Supreme Court: What to Expect in the New Term

The first Monday in October officially marks the start of another Supreme Court term, setting up for a very impactful term. The term currently has 21 cases waiting to be argued (with many more expecting a verdict soon). with conservative justices having a 6-3 majority, this term could open to some political drama that could change the landscape on guns rights, abortion, and many other things.

There is a second amendment case currently on the docket for the Supreme Court: New York State Rifle & Pistol Association Inc. v. Bruen. The plaintiff claims that a law in New York requiring proof of a special need for an unrestricted concealed carry permit violates the second amendment. This case will be one of the bigger second amendment cases since DC v. Heller and McDonald v. Chicago, where the court’s ruling expanded Americans’ second amendment rights. Being almost twelve and ten years old respectively, this case could affirm the court’s long-standing position on the second amendment, or shift the courts in favor of a more strict interpretation of the second amendment.

Another case of interest is Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, which is about the 2018 Mississippi abortion law that bans most abortions past the 15th week. A Jackson Women’s Health Organization doctor filed the original suit in the federal district court which ruled in favor of the doctor. The verdict was later upheld in the court of appeals This case has a lot of pro-life and pro-choice activists talking. It could potentially restrict the abortion rights given in Roe v. Wade. This case could also set the precedent for the Texas abortion law and what a verdict might pertain in that case.

There are plenty of other cases to be filed. The courts are becoming more and more political every day as the lawsuits become bigger and bigger. There are plenty of other cases that could expand or restrict certain amendments like the first amendment and the fifth amendment. If you are interested in reading more about the current cases in the Supreme Court check out the docket here.

Sources

Oyez: Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization

Oyez: New York State Rifle & Pistol Association Inc. v. Bruen