Today’s orders

The Court has granted cert. in Ortiz v. Jordan (09-737) and Schwarzenegger v. Entertainment Merchants Association (08-1448).  It has invited the views of the Solicitor General in Hogan v. Kaltag Tribal Council (09-960).

Finally, the Court refused to allow the State of Michigan to reopen an old case — 1, 2 , 3 Original — in order to seek new measures to prevent the Asian carp from migrating toward Lake Michigan, or to file a new original case for that purpose.

The full order list is here.

The briefs in the cases acted on will soon follow the jump.

Title: Schwarzenegger v. Entertainment Merchants Association
Docket: 08-1448
Issues: (1) Whether the First Amendment permit any limits on offensive content in violent video games sold to minors; and (2) whether a state regulation for displaying offensive, harmful images to children is invalid if it fails to satisfy the exacting “strict scrutiny” standard of review.

• Opinion below (9th Circuit)
• Petition for certiorari
• Brief in opposition
• Amicus brief of the Eagle Forum Education & Legal Defense
• Amicus brief of the California Psychological Association et al.

Title: Ortiz v. Jordan
Docket: 09-737
Issue: May a party appeal an order denying summary judgment after a full trial on the merits if the party chose not to appeal the order before trial?

• Opinion below (6th Circuit)
• Petition for certiorari
• Brief in opposition
• Petitioner’s reply

Title: Hogan v. Kaltag Tribal Council
Docket: 09-960
Issue: Whether the hundreds of Indian tribes throughout the State of Alaska have authority to initiate and adjudicate child custody proceedings involving a nonmember and then to compel the State to give full faith and credit to the decrees entered in those proceedings.

• Opinion below (Unpublished, 9th Circuit)
• Petition for certiorari
• Brief in opposition
• Petitioners’ reply
• Amicus brief of Edward Parks and Donielle Taylor