Welcome to the March 31 edition of Robe & Gavel, Ballotpedia’s newsletter about the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) and other judicial happenings around the U.S.
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Grants
SCOTUS has accepted no new cases to its merits docket since our March 24 issue. To date, the court has agreed to hear 64 cases for the 2024-2025 term and four cases for its 2025-2026 term. By this time during the 2023-2024 term, SCOTUS had agreed to hear 62 cases.
Arguments
The Supreme Court will hear four arguments this week. Click here to read more about SCOTUS’ current term.
Click the links below to learn more about these cases:
March 31
- Catholic Charities Bureau, Inc. v. Wisconsin Labor & Industry Review Commission concerns whether denying a religious organization an otherwise-available tax exemption based on a state’s criteria for religious behavior violates the First Amendment. SCOTUS will also decide whether a court may require proof “beyond a reasonable doubt” in addressing challenges to federal constitutionality.
- The questions presented: “1. Does a state violate the First Amendment’s Religion Clauses by denying a religious organization an otherwise-available tax exemption because the organization does not meet the state’s criteria for religious behavior?
“2. In addressing federal constitutional challenges, may state courts require proof of unconstitutionality ‘beyond a reasonable doubt?’”
- Rivers v. Guerrero concerns 28 U.S.C. § 2244 and habeas corpus filings.
- The questions presented: “Whether § 2244(b)(2) applies (i) only to habeas filings made after a prisoner has exhausted appellate review of his first petition, (ii) to all second-in-time habeas filings after final judgment, or (iii) to some second-in-time filings, depending on a prisoner’s success on appeal or ability to satisfy a seven-factor test.”
April 1
- Fuld v. Palestine Liberation Organization concerns whether the Promoting Security and Justice for Victims of Terrorism Act (PSJVTA) violates the Due Process Clause of the Fifth Amendment.
- The questions presented: “Whether the PSJVTA violates the Fifth Amendment.”
April 2
- Medina v. Planned Parenthood South Atlantic concerns whether Medicaid’s provision allowing patients to choose “any qualified provider” unambiguously allows patients to choose a specific qualified provider.
- The questions presented: “Whether the Medicaid Act’s any-qualified-provider provision unambiguously confers a private right upon a Medicaid beneficiary to choose a specific provider.”
In its October 2023-2024 term, SCOTUS heard arguments in 62 cases. Click here to read more about SCOTUS’ previous term.
Opinions
SCOTUS has ruled on two cases since our March 24 edition. The court has issued rulings in 21 cases so far this term.
Click the links below to read more about the specific cases SCOTUS ruled on since March 24:
March 26
United States v. Miller (2024)
Federal court action
Nominations
Since taking office for his second term, President Donald Trump (R) has not nominated any individuals to federal judgeships on Article III courts.
During his first term in office, President Trump nominated 274 individuals to federal judgeships and confirmed 234 Article III judges. For more information on the president’s judicial nominees, click here.
Confirmations
The Senate has not confirmed any nominees since President Trump took office.
Vacancies
The federal judiciary currently has 45 vacancies, all of which are for lifetime Article III judgeships. As of publication, there were no pending nominations.
According to the Administrative Office of U.S. Courts, there were 12 upcoming vacancies in the federal judiciary, where judges have announced their intention to leave active judicial status.
For more information on judicial vacancies during President Trump’s term, click here.
Do you love judicial nomination, confirmation, and vacancy information? We figured you might. Our monthly Federal Vacancy Count monitors all the faces and places moving in, moving out, and moving on in the federal judiciary. Click here for our most current count.
Need a daily fix of judicial nomination, confirmation, and vacancy information? Click here for continuing updates on the status of all federal judicial nominees.
Or, keep an eye on our list for updates on federal judicial nominations.
Federal courts recent news
- The Trump administration asks SCOTUS to intervene in Alien Enemies Act removals
- Supreme Court upholds regulation on ghost guns
- The Trump administration asks SCOTUS to allow cancellation of grants to teachers
Looking ahead
We’ll be back on April 7 with a new edition of Robe & Gavel. Until then, gaveling out!
Contributions
Myj Saintyl compiled and edited this newsletter, with contributions from Sam Post and Ellie Mikus.