Latest Stories

Court Grants Review in Two Same-sex Marriage Cases

mgruhn — Fri, 07 Dec 2012 20:22:46 +0000

The Supreme Court today granted review in two same-sex marriage cases. The Court will consider a challenge to the Federal Defense of Marriage Act and California's ban on same-sex marriages (commonly known as Prop. 8). The Court could decide the cases several ways, but it will consider whether the Fourteenth Amendment's Equal Protection clause requires that states permit same-sex marriage.

Court Considering Same-sex Marriage Challenges

mgruhn — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 16:53:37 +0000

At their conference today, the justices of the Supreme Court are considering which of several cases challenging restrictions on same-sex marriage the Court will review, setting the stage for what will likely be the most watched, and potentially most influential, decision this term. SCOTUSblog has an excellent overview of the cases the Court is considering, and the different questions each presents.

An announcement of which cases are granted could come today, or the Court will make the announcement along with its regular orders list Monday morning.

Court to Review Voting Rights Act

mgruhn — Fri, 09 Nov 2012 21:13:55 +0000

The Court on Friday agreed to review the Voting Rights Act, a landmark piece of legislation originally passed during the civil rights era. The Court will focus on whether a core provision of the act, requiring certain states with a history of racial discrimination to submit any changes in election laws to the Federal government for review, exceeds Congress' authority.

The case is Shelby County v. Holder.

Florida v. Harris - Dog Sniff Searches and Probable Cause

mgruhn — Mon, 29 Oct 2012 21:19:45 +0000

Case:

Florida v. Harris

The Court is expected to hear two cases this week dealing with the use of police dogs trained to detect drugs. Prof. Sanford Greenberg discusses the first of these cases, Florida v. Harris.

Florida v. Jardines - Dog Sniff Searches at Homes

mgruhn — Thu, 01 Nov 2012 16:46:09 +0000

Prof. Douglas Godfrey discusses Florida v. Jardines, a Fourth Amendment case and the second of two cases heard by the Court this week concerning drug-detecting police dogs.

All 2011 Opinion Announcements Available

mgruhn — Tue, 16 Oct 2012 21:02:34 +0000

Oyez has posted audio recordings and transcripts of the opinion announcements from the bench for every case in the 2011 term. The collection includes the announcements and dissents from the bench in the momentous cases involving the Affordable Care Act and the Arizona immigration law.

The announcements are also available as podcasts via Oyez's iTunes U page.

Fisher v. University of Texas - The Arguments

mgruhn — Thu, 11 Oct 2012 13:13:21 +0000

Case:

Fisher v. University of Texas

The Court will release the audio recording of the arguments in yesterday's widely followed affirmative action case on Friday. Below, Profs. Carolyn Shapiro and Sheldon Nahmod discuss the arguments made by each side in this case.

Fisher v. University of Texas - Case Background

mgruhn — Wed, 10 Oct 2012 11:39:37 +0000

Case:

Fisher v. University of Texas

Profs. Carolyn Shapiro and Sheldon Nahmod discuss this widely anticipated affirmative action case. You can also review documents and listen to the lower court oral arguments in this case here. Additionally, Prof. Nahmod has also previously blogged about affirmative action.

2011 Major Opinion Announcements Posted

mgruhn — Tue, 02 Oct 2012 03:17:10 +0000

The Court today released recordings of its opinion announcements for the 2011 term. Oyez is in the process of posting these. Last term's major cases are now available, including:

-- The Affordable Care Act Cases

-- United States v. Alvarez

-- Arizona v. United States

-- Miller v. Alabama

Transcripts of the opinion announcements are forthcoming, as well.

Kiobel v. Royal Dutch Petroleum

mgruhn — Mon, 01 Oct 2012 16:34:06 +0000

Case:

Kiobel v. Royal Dutch Petroleum

The Court's very first argument of the 2012 term deals with one of America's oldest laws. Prof. Bartram Brown discusses.

Oyez, Oyez, Oyez!

mgruhn — Sun, 30 Sep 2012 18:50:25 +0000

The Supreme Court officially kicks off its 2012 term on Monday. Prior to every session, the Marshal of the Court intones, "Oyez, oyez, oyez!" Below is one of the finest examples we've found.

Parsing the Healthcare Decision

mgruhn — Thu, 12 Jul 2012 15:36:00 +0000

Case:

The Affordable Care Act Cases

Professors Carolyn Shapiro and Sheldon Nahmod weigh in on the meaning and impact of the Court's complicated ruling in the Affordable Care Act cases.

The Healthcare Judgment

mgruhn — Thu, 28 Jun 2012 21:59:46 +0000

Case:

The Affordable Care Act Cases

Below, Prof. Sheldon Nahmod summarizes today's complicated decision. Prof. Nahmod has also posted some additional thoughts on the opinion on his blog, NahmodLaw. Additionally, Oyez has posted its plain-English summary of the Court's ruling.

Opinion Announcements

mgruhn — Thu, 28 Jun 2012 21:10:49 +0000

With the momentous opinions this week in the Affordable Care Act cases and the Arizona immigration case, we've already received requests to post the bench statements by the justices. Unfortunately, the Court does not release recordings of these sessions to the National Archives until the beginning of the following term, usually sometime in October. We will transcribe and post the announcement recordings when we receive them later this year.

Called It!

mgruhn — Thu, 28 Jun 2012 21:02:14 +0000

Case:

The Affordable Care Act Cases

Carolyn Shapiro, frequent Oyez contributor and director of the Institute on the Supreme Court of the United States, appeared on Chicago Tonight yesterday evening. When asked about the outcome, she correctly predicted the Court would uphold the individual mandate.

The Winning Argument

mgruhn — Thu, 28 Jun 2012 19:44:46 +0000

Case:

The Affordable Care Act Cases

The blockbuster decision by the Court to uphold the controversial Individual Mandate provision of the Affordable Care Act relied on an argument that, until today, most of the media had entirely overlooked.

During the last 10 minutes of Solicitor General Donald Verrilli's argument in March on the Individual Mandate, the government argued that the provision was a valid exercise of Congressional power under the Taxing Clause. The justices, including the author of today's opinion, Chief Justice John Roberts, focused on the key concern with the argument: Why did Congress not simply call the penalty a tax?

Court Finds Most of the Affordable Care Act Constitutional

mgruhn — Thu, 28 Jun 2012 17:46:29 +0000

Case:

The Affordable Care Act Cases

The Court today issued a long, complex decision in the closely watched cases dealing with President Obama's signature healthcare reform legislation. Oyez is working to assemble a simplified summary of the conclusion, but most provisions, including the controversial Individual Mandate, were upheld.

Follow the Healthcare Opinion Announcements Live

mgruhn — Wed, 27 Jun 2012 21:05:22 +0000

The Court doesn't allow live broadcasts of its proceedings, and it won't release the audio recordings of tomorrow's opinion announcements until October, but you can still get play-by-play coverage of the Court's decisions from our friends at SCOTUSblog, who will be live-blogging the Court's session tomorrow morning at 10:00 AM EDT.

Ten Things You Didn't Know about the Supreme Court

mgruhn — Tue, 26 Jun 2012 16:06:00 +0000

David Letterman highlights ten things you didn't know about the Court.

Update: The Daily Beast chimes in with 11 real facts you probably didn't know about the Court.

Court Rules Life without Parole for Juveniles Unconstitutional

mgruhn — Mon, 25 Jun 2012 14:32:29 +0000

Case:

Miller v. Alabama

In a 5-4 decision, the Supreme Court held that the sentencing of two fourteen-year-old boys to life without parole violated the Eighth Amendment's prohibition against cruel and unusual punishment.