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October Term 2020 (2020–2021)

October Term 2020·64 cases·Page 2

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49–64 of 64 cases · October Term 2020 · by latest update

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StatusCaseDateDocket

DecidedPipeline companies taking state landPennEast Pipeline Co. v. New JerseyPennEast Pipeline sought to use federal eminent domain to obtain land rights from New Jersey for a natural-gas pipeline. The Court overturned the lower court and sent the case back (reversed and remanded), ruling that the Natural Gas Act allows federally approved pipeline companies to condemn needed land owned by states or private parties.Decided Jun 29, 202119-1039 DecidedChallenging a patent after transferMinerva Surgical, Inc. v. Hologic, Inc.This case asked whether an inventor who assigned patent rights, and a company founded by that inventor, could later defend against an infringement suit by arguing that the patent was invalid. The Court kept the doctrine of assignor estoppel but limited it, holding that it bars an invalidity defense only when the challenge contradicts representations the assignor made when transferring the patent.Decided Jun 29, 202120-440 DecidedNonprofit donor privacyAmericans for Prosperity Foundation v. BontaThe California attorney general’s office required charities to give the state the names and addresses of major donors, saying the information helped investigate charitable fraud. The Supreme Court overturned the Ninth Circuit’s judgment and sent the case back to the lower court (remanded), ruling that the requirement could not stand under the First Amendment because it was not closely fitted to an important government interest.Decided Jul 1, 202119-251 DecidedReview of state court rulingsDunn v. ReevesThe case concerned whether the Eleventh Circuit wrongly found that an Alabama court used an unreasonable rule when it rejected Matthew Reeves’s claims that his lawyers did not adequately represent him. The Supreme Court overturned the appeals court’s judgment and sent the case back for further proceedings (remanded).Decided Jul 2, 202120-1084 Case remandedWater rules and religious freedomMast v. Fillmore CountyAmos Mast and other Amish residents challenged Fillmore County’s water-treatment rules under RLUIPA, saying the rules burdened their religious practices. The Supreme Court wiped out the Minnesota Court of Appeals’ ruling (vacated it) and sent the case back to that court (remanded it) to reconsider in light of *Fulton v. Philadelphia*; it did not decide the RLUIPA questions.Remanded Jul 2, 202120-7028 DecidedHealth insurance mandateCalifornia v. TexasThis case asked whether challengers to the Affordable Care Act could attack the law’s individual mandate after Congress reduced the penalty for not having insurance to $0, and if so, whether that made the mandate unconstitutional and required the rest of the ACA to fall with it. The Supreme Court ultimately held that the plaintiffs lacked standing to bring the case.Decided Jul 8, 202119-840 DecidedWho appoints patent judgesUnited States v. Arthrex, Inc.This case asked whether administrative patent judges on the Patent Trial and Appeal Board could constitutionally issue final decisions invalidating patents even though they were appointed by the Secretary of Commerce rather than by the President with Senate confirmation. It also raised what the proper remedy should be if that arrangement violated the Constitution’s Appointments Clause.Decided Jul 8, 202119-1434 DecidedPublic access to agency draftsUnited States Fish and Wildlife Ser v. v. Sierra Club, Inc.The Supreme Court decided that the Freedom of Information Act’s deliberative-process privilege (protection for unfinished advice used in agency decision-making) can shield draft biological opinions prepared by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and National Marine Fisheries Service before a final decision, even when they express the agencies’ latest views. The Court overturned the Ninth Circuit’s ruling in Sierra Club’s records dispute and sent the case back to the lower court (reversed and remanded) for further proceedings.Decided Jul 8, 202119-547 DecidedDeath penalty mitigating evidenceShinn v. KayerThe case concerns an Arizona death-row inmate’s claim that his lawyers were ineffective at the sentencing stage for failing to properly investigate and present mitigating evidence. The Supreme Court reviewed whether the Ninth Circuit wrongly granted federal habeas relief by failing to give the state court the deference required under AEDPA.Decided Jul 8, 202119-1302 DecidedVoting rules and discriminationBrnovich v. Democratic National CommitteeThis case was about whether two Arizona voting rules unlawfully burden minority voters: a rule refusing to count ballots cast in the wrong precinct on Election Day, and a law limiting who may collect and return another person’s early mail ballot. The Supreme Court upheld both rules.Decided Jul 23, 202119-1257 DecidedTribal COVID relief eligibilityYellen v. Confederated Tribes of Chehalis ReservationThis case asked whether Alaska Native regional and village corporations could share in the CARES Act money Congress set aside for "Tribal governments" to cover COVID-19 costs. The Supreme Court held that these corporations count as "Indian tribes" under the statute Congress incorporated, so they are eligible for that funding.Decided Jul 28, 202120-543 DecidedPower to fire agency headsCollins v. YellenThis case arose from shareholders’ challenge to the Federal Housing Finance Agency’s handling of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac while they were in federal conservatorship, especially a Treasury-FHFA agreement that redirected the companies’ profits to the government. The Court considered both whether that challenge was barred by the housing statute and whether FHFA’s leadership structure—an independent agency headed by a single director removable only for cause—was unconstitutional.Decided Jul 28, 202119-422 DecidedReligious freedom in foster careFulton v. PhiladelphiaThe Supreme Court ruled that Philadelphia violated the First Amendment’s Free Exercise Clause (protection for religious practice) by refusing to contract with Catholic Social Services (CSS) for foster-care work unless CSS certified same-sex couples as foster parents. It overturned (reversed) the Third Circuit’s ruling and sent the case back to the lower court (remanded), without deciding whether Employment Division v. Smith should be overruled.Decided Aug 17, 202119-123 DecidedPereida v. WilkinsonJosé Pereida, a nonpermanent resident seeking to cancel his removal order, had a state conviction under a law covering several crimes. The Court agreed with the lower court (affirmed), ruling that he had to show the conviction was not disqualifying; an unclear record did not meet that burden.Decided Mar 4, 202119-438 DecidedJohnson v. Guzman ChavezThe Supreme Court overturned the Fourth Circuit’s ruling and decided that 8 U.S.C. §1231, rather than §1226, governs the detention of Guzman Chavez and other noncitizens whose earlier removal orders were reinstated. The ruling covers people pursuing withholding or deferral of removal—protections they seek when they fear persecution or torture if sent to a particular country.Decided Jun 29, 202119-897 DecidedMays v. HinesThis case asked whether a federal appeals court went too far in overturning Anthony Hines’s Tennessee murder conviction and death sentence on habeas review based on ineffective assistance of counsel. The Supreme Court held that the Sixth Circuit improperly second-guessed the state court’s finding that Hines was not prejudiced by his lawyer’s alleged failures, despite strong evidence of guilt.Decided Mar 29, 202120-507

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