JUST IN - Supreme Court grants review in new cases for this fall, including major second amendment cases involving whether an individual has the second amendment right to an AR-15 style rifle. This is a challenge to an “assault weapon” ban in Illinois.

FAQ: Why does the Supreme Court always release its controversial decisions in June?

Believe it or not, it is actually unintentional. The justices, along with their law clerks, work tirelessly to ensure that cases are decided smoothly without any disruptions. Typically, the more controversial a case is, the more it requires deeper consideration from the justices drafting the majority opinions to ensure sufficient support is secured to establish the official opinion of the Court. This process alone takes weeks, and often months, to complete. Furthermore, justices also handle petitions from their respective circuits, which includes the consideration of hundreds of such petitions each week. Simply put, unanimous decisions tend to take less time than controversial, split decisions. If you have any other questions regarding the Supreme Court, we will be able to answer them in the chat board.

BREAKING: Supreme Court allows Texas to enforce its age-verification law during litigation. There are no noted dissents.

Tomorrow, Justice Kagan and Justice Barrett will appear before Capitol Hill to provide testimony concerning additional security funding. This event will mark the first occasion since 2019 that a sitting Justice has testified before the House Appropriations Committee to present annual budget requests.

JUST IN - President Trump has officially asked the Supreme Court to allow the USPS to change mail in voting criteria. The administrative stay request will be handled by Justice Jackson, who will likely refer it to the full court for consideration.

Here is the link to the docket: https://www.supremecourt.gov/Search.aspx?FileName=/docket/docketfiles/html/public\26a124.html

OCTOBER 2026 - The Supreme Court has officially released its calendar for the first month sitting of the 2026-2027 term. Find the cases in the link below. (More details will come out soon regarding November and December)

Link: https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_calendars/MonthlyArgumentCalOctober2026.pdf

Important note: This application for stay has been fully briefed by both parties since Monday of last week, which means we are awaiting any day now for the Supreme Court to render a decision on whether they will intervene or not.

November argument sitting has been released - https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_calendars/MonthlyArgumentCalNovember2026.pdf

INCYMI: Two significant cases remain pending on the interim (shadow) docket.

The first case concerns new regulations implemented by the United States Postal Service regarding mail-in ballots. These regulations were challenged by multiple states and are currently stayed in certain jurisdictions, depending on the respective federal circuit you live in.

The second case pertains to the construction of a new ballroom on the site formerly occupied by the East Wing of the White House. A ruling that had previously halted the construction was temporarily stayed by the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals to permit the Trump administration to seek review by the Supreme Court. As of yesterday, the case has been fully briefed, and a decision from the Justices is anticipated at any time.

Given that both cases are fully briefed, the current status is one of anticipation, as the Justices may decide to intervene in either matter at any moment. We will continue to monitor these developments and provide updates regarding any decisions from the Justices as they become available.

Stick with SCOTUSFocus for more information as we prepare for the 2026-2027 Supreme Court term.

BREAKING: Chief Justice Roberts issues an administrative stay on the DC Circuit Court of Appeals ruling, allowing the construction of the ballroom to continue while the Supreme Court considers the matter.

BREAKING: Supreme Court votes 6-3 to allow the Trump administration to impose a new USPS policy regarding mail-in ballots ahead of the November midterm elections. Justices Sotomayor, Kagan and Jackson dissent.

Here is the per curiam decision: https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/25pdf/26a124_hgci.pdf

BREAKING: In an apparent 5-4 vote, the Supreme Court allows President Trump to continue with construction on the new White House ballroom. Chief Justice Roberts, Justices Sotomayor, Kagan, and Jackson dissent.

Link to per curiam: https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/25pdf/26a203_2b8e.pdf

NEW - Trump administration seeks relief from the Supreme Court, allowing it to implement a USPS policy regarding mail in ballots. The application will be handled by Justice Jackson.

Here is a link to the docket: https://www.supremecourt.gov/Search.aspx?FileName=/docket/docketfiles/html/public\26a297.html

JUST IN - Supreme Court releases its December calendar for the winter argument session. Major cases slated to be argued before the winter break.

BREAKING - Supreme Court rules 8-1 restoring an FCC policy granting political parties and joint fundraising committees access to lowest unit charge (LUC) discounted broadcast ad rates for coordinated candidate ads. Justice Jackson dissented.

Link to per curiam - https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/25pdf/26a274_l537.pdf

Happy Labor Day Everyone! Let’s catch up on some weekend headlines.

Weekend Recap

• Missouri files appeal to the US Supreme Court, seeking to overturn a Missouri Supreme Court decision regarding the state’s redistricting map. Justice Kavanaugh has ordered a response to the application by today. The state argues that if the current decision is allowed to stand, there will likely be voter confusion regarding the general election congressional maps, given that the map ordered to be used in the midterm elections will not replicate the one used during the primacy elections.

• The Trump administration has once again appealed a decision regarding USPS mail-in ballot policy ahead of the midterm elections, which was blocked by a district court judge on Friday. The DOJ filed an appeal with the Supreme Court on Sunday morning. Justice Jackson ordered a response to the application by Wednesday.

Stay tuned to SCOTUS Focus for all the Supreme Court news and updates! The 2026-2027 Term begins on October 5.