Category: Current

The justices of the U.S. Supreme Court returned to the bench on January 8, 2018. The first week of oral arguments in 2018 included two original jurisdiction cases involving state disputes over water rights, two important Fourth Amendment cases, and o...

The U.S. Supreme Court has granted certiorari in yet another important First Amendment case. The issue in Minnesota Voters Alliance v Mansky is whether a Minnesota law, which broadly bans all political apparel at polling locations, violates the First...

In November, the U.S. Supreme Court granted certiorari in what could be another blockbuster First Amendment case. The issue in National Institute of Family and Life Advocates (NIFLA) v Becerra is whether a California law that requires “crisis pregn...

The U.S. Supreme Court recently granted the federal government’s request to fully implement President Donald Trump’s September 24 proclamation while the federal appeals courts continue to consider legal challenges. More commonly referred to as th...

Before taking a break for the holidays, the U.S. Supreme Court held oral arguments in five cases, two of which may be blockbusters. In Masterpiece Cakeshop, Ltd. v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission, the justices considered the relationship between sa...

After taking a break for the Thanksgiving holiday, the U.S. Supreme Court had a busy week. The justices heard oral arguments in five cases, one of which involves whether law enforcement agencies must obtain a warrant to obtain cell-site-location info...

The U.S. Supreme Court issued its first full opinion of the October 2017 term in Hamer v Neighborhood Housing Services of Chicago, 583 U.S. ____ (2017). While the decision is not a blockbuster, it addresses a key jurisdictional issue in the federal c...

The U.S. Supreme Court recently decided Kernan v Cuero, 583 U.S. ____ (2017). In its per curium opinion, the Court held that the defendant was not entitled to specific performance of a plea agreement later withdrawn by prosecutors. Facts of Kernan v ...

The Supreme Court recently heard oral arguments in Patchak v Zinke. The case involves whether Congress can enact a statute that withdraws federal court jurisdiction over a pending lawsuit. The case specifically involves whether the Gun Lake Trust Lan...

The U.S. Supreme Court ended a busy first month of the new term with oral arguments in three cases. Two of the cases involve writs of habeas corpus, while the second centers on appellate review of bankruptcy decisions.   While the cases ...