The Supreme Court is currently considering major topics such as social media, gun rights, administrative power, abortion, and presidential power. By the end of June, they are expected to release decisions that could change precedent on these hot-button issues. This term, the justices have already released 32 opinions out of 61 oral arguments heard. The opinions are anticipated to impact the presidential race, government policy, and personal decisions of Americans.
One highly anticipated ruling is in Trump v. United States, which could affect the prosecution against former President Donald Trump. Another important case, Fischer v. United States, involves the Justice Department’s use of a financial reform law in prosecuting individuals involved in the events of Jan. 6, 2021. These decisions could impact public perception and set a precedent for future cases.
The court is also tackling cases related to administrative power, with a focus on narrowing the scope of regulators’ authority. They have taken on cases challenging the Chevron deference doctrine and its associated decisions that have been in place since the 1980s. The court has also heard cases related to abortion, such as Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, which returned regulatory authority to the states.
Additionally, the court is addressing social media cases that seek to clarify legal boundaries on its use. These cases cover a range of issues related to social media platforms. Overall, the decisions made by the justices this term could have far-reaching implications on various aspects of American society. Freed and O’Connor-Ratcliffe established that public officials have the authority to block individuals on social media under specific circumstances.
The court is anticipated to deliver opinions on cases concerning state limitations on social media content moderation, such as Moody v. NetChoice LLC and NetChoice LLC v. Paxton. These cases involve the freedom of individual Americans to express themselves online and the rights of social media platforms to regulate the content they host.
Furthermore, the court is expected to rule on allegations against the Biden administration for influencing social media companies’ content moderation regarding COVID-19 in the case of Murthy v. Missouri. This case raises concerns about potential coercion of speech and the actions of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit in restraining the Biden administration.
In the realm of gun rights, the justices have heard significant cases, including one where the court unanimously sided with the National Rifle Association against New York state’s alleged violation of the First Amendment. Another case, U.S. v. Rahimi, questions whether a federal law infringes on the Second Amendment by prohibiting firearm possession for individuals with domestic violence-related restraining orders.
Cargill v. Garland examines whether the Trump administration misinterpreted federal law in regulating bump stocks after the Las Vegas mass shooting. Unlike other gun rights cases, the focus here is on the interpretation of specific phrases within the law rather than the Second Amendment.
(Content credit: Matthew Vadum)
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