-year-old policy. The stay will last at least five days, the panel said.
Opponents of California’s Proposition 8 have urged the Ninth Circuit to throw out an appeal filed by supporters of the same-sex marriage ban.
Responses to Ashcroft v. al-Kidd; Justice Sotomayor’s lone dissent; coverage of denials of certiorari
Last Wednesday, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments in Kasten v. Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics Corp.
This morning, the Supreme Court agreed to hear former Attorney General John Ashcroft’s plea for immunity from a lawsuit which claims he misused a federal witness-availability law.
The Post looks back at the Term to date; regional papers react to Snyder; survey finds the public usually agrees with the Court.
Significant dates in the coming week.
The Log Cabin Republicans urged a federal judge on Friday not to delay a moratorium on the application of the “don’t ask/don’t tell” policy.
On Wednesday, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments in Skinner v. Switzer.
The federal government asked a federal judge in California to act swiftly to put on hold her ruling striking down the Pentagon’s anti-gay “don’t ask/don’t tell” policy. If the judge does not do so by Monday, the government will ask a Circuit Court to delay it.
Judy Woodruff and Jeffrey Brown of PBS NewsHour recently spoke with two Justices about their out-of-Court projects.
Video coverage of USC’s OT10 Preview, in the line for Snyder v. Phelps, and a brief history of the Court and campaign finance
Audio recordings of this week’s oral arguments are now available.
On Tuesday, the Court heard oral argument in the case of Bruesewitz v. Wyeth
The Court hears argument in Skinner v. Switzer and Kasten v. Saint-Gobain; continuing reactions to Snyder; the Court’s approval rating is “at one of its lowest points” in the last decade.
A federal judge in Florida rules it is “not even a close call” that there are serious constitutionali questions surrounding the new federal law’s requirement that all Americans must buy health insurance by 2014, or pay a penalty. This case thus goes on.
This morning, the Court will hear oral arguments in Skinner v. Switzer.
Thomas J.G. Scott, a 3L at Stanford Law School, previews Skinner v. Switzer, which is scheduled for oral argument this morning.
Argument day podcast with respondent’s counsel in Skinner v. Switzer.
Recapping and analyzing the Bruesewitz argument; examining notable grants and denials of certiorari in yesterday’s orders; and previewing today’s argument in Skinner v. Switzer.
Transcripts of today’s arguments are now available.
John P. Elwood and Douglas D. Geyser of Vinson & Elkins LLP recap Tuesday’s oral argument in Harrington v. Richter.
Justice Stephen G. Breyer denied a plea by a state candidate, a political action committee and a would-be campaign donor to block three provisions of state law putting limits on campaign financing in state elections.
On Tuesday, the Court heard oral argument in the case of Premo v. Moore.
The Court has added to its docket for decision a major new interstate dispute over the right of one water-short state to use water it draws from a shared river in a way that returns less to that river, so that downstream states’ supplies are reduced. The case is important to the arid states of the upper Great Plains.