The United States Supreme Court is entering the final weeks of its term with a significant backlog of cases. As of now, the Court has heard a total of 61 cases during this term, with 29 cases still pending for decisions.
After more than a month of arguments, the justices are still weighing whether former President Donald Trump can be exempt from criminal prosecution in cases involving election interference. Some of the cases may also involve potential changes in laws pertaining to issues such as gun control, abortion, and social media regulations.
Here are the five major cases that the Supreme Court has yet to reach a decision on:
Former President Donald Trump argues that his official actions during his tenure should be immune from prosecution, particularly in relation to the election interference allegations he faces.
While the Supreme Court previously ruled that a sitting president cannot be sued in civil cases for actions taken during their time in office, it has never provided a decision on criminal immunity.
Timing of the decision could be as crucial as the decision itself. Even if the Court rules that Trump is not immune, his trial in Washington D.C. might not take place before the November elections.
A former police officer in Pennsylvania has raised doubts about the effectiveness of charging the hundreds of people involved in the violent assault on the Capitol on January 6, 2021, with obstructing official duties. Trump himself faces similar charges of obstructing official duties.
The key issue in this case is whether a law intended to prevent tampering with investigative documents can be used against those involved in the Capitol riot.
Abortion opponents are attempting to make it more difficult for pregnant women to access abortion pills. They are hoping the Supreme Court will overturn the modifications made by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that have made it easier to obtain mifepristone, one of the two drugs used in nearly two-thirds of abortions in the U.S. last year. The FDA’s changes include allowing women to receive the medication by mail without needing to visit a healthcare facility.
Since the Supreme Court’s 2022 decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, most Republican-led states have severely restricted or banned abortion. Even in states where abortion remains legal, the Court’s ruling on this case could have significant implications for abortion laws.
Justices are considering whether to support a federal law aimed at protecting victims of domestic violence. This law prohibits individuals accused of abusing victims from owning firearms.
An appeals court overturned a law that prohibited individuals under restraining orders related to domestic violence from owning firearms. The appeals court argued that this law violated the Second Amendment right to “keep and bear arms.” The Supreme Court’s 2022 decision expanded gun rights and modified the way courts assess gun restrictions.
In the intersection of social media and government, there are three pending cases, including two cases involving social media laws in Texas and Florida. These laws aim to limit social media platforms like Facebook, TikTok, YouTube, from regulating user content. While the specifics differ, both laws seek to address conservative complaints that social media companies lean towards liberalism and censor users, particularly those with right-wing political views.
In the third case, Republican-led states are suing the Biden administration, accusing the federal government of overstepping its authority by clamping down on controversial social media posts. These posts often involve topics such as COVID-19 and election security. The federal appeals court sided with the states, deeming the government officials’ efforts to force platforms to limit conservative viewpoints as unconstitutional.
Apart from the aforementioned high-profile cases, other undecided cases with significant societal impact include homelessness cases, bump stock cases, the “Chevron” case involving environmental regulation, the Purdue Pharma case, and the wealth tax case.
(This article references reporting by the Associated Press)