SCOTUS OFF TO THE RACES | Doctor’s Note From Justices | Linda Greenhouse on the Future of the Court
September 29, 2016
DOCTOR'S NOTE
|Today, Fix the Court sent a letter to the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Courts, IP and the Internet requesting that Congress explore whether, as much as it requires their financial disclosures, may compel Supreme Court justices to release basic facts about their mental and physical health to the public. Executive Director GABE ROTH: “Health disclosures give us faith that our nation’s top jurists are operating with full mental competency, and they may even help the justices themselves reflect on their abilities to continue in their positions.”
AAAAND WE'RE OFF
|Today at SCOTUS, the justices picked up new cases for their term set to start next week. First up, the Supreme Court will decide whether you should be charged more for using a credit card. The justices agreed to hear a challenge to New York state law which bars retailers from imposing surcharges on customers who make purchases with a credit card rather than cash.
MOVE THE CHAINS
|The controversial trademark case that will directly affect the Washington Redskins just got new life with the justices agreeing to decide whether a federal law that bars the registration of disparaging trademarks violates free speech. The case was brought forth by Asian-run rock bank “The Slants” that was refused trademark recognition because officials considered the name disparaging to Asians.
PUTTING KIDS FIRST
|For the first time since 2009, the high court will consider the reach of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. Justices today agreed to hear an appeal from two Colorado parents seeking reimbursement for the cost of their autistic son’s private school. The court will have to decide the minimum help public schools must provide students with disabilities.
HARDER AND HARDER
|SCOTUS will take up the Obama administration’s appeal of lower court rulings making it harder to deport immigrants who’ve been convicted of crimes.
TOP ED
|“Anyone interested in the future of the Supreme Court might ponder a three-sentence order the court issued on the last day of August. It announced the court’s denial of North Carolina’s emergency request to reinstate the voter ID and two other provisions of its election law that a federal appeals court struck down this summer as intentionally discriminatory.” For The New York Times, Linda Greenhouse considers the future of SCOTUS on the eve of its new term.
WINNER WINNER CHICKEN DINNER
|“September was not a good month for MERRICK GARLAND.” Joan Biskupic for CNN considers how SENATOR MITCH MCCONNELL won the Supreme Court fight, “unrivaled as a Senate leader in his grip on judicial nominations.”
CALI TAKES DC
|Former solicitor general DONALD VERRILLI will join the Los Angeles law firm of Munger, Tolles & Olson, opening a DC office for the California firm. His new job made headlines in every major national outlet. Yeah, me too bro.
OTHER NEWS
Top five Supreme Court cases to watch
The HillThe Supreme Court has agreed to hear 31 cases in the new term and is likely to accept more at its fall conference Monday. The Hill previews five cases worth keeping your eye on.
The Second Circuit in the Supreme Court
New York Law JournalThe Second Circuit gets a performance review with attention paid to the six of 80 merits decisions that came out of the Circuit and how those cases compare to the reversal rates of other circuits.