Five rulings to watch at the Supreme Court

[DonViejo]

BY LYDIA WHEELER - 05/13/18 10:30 AM EDT

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The justices heard their last arguments in April and will start issuing rulings next week in the most closely watched cases of the term, which ends in late June.

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Here's a look at the top five cases to watch as the term comes to a close.

Partisan gerrymandering

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The cases could result in the court striking down a redistricting plan as a partisan gerrymander for the first time, but that outcome is far from certain. During oral arguments, the justices appeared undecided on whether they should even review such claims and what standard should be used if they do.

It’s also unclear whether they will be able to settle on any of the methods that have been proposed to weigh if political bias has been unconstitutionally injected into a redistricting process.

Wedding cake

The court also has yet to rule in Masterpiece Cakeshop v. the Colorado Civil Rights Commission. The case centers on Jack Phillips, a Colorado baker who refused to make a wedding cake for a same-sex couple.

Phillips argues he can’t be forced to make the cake under the state’s anti-discrimination laws. He says his cakes are an artistic expression of free speech and religion that’s protected by the First Amendment.

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Sports betting

Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) could get a major win if the court sides with a challenge his state brought challenging a 1992 federal law that bans sports gambling in almost every state except Nevada.

During arguments, the justices appeared skeptical of the law.

“So the citizens of the state of New Jersey are bound to obey a law that the state doesn't want but that the federal government compels the state to have?” Justice Anthony Kennedy asked. “That seems commandeering.”

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Free speech and abortion

It’s a two-for-one in NIFLA v. Becerra, a lawsuit that pro-life pregnancy centers in California brought challenging a state law that requires licensed facilities to post information about where women can obtain a free or low-cost abortion from the state.

The law also requires unlicensed facilities to notify women that they do not employ a licensed medical professional.

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Trump's travel ban

The last arguments the justices heard this term were a challenge to President Trump’s ban on nationals from certain Muslim-majority countries entering the United States.

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full article
http://thehill.com/regulation/court-battles/387352-five-rulings-to-watch-at-the-supreme-court

[Gothmog]

1. In addition to the Wisconsin case, Texas and Maryland both have redistricting cases pending

This will be an interesting session given these three cases