With US Supreme Court (SCOTUS) justices scheduled to return to the bench on Monday after a summer recess period, there are a number of pressing cases awaiting judgement—some of which involve President Donald Trump.
This follows the Trump administration’s record number of emergency appeals in the apex court, just eight months into his second term.
Some issues he has filed emergency appeals over include birthright citizenship, ICE deportations, federal layoffs (amid the government shutdown), and restrictions on certain federal funds like foreign aid.
Here is a look at five of the many cases lying before the apex court—of which two are set to be decided by the Supreme Court in the coming months.
‘Conversion therapy’ ban
The Supreme Court on Tuesday will hear a challenge to a Colorado law that bans “conversion therapy” for people under the age of 18 (practices that attempt to change an individual’s sexual orientation or gender identity).
The case was brought forth by Kaley Chiles, a talk therapy counsellor, in 2022, who argued that the ban was a violation of her First Amendment rights. Colorado officials argued that the law was necessary to regulate professional healthcare treatment.
Race and congressional map boundaries
On October 15, the apex court will—for the second time—make a ruling on the Louisiana congressional map drawn after the 2020 Census.
The outcome of this case is expected to set a precedent for future cases where race becomes a bias point in redrawing congressional maps.
Trump tariffs
Earlier this year, Trump imposed baseline tariffs on nearly every US trading partner, in order to address a trade deficit that he claimed was a “national emergency” under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA).
He then imposed product-specific levies on Canada, Mexico, and China, in addition to punitive tariffs of 25 per cent on countries like India that purchase Russian energy.
These tariffs, which were challenged by various businesses and 12 US states, as well as a lower court that declared that Trump had overreached his powers, will be heard in the Supreme Court on November 5.
Campaign finance limits and the First Amendment
The latest campaign finance dispute will yet again consider the constitutionality of campaign finance laws, which—among other things—place limits on “coordinated” political party spending.
In the past rulings of the issue, limiting campaign spending has often been presented as a violation of the First Amendment, which has allowed more money to be used for political spending.
Trump’s power to fire executive officers
Since the beginning of Trump’s second term in office, he has removed a number of Democrat-appointed federal officers without proper cause, despite federal law safeguards.
The Supreme Court will now decide whether for-cause removal protections violate the separation of powers, in connection with specific cases involving officials from the Federal Reserve and the Federal Trade Commission.
As new US Supreme Court term begins, what are 5 major cases pending before apex court?
