The United States Supreme Court will hear six new cases in the upcoming 2026-27 term, focusing on issues such as election law, parental rights, and immigration. Significantly, the court will scrutinize Arizona’s voter-registration requirement for proof of citizenship, set forth in Republican National Committee v. Mi Familia Vota. This case also tackles whether the National Voter Registration Act permits states to remove noncitizens from voting rolls within 90 days of a federal election.
Another case, RiseandShine Corp. v. PepsiCo, questions if a trademark’s “inherent strength” is a matter of law or fact. The court will also resolve whether parents can challenge laws in Washington State, which allow runaway teens to get mental health care without parental consent, in the case International Partners for Ethical Care v. Ferguson.
In Wassily v. Blanche, the issue is whether asylum receivers who have their status terminated may become lawful permanent residents. The case Montoya Palacios v. Liggins will clarify whether a habeas corpus petition challenging civil immigration detention is considered a “civil action” under the Equal Access to Justice Act, impacting eligibility for attorney’s fees.
Moreover, the court sought the U.S. solicitor general’s opinion on a Pennsylvania law mandating mail-in voters include hand-written dates on ballots. This law was recently struck down by the 3rd Circuit (opinion). This presents a critical juncture in election law that could have wide-ranging implications on voting rights across the nation.
Simultaneously, the Supreme Court has declined to review several significant appeals, rejecting former President Donald Trump’s bid to overturn a $5 million defamation verdict in favor of E. Jean Carroll. Notably, Justice Clarence Thomas dissented from the decision not to hear Alan Dershowitz’s appeal against CNN for defamation, expressing a desire to revisit the venerable New York Times v. Sullivan standard.
As the legal community anticipates these discussions in the Supreme Court’s upcoming term, attention will focus on how these cases could reshape the legal landscape in areas ranging from intellectual property to fundamental voting rights. For more detailed information, the list of orders and additional context regarding the cases can be accessed on the official document from the court’s conference.