Welcome to the April 20 edition of Robe & Gavel, Ballotpedia’s newsletter about the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) and other judicial happenings around the U.S.
What does he plant who plants a tree?
He plants a friend of sun and sky;
He plants the flag of breezes free;
The shaft of beauty, towering high;
He plants a home to heaven anigh;
For song and mother-croon of bird
In hushed and happy twilight heard—
The treble of heaven's harmony—
These things he plants who plants a tree.
- Henry Cuyler Bunner
The Heart of the Tree
Welcome back to your favorite federal courts newsletter, dear reader. This week, SCOTUS will hear its first April sitting arguments, and we’ve got a new opinion update. Let’s gavel in!
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Grants
SCOTUS has accepted two new cases to its merits docket since our April 13 issue. To date, the Court has agreed to hear 59 cases for argument for the 2025-2026 term and eight cases for the 2026-2027 term.
Click the links below to learn more about these 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:
April 20
- Sripetch v. Securities and Exchange Commissionconcerns 15 U.S.C. 78u(d)(5) and (d)(7) and the Securities and Exchange Commission’s enforcement of securities laws.
- The questions presented: “Whether the SEC may seek equitable disgorgement under 15 U.S.C. 78u(d)(5) and (d)(7) without showing investors suffered pecuniary harm.”
- T. M. v. University of Maryland Medical System Corp.concerns the Rooker-Feldman doctrine.
- The questions presented: "Whether the Rooker-Feldman doctrine can be triggered by a state-court decision that remains subject to further review in state court."
April 21
- Federal Communications Commission v. AT&T, Inc.concerns the Communications Act of 1934.
- The questions presented: “Whether the Communications Act violates the Seventh Amendment and Article III by authorizing the FCC to order the payment of monetary penalties for failing to reasonably safeguard customer data, without guaranteeing the defendant carrier a right to a jury trial.”
April 22
- Blanche v. Lau (formerly Bondi v. Lau) concerns the legal requirements that would allow the government to deport a lawful permanent resident (LPR) who has been accused of committing a crime.
- The questions presented: “Whether, to remove an LPR who committed an offense listed in Section 1182(a)(2) and was subsequently paroled into the United States, the government must prove that it possessed clear and convincing evidence of the offense at the time of the LPR's last reentry into the United States.”
In its October 2024 term, SCOTUS heard arguments in 65 cases. Click here to read more about SCOTUS's previous term.
Opinions
SCOTUS has ruled on two cases since our April 13 edition. The court has issued rulings in 26 cases so far this term. At this point in the 2024-2025 term, SCOTUS had issued rulings in 26 cases.
Click the links below to read more about the cases SCOTUS ruled on since April 13:
April 17
Chevron USA Inc. v. Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana, was argued before the court on Jan. 12.
The caseconcerns Louisiana's State and Local Coastal Resources Management Act of 1978. Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana, alleges that Chevron’s oil and gas operations along the Louisiana coast caused long-term environmental damage, including coastal erosion and land loss.
This case will clarify the scope of the federal-officer removal statute after Congress expanded it in 2011, specifically when private parties may move state-law claims into federal court based on their relationship to federal officials or contracts.
The Court’s decision will shape how broadly federal jurisdiction extends over lawsuits arising from conduct connected to federal programs, affecting when state-law disputes are heard in federal rather than state courts.
The outcome: In an 8–0 decision, SCOTUS held that Chevron showed a sufficient connection between the conduct challenged in the lawsuit — crude oil production tied to its work for the federal government during World War II to produce military fuel — and its federal duties, satisfying the “relating to” requirement of the federal officer removal statute and allowing the case to be moved to federal court. Justice Samuel Alito took no part in the consideration of the case.
April 20
District of Columbia v. R.W. was decided without argument.
Federal court action
Nominations
On April 9, President Donald Trump (R) announced one new Article III nominee.
Committee action
The Senate Judiciary Committee has not reported any new nominees out of committee since our April 13 edition.
Confirmations
The Senate has confirmed two nominees since our April 13 issue.
- John Shepherd, to the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Arkansas.
- Chris Wolfe, to the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas.
Vacancies
The federal judiciary currently has 36 vacancies, 35 of which are for lifetime Article III judgeships. As of publication, there were 10 pending nominations.
According to the Administrative Office of U.S. Courts, there were 10 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.
Looking ahead
We’ll be back on April 27 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.