Supreme Court to Hear Climate, Religion, Gun and Trump Policy Cases in New Term
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The Court’s October term will begin with a climate-change lawsuit against fossil-fuel companies and will include cases on religious exemptions, AR-15 bans, and Trump administration immigration policies.
The U.S. Supreme Court will resume work on Oct. 5 with a climate-change case that asks whether local governments can seek damages from fossil-fuel producers for harms caused by global warming. The lawsuit, filed by the city of Boulder, Colorado, is one of dozens across the country and could involve billions of dollars.
Legal scholars note the case may also serve as a precedent for state regulation of activities that originate beyond their borders, such as artificial-intelligence oversight. Republican attorneys general argue the suit could overstep state authority, saying a single state should not regulate actions in another state.
In November, the Court will consider a challenge to a Colorado preschool that excluded children of gay parents, a case that could extend recent rulings favoring religious groups. A multifaith coalition backed by the ACLU has also asked the Court to review a Texas law requiring public schools to display the Ten Commandments, a matter previously upheld by a conservative appeals court.
December will bring arguments on whether state and local bans on semiautomatic rifles, including AR-15s, are consistent with the Second Amendment. Experts suggest the Court may limit the scope of permissible gun regulations, though opinions differ on how the historical-weapon test will be applied.
The term will also feature two immigration cases tied to the Trump administration: one addressing the detention of immigrants without bond hearings and another concerning deportations to third countries without full due-process protections. Legal analysts expect additional Trump-related challenges may be added as the term progresses.
“Everyone’s eyes are on the election,” said Cecilia Wang, national legal director for the American Civil Liberties Union, referring to the likelihood of emergency election-related applications to the Court.
The Court’s 6-3 conservative majority is expected to continue shaping policy areas ranging from climate liability to religious liberty and gun rights throughout the term.