Justices End Term with Split Decisions and Powerful Dissents

The Supreme Court closed out its term with a string of rulings that divided the justices. The court split 6-3 along ideological lines in opinions June 27 that limited the ability of lower courts to issue nationwide injunctions and gave parents the right to opt their children out of classroom instruction that violates their religious beliefs. Cases and Controversies hosts Kimberly Robinson and Lydia Wheeler dig into the term end blockbusters and discuss the powerful dissents that accompanied them. In one, Justice Sonia Sotomayor fired back at a majority ruling from Samuel Alito by reprinting a children's book in what it appeared to be its entirety. Do you have feedback on this episode of Cases and Controversies? Give us a call and leave a voicemail at 703-341-3690.

Transgender rights suffered a major loss at the US Supreme Court after its opinion in the Skrmetti case. But some advocates for transgender rights found reasons within the opinion to believe their cause might fare better in future cases. Cases and Controversies hosts Kimberly Robinson and Lydia Wheeler get into the details of this opinion on the latest episode of their podcast. They also talk about the other opinions we got from the court this week, including one in which Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson issued an impassioned dissent on the issue of standing. Do you have feedback on this episode of Cases & Controversies? Give us a call and leave a voicemail at 703-341-3690.

The Supreme Court is chipping away at the mound of argued cases it has to decide before the justices break for summer. The court has 21 cases left after releasing its latest batch of opinions. Those included a unanimous decision that revived a lawsuit brought by a family against the government after the FBI mistakenly raided their Atlanta home. Disputes over a Tennessee ban on gender affirming care for transgender minors and nationwide injunctions against President Donald Trump's effort to restrict automatic birthright citizenship are pending potential blockbusters. Cases and Controversies hosts Kimberly Robinson and Lydia Wheeler talk about the court’s recent rulings, a software malfunction at the court that could have been problematic, and the emergency requests from the Trump administration that could keep the justices busy well into the summer months. Do you have feedback on this episode of Cases and Controversies? Give us a call and leave a voicemail at 703-341-3690.

The justices have already had a deluge of emergency requests from the Trump administration, and another is likely to land before them soon involving the president's tariffs. Lower courts have temporarily ruled against the tariffs using doctrines recently revived by the Supreme Court's conservative majority to frustrate policies of Democratic administrations. The Trump administration has signaled it will bring the case to the high court. Cases and Controversies hosts Kimberly Robinson and Greg Stohr discuss those cases as well as other actions by the court. Do you have feedback on this episode of Cases and Controversies? Give us a call and leave a voicemail at 703-341-3690.

The Supreme Court's long-awaited order over the president's firing of Democratic members of independent agencies is puzzling, according to the lawyer representing one of the fired individuals. Gupta Wessler founder Deepak Gupta joins Cases and Controversies hosts Kimberly Robinson and Greg Stohr to discuss what the divided court did and did not do in allowing the administration to move forward with the firings. Do you have feedback on this episode of Cases and Controversies? Give us a call and leave a voicemail at 703-341-3690.

The practicalities of birthright citizenship being restricted in some states but not others appeared to be a concern of key justices on the US Supreme Court. President Donald Trump has asked the justices to narrow lower court rulings that blocked his executive order limiting automatic citizenship to babies born with at least one parent who’s a citizen or permanent resident. Cases and Controversies hosts Greg Stohr and Lydia Wheeler discuss Thursday's arguments and highlight the exchanges that seemed to show the justices are wary of letting Trump start enforcing his restrictions. Do you have feedback on this episode of Cases and Controversies? Give us a call and leave a voicemail at 703-341-3690.

The Supreme Court will sit for a special session May 15 to hear a challenge to President Donald Trump's birthright citizenship order. The merits, however, are not before justices at this time. Instead, the court will consider the scope of relief temporarily available to the parties, and in particular whether federal district courts can enjoin a policy nationwide as to all persons affected. Joining Cases and Controversies hosts Kimberly Robinson and Greg Stohr is University of Virginia law professor Amanda Frost, a leading expert on both birthright citizenship and so-called nationwide injunctions. Do you have feedback on this episode of Cases and Controversies? Give us a call and leave a voicemail at 703-341-3690.

The Supreme Court heard the last in a trio of cases over religious rights with the justices appearing to split long largely ideological lines. During arguments April 30 in Oklahoma Statewide Charter School Board v. Drummond, the justices considered a virtual school's bid to become the nation's first religious charter school. Cases and Controversies hosts Lydia Wheeler and Kimberly Robinson say the case seems to turn on Chief Justice John Roberts. Do you have feedback on this episode of Cases and Controversies? Give us a call and leave a voicemail at 703-341-3690.

US Supreme Court justices spent a lot of time last week discussing the meaning of LGBTQ-themed books that parents in a Maryland public school district say interfere with the religious rearing of their children. One book, “Uncle Bobby’s Wedding,” was a focal point of the April 22 arguments in Mahmoud v. Taylor. The justices questioned whether mere exposure to things a parent disagrees with burdens their religious rights. Cases and Controversies hosts Kimberly Robinson and Lydia Wheeler take listeners through the proceedings and why they signal the parents are likely to win this case against books Montgomery County Public Schools say are meant to foster mutual respect for others in a pluralistic educational community. Do you have feedback on this episode of Cases and Controversies? Give us a call and leave a voicemail at 703-341-3690.

Obamacare is back before the Supreme Court in a challenge to its no-cost coverage requirements for certain preventive health services. The justices will weigh the constitutionality of the US Preventive Services Task Force, which recommends the tests and treatments insurers should cover, when they return to the bench on Monday for the April sitting. If the lower court's decision is upheld, "it is possible, given the posture of the case, that over 150 million Americans lose free coverage of hundreds of benefits," said Sara Rosenbaum, an emerita professor of health law and policy at George Washington University. Rosenbaum joins Cases and Controversies hosts Greg Stohr and Lydia Wheeler to talk about why the case is more about power than it is public health and what's at stake if the court does away with the insurance coverage that’s caught in its crosshairs. Do you have feedback on this episode of Cases & Controversies, Give us a call and leave a voicemail at 703-341-3690.