Advertisement

What's On The Supreme Court Schedule As A New Term Begins?

35:39
Download Audio
Resume
The Supreme Court in Washington in 2012. (Evan Vucci/AP)
The Supreme Court in Washington in 2012. (Evan Vucci/AP)

With Sacha Pfeiffer

We look ahead to the start of the new term at the Supreme Court.

Guest

David Savage, Supreme Court correspondent for the Los Angeles Times. (@DavidGSavage)

From The Reading List

CNN: "Supreme Court eyes abortion challenges ahead of 2020" — "As the Supreme Court justices prepare to take their seats next week to start a new term, they will meet behind closed doors Tuesday to discuss how they'll handle one of the most explosive issues running into the 2020 election: Abortion.

"Conservative states, emboldened by a newly solidified conservative majority on the court, are hoping the justices will green-light state restrictions that opponents say could have far-reaching consequences and potentially weaken Supreme Court precedent including the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade decision that legalized abortion in the US.

"As early as this week, the justices could decide whether to take up two cases out of Indiana and Louisiana and they may indicate how they will address a slew of other challenges springing up in conservative states across the county. Additionally, the Court will consider an abortion-related case from Chicago concerning the First Amendment rights of so called 'sidewalk counselors' who stand outside abortion clinics hoping to deter women from going inside.

"Liberals are looking at the docket fearful of what could come next now that moderate Justice Anthony Kennedy has been replaced by the more conservative Brett Kavanaugh. Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, the leading liberal on the Court, said last spring that Kennedy's retirement was the event 'of greatest consequence for the current term, and perhaps for many terms ahead.'

"On the other side of the bench, Justice Clarence Thomas — who believes that Roe was wrongly decided — has made clear that he thinks there is no such right in the Constitution. Last term he sent a warning shot to his colleagues about his stance in a separate case. 'The Constitution itself is silent on abortion,' he wrote."

The Economist: "What to expect from the Supreme Court’s new term" — "Abolstered five-justice conservative majority begins its first full term together when the Supreme Court returns to work on October 7th. The session follows four tumultuous years that saw one death, a retirement, three pitched Senate confirmation battles, two new arrivals and, for Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg—86 and the anchor of the court’s liberal wing—two cancer diagnoses. A bundle of hot-button controversies await the nine.

"Discrimination against gay and transgender people is on the docket on the justices’ second day back. The question is whether the bar on discrimination 'because of sex' in Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prevents an employer from disadvantaging employees on the basis of their gender identity or sexual orientation. Fewer than half the states have laws against sacking workers because they are gay or trans. Now the Supreme Court will decide if the federal civil-rights umbrella protects some 8.1m lgbt workers across America."

Dorey Scheimer produced this segment for broadcast.

This segment aired on October 3, 2019.

Related:

Advertisement

More from On Point

Listen Live
Close