Supreme Court Announcements/Decisions

JUST IN - Supreme Court rules 8-1 to allow the Trump administration to construct a border barrier in Texas’s Big Bend National Park region. Justice Jackson would deny the application. Link - https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/26pdf/26a560_onkq.pdf

Happy Monday Everyone! The justices will convene this morning to hear two cases for oral argument, and the Court will release its order list from last Friday’s conference at 9:30 AM ET. 1). Hoffmann v. WBI Energy Transmission, Inc. 25-159 - The dispute involves landowners whose property was taken for a natural gas pipeline under the federal Natural Gas Act. The company exercised eminent-domain authority to obtain the necessary property. The disagreement concerns how the landowners should be compensated for that taking. The central issue is whether courts should use state-law rules when calculating just compensation, or whether a uniform federal standard should apply. 2). Nielsen v. Watanabe 25-417 - Francis Nielsen, a federal prisoner, allegedly suffered a fractured tailbone (coccyx) during a prison gang fight. He claims prison officials failed to send him to a hospital, leaving him with chronic pain. He brought a lawsuit seeking monetary damages. The Ninth Circuit allowed his constitutional claim to proceed, reasoning that it was sufficiently similar to an earlier Supreme Court case, Carlson v. Green (1980). Arguments for the first case begin at 10 a.m. ET. Here is a link to listen live: https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/live.aspx

Good Wednesday Morning Everyone! Today the justices will convene for one oral argument this morning in a case about federal habeas corpus. 1). Guerrero v. Johnson 25-1003 - Dexter Johnson is challenging restrictions on successive federal habeas corpus petitions. Federal law generally limits prisoners’ ability to file repeated petitions challenging their convictions or sentences. One exception permits a successive petition based on a new rule of constitutional law that the Supreme Court has made retroactive to cases on collateral review. The Court must determine whether that exception applies when a prisoner could have raised a claim based on the rule in an earlier habeas petition. Arguments for the case begin at 10 a.m. ET. Here’s a link to listen live: https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/live.aspx

Happy Election Day Everyone! Today, millions of Americans across the nation will be heading to the polls to cast their ballots for the midterm elections. Meanwhile, the Supreme Court will sit for oral argument in a case that could affect Employment Division v. Smith. 1). St. Mary Catholic Parish v. Roy 25-581 - St. Mary Catholic Parish operates a Catholic preschool in Colorado. The state offers funding to eligible preschools through its universal preschool program, but the dispute concerns requirements that providers follow the state’s nondiscrimination rules. The parish argues that these requirements interfere with its religious freedom by preventing it from hiring staff who share its faith and teaching children according to Catholic beliefs. Arguments for the case began at 10 a.m. ET. Here is a link to listen live: https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/live.aspx

BREAKING - Supreme Court rejects bid from Trump administration to allow 20,000+ ballots in California to be set aside, citing suspected irregularities and non citizens voting. There are no noted dissents.

JUST IN - Supreme Court releases its January sitting schedule. Click the link below to find out which cases are being argued during that month. Link - https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_calendars/MonthlyArgumentCalJanuary2027.pdf

Happy November Everyone! Justices will convene this morning for their November sitting with two cases for oral arguments. 1). Maxwell v. Dinis 25-5930 - William Maxwell disputes how his earned time credits under the First Step Act were handled. Those credits can help eligible federal prisoners move sooner to halfway houses or home confinement. The case also raises questions about what happens when prison officials obstruct the administrative process prisoners must ordinarily complete before filing suit. 2). Younge v. Fulton County Judicial Circuit District Attorneys Office 25-352 - The dispute concerns the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure and whether a party can rely on an affirmative defense that was not properly pleaded earlier, particularly when the deadline to amend the pleadings has passed. Arguments for the first case begin at 10 a.m. ET. Here is a link to listen live: https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/live.aspx

JUST IN - Supreme Court rules 8-1 to allow New Hampshire’s voter ID guidance to continue for the midterm elections, citing Purcell. Justice Jackson dissented. Link - https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/26pdf/26a512_6j37.pdf

BREAKING - Supreme Court rules 7-2 in favor of the Trump administration over a dispute regarding FCC Political Ads low cost rates. Justice Sotomayor and Justice Jackson noted their dissent. Link - https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/26pdf/26a476_k537.pdf

Good Wednesday Morning Everyone! Today is the justice as we sit for one oral argument this morning. 1). Salazar v. Paramount Global — No. 25-459 - This case concerns the meaning of the VPPA statute's definition of a “consumer,” specifically whether it covers people who receive any goods or services from a video provider or only those who receive its audiovisual offerings. Arguments for this case begin at 10 a.m. ET. Here is a link to listen live - https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/live.aspx

Happy Tuesday Everyone! Today the justices will convene to hear one case for oral argument this morning. 1). Beaird v. United States — No. 25-5343 - Kendrick Beaird challenges a federal sentencing enhancement that increased his recommended prison sentence because his firearm had a 17-round magazine. The enhancement relied on commentary to the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, rather than an explicit definition in the guideline itself. - The Supreme Court will decide whether courts should continue deferring to that commentary under its 1993 decision in Stinson v. United States. Arguments for this case begin at 10 a.m. ET. Here is a link to listen live - https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/live.aspx

Good Wednesday Morning Everyone! It’s another day of our arguments, the justices will sit to hear one case this morning, let’s dive right in. 1). Department of the Air Force v. Prutehi Guåhan — No. 25-579 - The case concerns the proposed Live-Fire Training Range Complex at Andersen Air Force Base. The environmental dispute centers on whether the Air Force adequately complied with federal environmental requirements before moving forward with the project. Arguments for the case begin at 10 a.m. ET. https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/live.aspx

Happy Tuesday Everyone! It’s the second day of oral arguments this term and we are taking it easy this morning with one case up on the docket for arguments. 1). Anderson v. Intel Corp. Investment Policy Committee — No. 25-498 - This case comes from Intel’s retirement plans. The plans used customized portfolios that included traditional assets along with things like hedge funds and private equity. Former Intel employees argue that those investments underperformed and that the plan fiduciaries failed to act prudently. Arguments in the case begin at 10 a.m. ET. Click the link below to listen live: https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/live.aspx

Good Monday Morning Everyone! It’s officially Day 1 of the 2026-2027 Supreme Court term. We are happy to be the one you trust to bring all the news regarding the Supreme Court right to your fingertips. Let’s take a look at the two cases being argued this morning. 1). Suncor Energy (U.S.A.) Inc. v. County Commissioners of Boulder County - A major climate change case that could determine the future of civil lawsuits with regard to state vs federal law. 2). Johnson v. United States Congress - this case involves the scope of federal court jurisdiction over constitutional challenges involving veterans’ benefits laws, and which court has jurisdiction to consider the claims. Don’t forget, an order list from the long conference will also be released this morning at 9:30am ET. After that, arguments begin at 10am ET. Here is a link to the arguments when they begin: https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/live.aspx

BREAKING - Supreme Court will consider a case involving the Trump administration’s third country deportations. The Supreme Court has also stayed the proceedings pending the outcome of the case. Justices Sotomayor, Kagan and Jackson dissent from the granting of the stay.

ATTENTION FOLKS! If you’re interested in the analytics of the Supreme Court, including cert petitions, pending cases, probability of grants, please check out the site below. SupremeCourt.Report This is a free website that is used to track cases that are appealed to the Supreme Court. It is not run by us but we do encourage you to use it if it is something that interests you.

Happy Monday Everyone! It’s long conference day, which brings the question most people ask, what is the difference between the regular conference and a long conference? Here’s your answer - the long conference is an extended version of a regular Friday conference, however, instead of a dozen or more petitions, the justices have hundreds of petitions to review. All of the cases that have piled up over the summer recess are set to be reviewed today. An order list will be released on Monday October 5 at 9:30amET. if you have any questions regarding the long conference, ask away in the chat board.

BREAKING - Supreme Court unanimously blocks Missouri’s attempt to use the 2025 congressional map. Therefore, the 2022 map will be used for the November election. There are no public dissents. Per curiam - https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/25pdf/26a388_q86b.pdf

NEW - Supreme Court rules 6-3 to allow the Trump administration to use its SAVE database to determine voter eligibility based on citizenship. Justices Sotomayor, Kagan and Jackson dissent. Link - https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/25pdf/26a308_pok0.pdf