Supreme Court Archives

Social Justice

Muslims Sue Arkansas Prisons Over Failure to Offer Prayer Services

The lawsuit follows a Supreme Court decision allowing Alabama to deny a Muslim-American man's request to have an imam present at his execution.

Massoud Hayoun

News in Brief

Does the First Amendment Protect Vanity License Plates and Bumper Stickers?

Dave Assman's attempt to get his last name on a Canadian plate has thrust the question back into the United States spotlight.

Jack Denton

A 40-foot cross that honors 49 fallen World War I soldiers from Prince George's County, Maryland, stands at the busy intersection of Bladensberg and Annapolis roads and Baltimore Avenue on February 28th, 2019, in Bladensburg, Maryland. The cross is at the heart of a Supreme Court case argued by justices this week about whether the symbol runs afoul of the First Amendment's ban on government establishment of religion by sending a message of favoritism to Christianity.

Viewfinder: The 40-Foot Cross at the Heart of a Supreme Court Case Over Separation of Church and State

A 40-foot cross that honors fallen World War I soldiers stands at a busy intersection on February 28th, 2019, in Bladensburg, Maryland.

Pacific Standard Staff

The Texas death chamber in Huntsville, Texas, pictured on June 23rd, 2000, the day after death row inmate Gary Graham was put to death by lethal injection.

News in Brief

SCOTUS Just Made It Harder to Execute Intellectually Disabled Prisoners

Texas has been trying to execute Bobby Moore for decades. The Supreme Court once again said "no."

David M. Perry

Supreme Court Chief Justice John G. Roberts, Jr.

Social Justice

The Future of Abortion in America Is in Chief Justice John Roberts’ Hands

After a surprising vote to stay a Louisiana law, the future of women's constitutional right to abortion appears to hang on the judgment of a single man.

Rosemary Westwood

The New York Times headquarters is seen February 14th, 2008, in New York City.

Is ‘New York Times v. Sullivan’ in Danger of Being Overruled?

A media law and ethics expert on the landmark ruling that safeguarded the press' right to be wrong.

Emily Moon

The Supreme Court has agreed to bypass lower appeals courts and review a case about a question on the 2020 census asking about citizenship status.

News in Brief

The Supreme Court Will Bypass Lower Courts to Review Controversial Census Question About Citizenship Status

After a circuit court ordered the removal of a citizenship question from the census, the Trump administration asked the Supreme Court to weigh in on the case. On Friday, the high court agreed.

Kate Wheeling

The lethal injection room at San Quentin State Prison, completed in 2010.

News in Brief

An Alabama Man Executed Thursday Faced Legal Battles Until His Death

The Supreme Court denied Domineque Ray's request to have his Muslim imam in the room during his lethal injection, raising questions of religious discrimination. But his trial and death sentence were an uphill battle from the start.

Kelley Czajka

Protesters gathered at the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans on October 5th, 2018, to denounce a decision that upheld a Louisiana law requiring abortion doctors to have admitting privileges at nearby hospitals. They also protested the nomination of Justice Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court one day before he was sworn into office.

The Supreme Court Just Blocked an Abortion-Restriction Law in Louisiana. What’s the Science Behind the Law?

Studies show that, in most cases, laws requiring doctors to have admitting privileges at a nearby hospital are not necessary for the health and safety of women getting abortions.

Francie Diep