Supreme Court justices returned to the courtroom Monday for the first oral arguments of the 2024-25 term.
As they took the bench to hear two cases focused on the structure of the legal system, their decisions on a variety of emergency orders and appeals were released, making it a busy morning for court watchers.
Among other announcements, the court revealed Monday that emergency abortions will remain mostly unavailable in Texas. The justices declined to overturn a lower court order that prevents Texas hospitals from being required by the federal government to provide emergency abortions, leaving state policy in place that only allows for an abortion when there’s an extreme threat to a woman’s life, according to The Associated Press.
The justices will hear more cases on Tuesday and Wednesday as they get back into their typical routine, which involves argument days early in the week and private conferences between the justices on Fridays.
By mid-month, the court will have heard nine cases and likely taken up several more.
Here’s what else you should know about the Supreme Court’s 2024-25 term.
Upcoming Supreme Court cases
As usual, the new Supreme Court term will feature several legal questions that won’t be relevant to a casual observer.
For example, during one of Monday’s cases, the justices will debate if someone whose lawsuit has been moved from state court to federal court can fight for it to be moved back to state court, according to SCOTUSblog.
But the term will also put a spotlight on other, more accessible questions in cases dealing with hot-button political issues, like gun control and LGBTQ rights.
Here are some of the most notable questions that the Supreme Court is expected to answer this term:
- Can a weapon parts kit be regulated like a traditional firearm?
- Can states bar transgender children and teens from accessing hormone therapy if other young people can still receive the same treatments?
- How broad of an environmental review must be undertaken before a railroad project can move forward?
- Does a death-row inmate have standing to sue to force new DNA testing?
The justices announced their intention to answer that last question in a large order list released Friday. The death row case was one of the 15 cases newly added to the Supreme Court’s 2024-25 schedule that day.
Religion at the Supreme Court
The Supreme Court offered updates on more cases Monday morning, when it released another long order list.
Among other updates, the justices revealed that they will not hear a case on whether public transit officials can refuse to display religious ads. That means a Jewish organization’s limited victory in a lower court will remain in place.
The court also weighed in on a case brought by a former prisoner who was forced by prison officials to shave his dreadlocks, which he maintained because of his faith. The justices asked the U.S. solicitor general to file a brief.
After Monday’s announcements, the Supreme Court still has no religious freedom cases on its arguments schedule for the 2024-25 term, as the Deseret News previously reported.
Supreme Court schedule
The justices typically hear around nine cases per month from October to April before focusing on writing, negotiating and releasing rulings in May and June.
The cases taken up this month will likely be heard by the Supreme Court in January or February.