The United States Supreme Court has taken up several key issues, causing much tumult and disagreement among the citizenry throughout the month of April. Many of them are related to personal rights, governmental oversight, etc., with many voicing support and opposition for the rulings alike. Here are the recent SCOTUS rulings and their implications, summarized:
Trump Immunity Case
On Apr. 25, SCOTUS heard arguments regarding Donald Trump’s claim of presidential immunity, particularly in a case indicting of plotting to overturn the 2020 election. The case is a historic one, its ramifications potentially monumental in determining what actions a president legally can or cannot do. It could also easily impact the outcomes of Trump’s other criminal trials.
The Supreme Court really has an important decision to make. It’s important whether they rule in favor of Trump or against [him], which can limit or expand the power of the presidency.”
— Abel Stephen, AP Government student and sophomore
The case has been criticized by many as being “bogus,” with The Nation’s Elie Mystal even going as far as to criticize the media’s coverage of the case, calling it “appalling.” Should the court make a decision and not send back the case to lower courts for further review, the suit is likely to have direct consequences in the near future, both for Trump and the 2024 election.
“The Supreme Court really has an important decision to make,” AP Government student and sophomore Abel Stephen said. “It’s important whether they rule in favor of Trump or against [him], which can limit or expand the power of the presidency.”
Oregon Homelessness Case
The high court considered arguments on the issue of homeless people sleeping outside on April 22. With homelessness on the rise in many states around the country, both liberals and conservatives alike have been urging SCOTUS to take up the issue. In April, the court’s judiciary agreed to do so, in the case of Grant Pass, Oregon, and whether the rural town may ticket the unhoused.
Depending on the ruling, the case is set to have major repercussions for homeless people around the country, with many cities currently experiencing both a homelessness crisis and a housing affordability crisis at once. In the face of it and a few of the other major cases being decided in the court, protesters have recently been gathering in front of the Supreme Court in favor of different positions.
Idaho Emergency Abortions Case
The Supreme Court heard arguments related to state regulation of emergency abortions on April 24. The case comes on the heels of the momentous and tendentious 2022 verdict in Dobbs v. Jackson, in which SCOTUS overturned Roe v. Wade, a landmark abortion case from 1973.
Idaho’s current case is specifically related to emergency room abortions, though, allowing doctors only to administer emergency room abortions to prevent the direct death of a pregnant woman. In terms of the justices, the court’s 6-3 conservative majority puts the case’s decision into uncharted territory. Depending on the verdict, the outcome of the lawsuit may have direct implications for pregnant women and doctors in Idaho alike.
Adult Entertainment Age Verification Case
Most recently, SCOTUS considered a Texas law that enforces age-verification requirements for pornographic websites on April 30. After hearing arguments on it, the justices allowed the regulation to stand. The decision comes after the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals similarly upheld the law.
These and other positions are currently up for grabs in the Supreme Court. If you have any personal opinions about them or would like to get involved, be sure to write to your lawmakers or take other steps. The outcomes of these cases may very well change the course of history.
