Supreme Court agrees to hear case on whether airplane was improperly seized for transporting a six-pack of beer
The Supreme Court on Monday morning added a new case to its oral argument docket for the 2026-27 term. As part of a regularly scheduled…
Court rejects broad interpretation of compassionate release statute
A federal defendant may obtain compassionate release if a district court finds, among other things, that “extraordinary and compelling reasons warrant such a reduction” to his or her sentence. In…
Justices send case of death-row inmate back to lower courts, grant new First Step Act case
The Supreme Court on Monday morning added one new case to its argument docket for the 2026-27 term, granting another case involving the First Step Act, a 2018 criminal justice…
The most important cases yet to be decided
It’s June 1. The official start of hurricane season in the Atlantic, Statehood Day for both Kentucky and Tennessee, and Oscar the Grouch Day. It’s also the beginning of what…
A brewing tariff refund battle
Plus, welcome to the heart of decision season.
Justices validate arbitration exemption for “last-mile” drivers
Yesterday’s in Flowers Foods v. Brock held that an exemption from the Federal Arbitration Act for interstate transportation workers extends to “last-mile” drivers who don’t themselves cross state lines, even…
The Supreme Court’s common sense problem
“Common sense” reasoning is becoming more common at the Supreme Court. The justices have explicitly relied on common sense to underwrite its holdings in several salient areas of law. And…
Jury duty for a justice
Plus, the court released four opinions on Thursday in cases on shortening prison sentences, jury selection, and last-mile drivers.
Justice Barrett targeted in “swatting” incident
Justice Amy Coney Barrett was the target of a “swatting” incident – a false call reporting gunshots intended to provoke a response from law enforcement officials – on Wednesday night,…
Supreme Court sides with death row inmate in challenge to racial discrimination in jury selection
The Supreme Court on Thursday threw out a Mississippi man’s conviction and death sentence. By a vote of 5-4, the court in Pitchford v. Cain agreed with Terry Pitchford that…
How often do courts actually cite emergency docket orders?
Over the years, the Supreme Court has sent mixed signals about whether its emergency docket orders carry precedential weight. In 2021, Justice Samuel Alito said publicly that emergency orders are…