WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court is beginning a new term with a sharp focus on President Donald Trump’s robust assertion of executive power.
Pivotal cases on voting and the rights of LGBTQ people are also set to be discussed. The justices are expected to hear arguments on therapy bans aimed at altering sexual orientation or gender identity, which have gained traction in numerous states.
The opening session on Monday involves less prominent cases, such as a dispute regarding a criminal defendant's right to consult with his lawyer during a pause in his testimony. A Texas murder trial judge has mandated that defense attorneys cannot discuss testimony with their client.
Nonetheless, a significant focus for the next 10 months will likely be the evaluation of Trump’s expansive claims of presidential power. Preliminary rulings have shown a conservative majority willing to accept many emergency appeals from Trump's administration, but skepticism could arise during in-depth examinations of his policies.
The court is slated to address a critical case regarding the legality of Trump's sweeping tariffs in early November, after two lower courts ruled that the president cannot impose such tariffs under an emergency powers law.
A significant issue pending resolution involves Trump’s authority to dismiss independent agency members at will, a case expected to potentially overturn a long-standing precedent that required just cause for removal.
The justices will also consider Trump's attempt to deny birthright citizenship to children born in the U.S. to parents residing legally or temporarily, a policy facing legal challenges as unconstitutional.
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