Nicholas Rowan of the Washington Examiner highlights key cases for the U.S. Supreme Court in 2021.
The Supreme Court is poised to have a blockbuster 2021.
Since it began its October term, the court has already weighed in on several big issues. The day before Thanksgiving, it found that New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s coronavirus restrictions placed an unfair burden on houses of worship — the first in a series of favorable religious freedom nods. The court in December decided against taking up a challenge to President Trump’s order excluding illegal immigrants from the census, setting the stage for future fights.
There’s much more to come in the spring, and with the addition of Justice Amy Coney Barrett, the court is expected to swing in a decidedly conservative direction. Below is a list of the biggest Supreme Court cases teed up for next year.
Gay rights and religious liberty
In one of the first cases argued since Barrett’s confirmation, the court weighed a Catholic-run foster care agency’s religious beliefs against the city of Philadelphia’s anti-discrimination laws. The case, Fulton v. Philadelphia, is the latest chapter in an ever-escalating war over the balance between protections for religious groups and gay and transgender activists. …
… The constitutionality of Obamacare
Since its passage in 2010, former President Barack Obama’s signature achievement has been subject to a slew of legal challenges. In this latest one, California v. Texas, a Texas-led group of 20 states allege that after Congress in 2017 removed Obamacare’s individual mandate — no longer requiring people to pay a minimum tax for health insurance — the entire law’s legitimacy is in question. …
… Compensation for college athletes
The NCAA’s control over how student-athletes are compensated has long been a hot topic among sports fans — and one that the league has sought to keep out of the courts. …
… But in December, the court agreed to consider whether it will relax even further the NCAA’s control on how players are rewarded for their work
