The US Supreme Court is gearing up for its forthcoming term, commencing on October 2nd. During their long conference, the justices will convene privately to sift through a backlog of accumulated petitions over the summer, deciding which cases to grant. In this article, we highlight some notable issues under consideration.
Challenges to Social Media Laws in Texas and Florida
The justices are poised to hear challenges to social media laws in Texas and Florida, which impose significant restrictions on the editorial discretion of platforms like Meta Platforms Inc.’s Facebook and X (formerly known as Twitter). The Justice Department has recommended that the Court take up these cases, a typically heeded suggestion. In addition to these challenges, the justices are already set to deliberate on a dispute concerning the use of social media by public officials.
- Texas Case: NetChoice v. Paxton, Docket No. 22-555
- Florida Cases: Moody v. NetChoice, Docket No. 22-277, and NetChoice v. Moody, Docket No. 22-393.
Conservative Groups Challenge Washington State’s Gay Conversion Ban
Conservative groups have launched a legal challenge against Washington state’s ban on gay conversion therapy. This law prohibits medical professionals from employing this approach on minors to alter their sexual orientation. The challenge is based on issues related to free speech and religious rights. It follows last term’s decision in 303 Creative LLC v. Elenis, where the justices ruled in favor of a web designer who declined to create custom websites for same-sex couples.
- Case: Tingley v. Ferguson, Docket No. 22-942.
Legal Battle Over New York City’s Rent Stabilization Law
Landlords in New York City are contesting the city’s historic rent stabilization law, which limits what landlords can charge and prevents them from refusing to renew certain leases. The petitioners argue that this law constitutes a “taking” and thus necessitates “just compensation.” The US Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit previously upheld amendments to the law, asserting that they adhered to due process and the takings clause of the Fifth Amendment.
- Cases: Comm. Housing Imp. Prog. v. City of New York, Docket No. 20-3366, and 74 Pinehurst LLC v. State of New York, Docket No. 21-467.
Tech Workers Union Challenges Student Visa Program
A labor union representing tech workers is challenging a law that permits individuals in the US on student visas to extend their stay by an additional 36 months for recommended practical training. This case resides at the intersection of immigration and administrative law, areas of particular interest to the current Supreme Court. Previously, the DC Circuit deemed the program a “reasonable interpretation” of the law governing F-1 student visas.
- Case: WA Alliance of Tech Workers v. DHS, Docket No. 22-1071.
Death Penalty Appeal from Oklahoma Inmate
Oklahoma death row inmate Richard Glossip again seeks the Supreme Court’s attention for his appeal. In 2015, the Court ruled against Glossip in his challenge to the state’s intended method of execution. This time, Glossip alleges that the state withheld evidence to secure his conviction in an alleged murder-for-hire case.
These cases represent a snapshot of the critical legal issues the Supreme Court will consider in the upcoming term, shaping the course of US jurisprudence.
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