Supreme Court Term 2011-12

[Tx4obama]

Officially, the new Supreme Court term does not start until next Monday. However, this Monday is the "long conference" -- the conference in which the Supreme Court decides which cases to accept out of those cases that have piled up over the three months since the Supreme Court issued its last opinions at the end of June. The Supreme Court will probably issue an order next week with the "grants" from this conference to allow these cases to be on the January and February dockets.

The first argument of this year's term is three consolidated cases from California regarding state reimbursement rates for Medicaid and whether California complied with the federal statute in setting those rates. Also in October, there are cases on the validity of the federal sex offender registration statute, when state habeas petitioners should be able to pursue claims that they failed to raise in state post-conviction proceedings (and the degree to which they have a right to counsel in such proceedings), when a religion can use religion as a valid basis for not hiring somebody, whether off-shore oil workers are entiltled to compensation for injuries received on-land in the course of their employment.

In November, the Supreme Court will hear cases on the right to counsel in the context of failed plea negotiations (e.g. if the attorney screws up the negotiations can a defendant go back to the last best offer after taking a different offer or being convicted at trial), on whether, for suggestive identifications, the suggestiveness has to come from police misconduct or can come from unofficial sources, whether a warrant is required before law enforcement can install a tracking device on a car, whether federal laws on animal slaughter preempt more stringent state laws, and whether federal railroad regulations preempt state torts.

In December, the Court will hear two cases on patents (one involving pharmaceutical patents and one involving bio-medical patents), the interaction of bankruptcy law and tax law, and several cases on the jurisdiction of courts to hear a variety of complaints.

Rest of post/article here: http://www.democraticconventionwatch.com/diary/4813/supreme-court-term-201112

[Major Hogwash]

1. This is why we have to keep Obama in the WH. Romney would appoint assholes like Thomes or Alito.

Or worse, someone like Roberts!

[Tx4obama]

2. I agree 1000% with you. n/t

[Tx4obama]

3. Bumping up for the late night crew. n/t