January arguments, day by day

By Lyle Denniston
on Nov 3, 2008 at 10:51 am

The Supreme Court on Monday released the argument calendar (available here) for the session beginning Monday, Jan. 12.  There will be a total of ten arguments during that period; no hearings are set for Jan. 19, a legal holiday, and Jan. 20, presidential inauguration day.  Here are the scheduled arguments, with summaries of the issues:

Mon., Jan. 12

Coeur Alaska v. Southeast Alaska Conservation Council (07-984) and Alaska v. Southeast Alaska Conservation Council (07-990) — government authority to deposit dredged dirt in waterways

Ministry of Defense of Iran v. Elahi (07-615) — U.S. court’s power to seize assets of a foreign government to pay a debt

Harbison v. Bell (07-8521) — right to use federally funded lawyer to seek clemency in a capital or other criminal case

Tues., Jan. 13

Montejo v. Louisiana (07-1529) — obligation of a suspect to take action to prevent police from questioning him outside the presence of his lawyer

Vermont v. Brillon (08-88) — scope of the speedy trial right for a poor person being represented by a public defender

Knowles v. Mirzayance (07-1315) — defense lawyer’s duty not to withdraw the only defense available — here, an insanity plea

Wed., Jan. 14

Puckett v. U.S. (07-9712) — appeals court’s duty when prosecutors violate a plea bargain, when the violation was not challenged at trial

Boyle v. U.S. (07-1309) — proof required to show an enterprise under the RICO anti-racketeering law

No arguments Jan. 19 or 20

Wed., Jan. 21

Corley v. U.S. (07-10441) — suppression of a voluntary confession made after an arrest on federal charges but before appearing before a magistrate

Kansas v. Ventris (07-1356) — right to use a statement an individual gave to police to challenge testimony given at the trial, if the individual had not waived his right to a lawyer at the time of the statement