Every post published in March 2014, most recent first.
Tuesday’s arguments in Loughrin v. United States will present a persistent and important — but highly technical — circuit split about the details of permissible federal bank fraud prosecutions. Although the “plain language” of the relevant statute seems clear, the outcome is not.
This morning the Court will hear oral arguments in Alice Corporation v. CLS Bank International, in which the Justices will consider whether the Patent Act authorizes patents on software.
On Wednesday we expect one or more opinions in argued cases. We will begin live blogging on Wednesday at 9:45 a.m.
The order list is here. The Court has granted Teva Pharmaceuticals USA, Inc. v. Sandoz, Inc.
The Supreme Court, continuing its close interest in patent law, agreed on Monday to spell out the power of the special federal appeals court to review trial court rulings on the scope of invention claims in a patent dispute.
A dispute over state regulation of political speech serves as the backdrop for an important case about when First Amendment claims are ripe for judicial decision.
The transcript in Alice Corporation v. CLS Bank International is available here.
On Monday the Court issued orders from its March 28 Conference, including granting one new case. Lyle’s post on the orders is here. On Wednesday we expect one or more opinions in argued cases. On Wednesday the Court issued two opinions, including McCutcheon v. Federal Election Commission.
UPDATE: Saturday 2:05 p.m. The government’s new brief is now available and can be read here. ———— The Obama administration, urging the Supreme Court to turn aside a new challenge to presidential power to detain individuals suspected of terrorism links, chose not to support a years-long campaign to get the Court to repudiate one of its most heavily criticized opinions from the World War II era.
UPDATE Friday, 11:10 a.m. U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder announced on Friday that the federal government will formally recognize and provide marital benefits under federal law to some 300 Michigan same-sex couples who were married last weekend while a lower court ruling was in effect, striking down the state’s ban on such marriages.