Pivotal Decisions: The US Supreme Court Begins a New Term

The US Supreme Court is opening its new session with a series of high-profile cases that could have potential impacts on gun ownership, transgender rights, online pornography, and workplace discrimination. Following a sensational year and urgent summer rulings, the court traditionally convenes on the first Monday in October. Two significant cases are set for hearing: a procedural dispute over unemployment benefits and the question of jurisdiction in class-action lawsuits against pet food manufacturers. With a conservative 6-3 majority, the court has steadily shifted American jurisprudence to the right in recent years. A major case this term is the Biden administration's appeal against a legal decision concerning a US regulation on so-called 'ghost guns'—firearms that are difficult to trace because they can be purchased online and assembled at home. Additionally, the court will deliberate on a petition from Richard Glossip, a death row inmate in Oklahoma, who is seeking a new trial after a state court did not overturn his conviction in a murder-for-hire case despite potentially exculpatory evidence. Other relevant cases include a Republican-supported ban on gender-affirming medical care for minors in Tennessee, a lawsuit by Mexico against US gun manufacturers, and a Texas law requiring pornographic websites to verify the age of their users. Furthermore, the court faces the challenge of deciding whether employees from 'majority groups' must overcome a higher threshold when claiming discrimination. The powers of federal agencies are also under discussion, whether it's the licensing of nuclear waste repositories by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission or the rejection of e-cigarette applications by the Food and Drug Administration. An ethical dilemma persists, following the court's initial implementation of a code of conduct for its justices—albeit without an enforcement mechanism. President Biden is advocating for 18-year terms for judges and a binding code of conduct, but has so far been thwarted by Republican resistance. The coming months promise exciting legal developments as the presidential election approaches, with incumbent Republican candidate Trump continuing to argue widespread electoral fraud after his loss in the 2020 election. Potential election challenges could once again be brought before the court.