Big Week Upcoming for Supreme Court Decisions.

[CoffeeTiger 5,135]

https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-affirmative-action-student-loans-gay-rights-elections-a3007709350cd1606d5ce9ac4de957a6

A lot of highly watched supreme court decisions are expected to be released over this next week before the Justices go on spring break. Here's a quick outline of the cases we're expecting decisions on soon. The AP apparently believes Conservatives/Republicans will, unsurprisingly, get their preferred outcome in most of the cases dealing with student debt forgiveness and several cases where Christians claim they are being harmed by not being given special treatment. 

 

The Justices may throw a surprise our way like they did by ruling against Alabama's gerrymandered districts, but my money would be on the Federalist Society's preferred outcomes carrying the day with their supreme court majority.  

AFFIRMATIVE ACTION

The survival of affirmative action in higher education is the subject of two related cases, one involving Harvard and the other the University of North Carolina. The Supreme Court has previously approved of the use of affirmative action in higher education in decisions reaching back to 1978. But the justices’ decision to take the cases suggested a willingness to revisit those rulings. And when the high court heard arguments in the cases in late October, all six conservative justices on the court expressed doubts about the practice.

STUDENT LOANS

The justices will also decide the fate of President Joe Biden’s plan to wipe away or reduce student loans held by millions of Americans. When the court heard arguments in the case in February, the plan didn’t seem likely to survive, though it’s possible the justices could decide the challengers lacked the right to sue and the plan can still go forward.

GAY RIGHTS

A clash of gay rights and religious rights is also yet to be decided by the court. The case involves a Christian graphic artist from Colorado who wants to begin designing wedding websites but objects to making wedding websites for same-sex couples.

State law requires businesses that are open to the public to provide services to all customers, but the designer, Lorie Smith, says the law violates her free speech rights. She says ruling against her would force artists — from painters and photographers to writers and musicians — to do work that is against their beliefs. Her opponents, meanwhile, say that if she wins, a range of businesses will be able to discriminate, refusing to serve Black, Jewish or Muslim customers, interracial or interfaith couples or immigrants.

During arguments in the case in December, the court’s conservative majority sounded sympathetic to Smith’s arguments, and religious plaintiffs have in recent years won a series of victories at the high court.

RELIGIOUS RIGHTS

 

Another case that could end as a victory for religious rights is the case of a Christian mail carrier who refused to work on Sundays when he was required to deliver Amazon packages.

The question for the high court has to do with when businesses have to accommodate religious employees. The case is somewhat unusual in that both sides agree on a number of things, and when the court heard arguments in April both liberal and conservative justices seemed in broad agreement that businesses like the Postal Service can’t cite minor costs or hardships to reject requests to accommodate religious practices. That could mean a ruling joined by both liberals and conservatives.

VOTING

As election season accelerates, the Supreme Court has still not said what it will do in a case about the power of state legislatures to make rules for congressional and presidential elections without being checked by state courts.

In a case out of North Carolina the justices were asked to essentially eliminate the power of state courts to strike down congressional districts drawn by legislatures on the grounds that they violate state constitutions.

But there’s a wrinkle. Since the justices heard arguments in the case in December, North Carolina’s state Supreme Court threw out the ruling the Supreme Court was reviewing after Republicans claimed control of that court. That could give the justices an out and let them dismiss the case without reaching a decision.

Edited June 26, 2023 by CoffeeTiger

[AU9377 4,979]

I can't help but laugh when I read the challenge to the Colorado law requiring businesses open to the public provide services to everyone regardless of race, gender etc. How hard did the far right have to look to find a graphic artist that was such a hard line old testament Christian that they were  unwilling to open a business if they had to develop websites for gay couples?  That was a true needle in a haystack.  That is right up there with finding a male florist that doesn't want to sell flowers to gay couples.  

[Mikey 16,643]

All hail the SCOTUS!

The illegal discrimination, which is a necessary product of Affirmative Action is finally brought to an end.

The Colorado web designer can now accept or refuse any job, just like your auto mechanic or air conditioner repairman can.

The vote-buying ploy to transfer wealth from plumbers, truck drivers and janitors to lawyers, doctors and professors is now quashed, as the constitution demanded.

Damn fine week!