The latest news and analysis about key cases and critical arguments before the Supreme Court. (Updated periodically)
The Supreme Court heard arguments in one of the most consequential cases of the year. It involves the ability for President Trump to carry out his executive order ending birthright citizenship and the power allowing a federal judge to issue a nationwide block on those orders. Geoff Bennett discussed the arguments with law professor Amanda Frost and News Hour Supreme Court analyst Amy Howe. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
Justice David Souter, who spent nearly 20 years on the Supreme Court, has died. Souter was a critical figure in several key battles in the court over issues like abortion and the 2000 presidential election. William Brangham reports. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
In our news wrap Sunday, Trump said in an interview that he wants to continue mass deportations despite the Supreme Court directing him to facilitate the return of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Houthi missile halted air traffic at Israel’s main international airport, and Putin said he hopes he won’t have to use nuclear weapons in Ukraine. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
Oklahoma's charter school board approved the creation of a Catholic virtual school in 2023, establishing the nation’s first publicly-funded religious charter school. Oklahoma's Supreme Court blocked it, saying it violated the state constitution. The U.S. Supreme Court heard the case on Wednesday and John Yang discussed the arguments with News Hour Supreme Court analyst Marcia Coyle. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
The Supreme Court heard arguments in a major case focused on parental rights and public schools. At the center of the case is a dispute over a curriculum in Maryland that included books featuring LGBTQ+ characters. Some parents asked for their children to be excused, but schools stopped allowing opt-outs the next year. Amna Nawaz discussed more with News Hour Supreme Court analyst Marcia Coyle. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
The Supreme Court heard the latest challenge to the Affordable Care Act. At issue is the constitutionality of a task force that recommends what preventive care treatments should be covered by private insurance at no cost. It could have impacts on everything from cancer screening to HIV-prevention medicine to counseling for expectant mothers. Amna Nawaz discussed more with Amy Howe of SCOTUSblog. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
In an unusual late-night order, the Supreme Court temporarily barred the Trump administration from deporting Venezuelan migrants being held in Texas using an 18th century law called the Alien Enemies Act. The order came in response to an emergency petition filed by the ACLU, with Justices Thomas and Alito dissenting. John Yang speaks with Amy Howe of SCOTUSblog for more. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
The Supreme Court will hear arguments on Monday challenging the constitutionality of a provision in the Affordable Care Act that requires most private health insurance plans to cover preventive care at no cost to the patient. As Laura Barrón-López reports, the case could have a profound impact on the health care millions of Americans use to stay healthy and prevent disease. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
The Supreme Court ruled that the Trump administration can continue to use a rare 18th-century war authority to deport Venezuelan immigrants alleged to be gang members. But justices stipulated migrants must be given reasonable time to challenge their deportation under the Alien Enemies Act. William Brangham discussed more with Steve Vladeck, a constitutional law professor at Georgetown University. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
The U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments in a case that could dramatically change how Medicaid recipients can choose their own medical providers. The case went before the court after South Carolina attempted to remove Planned Parenthood clinics from the state’s Medicaid program since it also provides abortions. Geoff Bennett discussed more with special correspondent Sarah Varney. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
The Supreme Court upheld Biden-era regulations on ghost guns. Those are firearms that can be put together at home with partially assembled kits, making them nearly impossible to trace. Sales of those guns exploded after they came onto the market and their use in gun crimes also rose significantly. Amna Nawaz discussed more with Jennifer Mascia of The Trace, which covers gun violence in America. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
The U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments in a key redistricting case that could reshape how states draw districts by race. A group of voters identifying as "non-African American" argues Louisiana's congressional map, which created two majority-Black districts after a federal court found the previous one discriminatory, is biased toward Black voters. Geoff Bennett speaks with Amy Howe of SCOTUSblog. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
The Supreme Court on Wednesday rejected the Trump administration’s request to freeze billions of dollars in foreign aid for work that has already been done. The administration asked the court to block a lower-court ruling ordering the government to release the funds. It remains unclear when the aid will now be distributed. John Yang has the update. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
On his first day in office, President Trump signed an executive order to end universal birthright citizenship and limit it at birth to people with at least one parent who is a permanent resident or citizen. A federal judge put the order on hold, but if upheld, Trump’s move could upend a 120-year Supreme Court precedent. Stephanie Sy reports on the history and legacy of that case. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
The clock is ticking on a potential ban on TikTok. In April, Congress and President Biden gave the app's Beijing-based parent company 270 days to find a new owner or face a shutdown. They argued that Chinese control of the platform was a national security threat. Geoff Bennett discussed the latest developments with Carrie Cordero of the Center for a New American Security. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
In a matter of days, one of the most popular social media apps in the country could pull the plug if the Supreme Court doesn't grant it a legal reprieve. Concerns about TikTok's Chinese ownership led Congress to pass a law that would ban it in the United States unless its parent company sells it. John Yang discussed more with PBS News Supreme Court analyst Marcia Coyle and NPR's Bobby Allyn. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
The Supreme Court heard arguments in a landmark case on transgender rights. The justices are weighing whether a Tennessee law barring gender-affirming care for minors violates the equal protection clause of the Constitution. The decision will have major implications for young people who identify as transgender, their families and medical providers. Laura Barrón-López reports. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
Just days before the election, the Supreme Court ruled Virginia will be able to continue to purge people from the state's voter rolls. The state has argued it is part of an effort to remove noncitizens from the rolls, but voting rights advocates have found several U.S. citizens were also removed from the rolls at the same time. Amna Nawaz discussed more with NPR's Jude Joffe-Block. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
Universities are disclosing the racial makeup of the first class of students admitted after the Supreme Court overturned affirmative action. The numbers give a detailed look at the impact of the ruling. While there's variation, analyses show Black enrollment is down at several colleges. Geoff Bennett discussed more with David Leonhardt of The New York Times for our series, Rethinking College. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
The Supreme Court heard arguments in a death row case from Oklahoma. Justices looked at whether the due process rights of death row inmate Richard Glossip were violated when the state suppressed information about its star witness who committed the murder. A court of criminal appeals has denied Glossip's appeal for a retrial. Oklahoma communities correspondent Adam Kemp reports. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
The Supreme Court kicked off a new term of arguments with a major case focused on federal regulations of ghost guns. The justices weighed whether the government can regulate the firearms assembled at home with a kit with the same standard as other firearms made by licensed manufacturers. Geoff Bennett discussed more with News Hour Supreme Court analyst Marcia Coyle. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson is out with a new memoir chronicling her family's rise from segregation to her confirmation as the first Black woman on the nation's highest court, all in a single generation. Geoff Bennett sat down with Justice Jackson in New York to discuss "Lovely One." PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
For more on the 2024 Democratic National Convention, the Harris-Walz ticket and efforts to implement ethics reforms for the U.S. Supreme Court, Geoff Bennett speaks with Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., on the convention floor in Chicago. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
In 2022, the Supreme Court struck down a century-old law in New York restricting who could carry a concealed gun. The landmark ruling was seen by Second Amendment supporters as a huge victory and by gun control advocates as opening the door to violent chaos. Special correspondent Christopher Booker reports on what has and hasn't changed since then. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
President Biden unveiled three proposed reforms in response to legal, ethical and political controversies around the Supreme Court. The plan includes an enforceable code of ethics for justices, term limits for the Supreme Court and a constitutional amendment limiting the recent decision on presidential immunity. White House Correspondent Laura Barrón-López breaks down the proposals. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
The justices of the Supreme Court considered more than 60 cases this term before rendering their final decisions this week. Their rulings on abortion access, presidential immunity and the limits of executive branch agencies could have long-lasting impacts. They also showcased sharp divides among the justices. Amna Nawaz sat down with two Supreme Court watchers to reflect on this historic term. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
The Supreme Court's landmark decision on former President Trump's immunity from some legal prosecution has the potential to transform the powers of the presidency. Jeffrey Brown and Heather Cox Richardson of Boston College discussed how the ruling fits with history. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
In one of the most anticipated rulings of the year, the Supreme Court declared that former President Trump is immune from criminal prosecution for any so-called "official act" taken as president, but not "unofficial ones'' taken as a candidate. Amna Nawaz discussed how the ruling reshapes presidential power with News Hour Supreme Court analyst Marcia Coyle and William Brangham. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
With just one day left in its term, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a trio of major decisions Friday. The justices upheld a law making it a crime for unhoused people to camp in public areas like parks, sidewalks and plazas, narrowed the scope of a law being used to prosecute Jan. 6 rioters and weakened the rule-making powers of regulatory agencies. John Yang reports. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
The Supreme Court has swept aside long standing legal precedent in its ruling overturning the Chevron doctrine, majorly curtailing the power of federal agencies to interpret the laws they regulate. The decision is expected to have far-reaching implications on everything from the environment to healthcare. Geoff Bennett took a closer look with Andrew Mergen. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
The U.S. Supreme Court handed down several high-profile decisions Thursday morning. One case blocked a controversial bankruptcy deal involving the opioid crisis, another reinstated access to abortions for those facing medical emergencies in Idaho and a third blocked an EPA rule regulating air pollution from taking effect. John Yang reports on the significance of the rulings. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
The Supreme Court ripped up a controversial bankruptcy deal that would have provided billions of dollars to states devastated by the opioid epidemic and shielded the controversial family accused of pushing pharmaceutical painkillers in search of profit. Amna Nawaz explored the details and impact of the Purdue Pharma case with Brian Mann. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
The Supreme Court handed down two opinions Wednesday but left some of the most politically fraught cases for the final days of its term. One left undecided for now is focused on abortion and a ban in Idaho. But we may have clues about how the justices will decide the case after a document was mistakenly posted. John Yang reports on how the mistake happened and what it could mean for the court. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
The Supreme Court handed down a major victory for gun control advocates, ruling that domestic abusers can be barred from owning guns. In an 8-1 decision, the court rejected a 2nd Amendment challenge to the federal law that makes it illegal for people with domestic violence restraining orders to possess firearms. William Brangham discussed the case with News Hour Supreme Court analyst Marcia Coyle. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
The Supreme Court handed down a ruling with major implications for firearm regulations. In a 6-3 decision, the conservative majority found that the government exceeded its authority when it banned bump stocks. The gun accessory allows users to re-engage the trigger continuously, dramatically increasing the rate of fire. Amna Nawaz discussed more with News Hour Supreme Court analyst Marcia Coyle. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
In a unanimous decision, the Supreme Court ruled that a group of anti-abortion doctors does not have any legal basis to challenge access to mifepristone, one of the two common drugs used in medication abortion. As a result, access to mifepristone will not change. John Yang reports. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
A former neighbor of Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito said, "at worst, he's just outright lying," about his account of a neighborhood dispute that led to hoisting an upside-down American flag at his Virginia home. The inverted flag is associated with the effort to overturn President Biden's 2020 election win. Lisa Desjardins reports. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito told lawmakers he won't recuse himself from cases involving the 2020 presidential election or the Jan. 6 Capitol riot despite concerns about two flags associated with far-right causes that have flown over his properties. Alito said his wife, Martha-Ann Alito, was responsible for flying the flags. Geoff Bennett discussed more with Kathleen Clark. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
The Supreme Court struck down a challenge to a congressional map in South Carolina that civil rights groups argued was a racial gerrymander. In a 6-3 decision, the conservative majority delivered a win to Republicans who said they used politics, not race, as the key factor when drawing the district bounds. Geoff Bennett discussed the decision with NewsHour Supreme Court analyst Marcia Coyle. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
The New York Times reports that an "Appeal to Heaven" flag, which has origins dating to the Revolutionary War but is now associated with Christian nationalism and efforts to overturn President Biden's election win, was seen flying outside Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito's New Jersey beach home last year. White House Correspondent Laura Barrón-López reports. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
It's been nearly two years since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade and eliminated the federal right to abortion. Shefali Luthra, a health reporter at The 19th News, spoke to a variety of Americans about how their lives have been upended by the court's decision for her book, "Undue Burden: Life and Death Decisions in Post-Roe America." She joined Laura Barrón-López to discuss. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
The Supreme Court wrapped up oral arguments and has now turned to rolling out decisions in some of the most consequential cases of the year. Those decisions will shape policies nationwide on divisive issues like homelessness and reproductive rights, and some of them could affect the presidential election. John Yang discussed more with NewsHour Supreme Court analyst Marcia Coyle and Joan Biskupic. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders