The Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) is set to embark on its January argument session, as detailed in a recent post by SCOTUSblog. Over the next ten days, the Court will conduct hearings on seven pivotal cases, touching on significant issues such as the participation of transgender athletes in women’s sports, gun rights, and a challenge by former President Donald Trump involving the removal of Lisa Cook from the Federal Reserve Board of Governors.
Notably, the first opinion of this term in an argued case, Bowe v. United States, was released last Friday. This decision, penned by Justice Sonia Sotomayor, underscores that a federal law instructing courts to dismiss claims in second or successive habeas corpus applications does not apply to motions filed by federal prisoners. A dissenting opinion was put forth by Justice Neil Gorsuch, which was joined by Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito in full, and partially by Justice Amy Coney Barrett. Court-watchers were expecting an opinion on a tariffs case instead; such expectations remain unfulfilled for now. Further details about the Court’s handling of this case are reported by The New York Times.
In a separate note, the Court announced that it has agreed to hear five additional cases, one of which involves significant questions surrounding violations of international law. Moreover, today’s agenda includes arguments in Chevron USA Inc. v. Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana, where the justices will consider the circumstances under which a federal contractor can transfer a case from state to federal court. Justice Alito will be sitting out of this case due to potential conflicts of interest involving ConocoPhillips.
Major developments are expected tomorrow as the justices prepare to hear Little v. Hecox and West Virginia v. B.P.J., which concern laws restricting transgender athletes from participating in female sports teams. Justice Gorsuch’s past rulings on LGBTQ rights lend particular interest to his stance on these cases, as pointed out by The Washington Post.
The Court’s activity continues to be closely monitored as it faces scrutiny over a backlog of opinions amid what expert sources call “a spike in action on the other docket,” potentially impacting the timely release of decisions. As legal professionals eagerly await upcoming rulings, Wednesday may offer some insight as SCOTUSblog plans to provide live updates.