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Supreme Court Case TrackerThe Court, in plain English

Argument sitting

October 2020 oral arguments

9 cases across 5 argument daysArguments begin at 10 a.m. Eastern
Five argument days, October 5 to October 14, 2020. Four of them have more than one case.

1 case
Party balance on state courtsCarney v. Adams1. WHETHER RESPONDENT HAS DEMONSTRATED ARTICLE III STANDING. 2. Does the First Amendment invalidate a longstanding state constitutional provision that limits judges affiliated with any one political party to no more than a "bare majority" on the State's three highest courts, with the other seats reserved for judges affiliated with the "other major political party''? 3. Did the Third Circuit err in holding that a provision of the Delaware Constitution requiring that no more than a "bare majority" of three of the state courts may be made up of judges affiliated with any one political party is not severable from a provision that judges who are not members of the majority party on those courts must be members of the other "major political party," when the former requirement existed for more than fifty years without the latter, and the former requirement, without the latter, continues to govern appointments to two other courts?Decided 19-309

2 cases
Pharmacy drug reimbursement rulesRutledge v. Pharmaceutical Care Management Assn.Whether the Eighth Circuit erred in holding that Arkansas's statute regulating PBMs' drug-reimbursement rates, which is similar to laws enacted by a substantial majority of States, is preempted by ERISA, in contravention of this Court's precedent that ERISA does not preempt rate regulation.Decided 18-540Money damages for religious freedomTanzin v. TanvirWhether the Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993, 42 U.S.C. 2000bb et seq., permits suits seeking money damages against individual federal employees.Decided 19-71

2 cases
Use of copyrighted computer codeGoogle LLC v. Oracle America, Inc.Whether the copied lines are copyrightable.Decided 18-956Where companies can be suedFord Motor Co. v. Montana Eighth Judicial Dist.Whether the “arise out of or relate to” requirement is met when none of the defendant's forum contacts caused the plaintiff's claims, such that the plaintiff's claims would be the same even if the defendant had no forum contacts.Decided 19-368

2 cases
Military rape charge deadlinesUnited States v. BriggsWhether the Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces erred in concluding-contrary to its own longstanding precedent-that the Uniform Code of Military Justice allows prosecution of a rape that occurred between 1986 and 2006 only if it was discovered and charged within five years.Decided 19-108Bankruptcy and seized carsChicago v. FultonWhether an entity that is passively retaining possession of property in which a bankruptcy estate has an interest has an affirmative obligation under the Bankruptcy Code's automatic stay, 11 U.S.C § 362, to return that property to the debtor or trustee immediately upon the filing of the bankruptcy petition.Decided 19-357

2 cases
Police force without detentionTorres v. MadridIs an unsuccessful attempt to detain a suspect by use of physical force a "seizure" within the meaning of the Fourth Amendment, as the Eighth; Ninth, and Eleventh Circuits and the New Mexico Supreme Court hold, or must physical force be successful in detaining a suspect to constitute a "seizure," as the Tenth Circuit and the D.C. Court of Appeals hold?Decided 19-292Pereida v. WilkinsonWhether a criminal conviction bars a noncitizen from applying for relief from removal when the record of conviction is merely ambiguous as to whether it corresponds to an offense listed in the Immigration and Nationality Act.Decided 19-438