WHAT WE'RE READING

The morning read for Friday, Sept. 10

Each weekday, we select a short list of news articles, commentary, and other noteworthy links related to the Supreme Court. To suggest a piece for us to consider, email us at roundup@scotusblog.com.

Here’s the Friday morning read:

• Progressives Want Justice Stephen Breyer To Retire. His Response? Not Yet (Krishnadev Calamur & Nina Totenberg, NPR)
• God Has No Place in Supreme Court Opinions (Linda Greenhouse, The New York Times)
• Justice Gorsuch Tears Up Oklahoma (Editorial, The Wall Street Journal)
• Some Not Very Focused Preliminary Thoughts About the Shadow Docket (But Leading Up to Some Fundamentals about Constitutional Law) (Mark Tushnet, Balkinization)
• Abortion Brush-Off Contrasts With Supreme Court’s Move in Church Case (Greg Stohr, Bloomberg)

WHAT WE'RE READING

The morning read for Thursday, Sept. 9

Each weekday, we select a short list of news articles, commentary, and other noteworthy links related to the Supreme Court. To suggest a piece for us to consider, email us at roundup@scotusblog.com.

Here’s the Thursday morning read:

• Supreme Court Blocks Texas Execution for Inmate Who Wants Pastor’s Touch (Jess Bravin, The Wall Street Journal)
• Will Justice Thomas clam up again when the Supreme Court goes back to in-person arguments? (Tyler Olson, Fox News)
• Why Should the Anti-Abortion Movement Settle for Just Ending Roe? (Garrett Epps, Washington Monthly)
• Case Dismissed: Supreme Court Lightens Its Arbitration Load as Servotronics Is Removed from 2021-22 Docket (Bryanna Rainwater, CPR Speaks)

WHAT WE'RE READING

The morning read for Wednesday, Sept. 8

Each weekday, we select a short list of news articles, commentary, and other noteworthy links related to the Supreme Court. To suggest a piece for us to consider, email us at roundup@scotusblog.com.

Here’s the Wednesday morning read:

• ‘The Authority of the Court and the Peril of Politics’ Review: On Judicial Supremacy (Bryan Garner, The Wall Street Journal)
• The Surprisingly Strong Supreme Court Precedent Supporting Vaccine Mandates (Peter Canellos & Joel Lau, Politico)
• Texas Could Not Get Away With This Absent SCOTUS-Created Limits On Constitutional Adjudication (Michael Dorf, Dorf on Law)
• On Death Row in Texas, a Last Request: A Prayer and ‘Human Contact’ (Ruth Graham, The New York Times)

CAPITAL CASE

Texas inmate seeks stay of execution over request for pastor to minister to him in final moments

A Texas inmate asked the Supreme Court on Tuesday to block his execution, arguing that the state’s refusal to allow his spiritual adviser to lay his hands on him and pray out loud in the execution chamber violates both the Constitution and a federal law protecting the religious freedom of people in prison. The request by John Ramirez, who is scheduled to be executed on Wednesday, once again brought the issue of religious rights during the administration of the death penalty back to the justices, who in the past two years have faced a flurry of emergency requests over spiritual advisers at executions.

Upcoming event

NCSL webinar on Supreme Court elections cases

On Thursday, Sept. 9, at 2 p.m. EDT, the National Conference of State Legislatures will host a webinar examining two cases from the 2020 term with significant implications for elections, Brnovich v. Democratic National Committee and Americans for Prosperity Foundation v. Bonta. Lisa Soronen, executive director of the State & Local Legal Center, will moderate the discussion with Jessica Amunson of Jenner & Block, Erin Murphy of Kirkland & Ellis, and Susan Frederick of NCSL. 

Click here for registration info.