Supreme Court preview: New term brings Second Amendment, voting rights cases

WASHINGTON (Gray DC) - A new term at the U.S. Supreme Court begins Monday.

The term follows a session in which the Supreme Court struck down the president’s tariffs and his executive order on birthright citizenship. Justices this term are set to hear a number of notable cases.

Among the cases on the docket is Viramontes v. Cook County, a Second Amendment challenge to bans on AR-15-style rifles.

Georgetown Law professor Michele Goodwin said the case is significant.

“Well, this is an important case because we see the Supreme Court’s efforts to give life to individual liberties associated with the Second Amendment and gun rights,” Goodwin said. “You see that further cemented in this challenge. We don’t know how the Supreme Court would rule, but, you know, there are some tea leaves that we could follow. The Second Amendment has truly gained speed, if you will, before the United States Supreme Court.”

Also on the docket is Republican National Committee v. Mi Familia Vota. The case concerns whether the National Voter Registration Act or a federal consent decree takes precedence over state documentary proof-of-citizenship requirements for voter registration.

“What this case is ultimately about is whether the Voter Registration Act would prohibit what is basically, in essence, happening in Arizona,” Goodwin said.

The court is also likely to hear cases from the so-called shadow docket, or emergency docket, which lets parties seek expedited Supreme Court intervention before a case completes the ordinary appeals process.

“But the argument has been that the Supreme Court that the Trump administration has been able to have a speed pass jump its way to the Supreme Court, which has meant that the lower courts have not been able to actually deal with these cases,” Goodwin said.

During his second term, President Trump has appealed to the shadow docket more than any other president. According to both the White House and the Department of Justice, that will likely continue.