Supreme Court’s Busy Calendar: Key Cases and Upcoming Decisions

The Supreme Court is set to announce 35 final opinions by July, wrapping up its current term. Cases were argued throughout the year: November saw three, December four, January five, February three, March ten, and April another ten. The last non‑argument session was scheduled for June 25, but the court often adds extra sessions at short notice. Three high‑profile Trump cases remain. They involve a challenge to his birthright citizenship (Trump v. Barbara), an attempt to dismiss independent agency heads (Trump v. Slaughter), and a bid to remove Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook for cause (Trump v. Cook). Trump also seeks to end Temporary Protected Status for people from Haiti and Syria in Mullin v. Doe and Trump v. Moit. During oral arguments, the court appeared skeptical of the Department of Justice in the Barbara and Cook cases, but more receptive to DOJ arguments in Slaughter and the TPS matters. Election law is another hot topic. In NRSC v. FEC, the court could either uphold or strike down regulations that limit coordination between parties and candidates, potentially flooding upcoming elections with more money. Watson v. RNC will decide whether states can count ballots received after Election Day if they are postmarked on the day itself.Gun rights also face scrutiny. Wolford v. Lopez tackles Hawaii’s rule that restricts handgun owners with concealed carry permits from bringing guns onto private property without express permission. The court questioned the law’s validity. United States v. Hemani examines a federal ban on illegal drug users owning firearms, with justices also expressing doubts. The intersection of gender and sports remains contested in Little v. Hecox (Idaho) and West Virginia v. B. P. J. , which challenge state laws that ban biological men from competing in women’s sports under the 14th Amendment and Title IX. So far, the court has issued 23 opinions this term. Not all favor Trump; a February decision struck down his tariffs by a 6‑3 vote. Other notable rulings include Chiles v. Salazar, which found Colorado’s conversion‑therapy ban unconstitutional for limiting free speech, and First Choice v. Davenport, where a crisis pregnancy center won the right to challenge a subpoena for donor lists. In Louisiana v. Callais, the court narrowed Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act for redistricting, giving states more leeway to redraw congressional maps without a primary focus on race. Of the 23 opinions, 15 were unanimous (14 at 9‑0 and one at 8‑0), while the rest ranged from 8‑1 to 5‑4. The current term officially ends in September, though the court rarely acts in July, August, or September. The next term begins on October 5 with at least one case heard in oral arguments, and the court has already announced eight cases for that term.