The Supreme Court is set to make decisions on several key cases stemming from the January 6th attack on the U.S. Capitol, including rulings on whether Donald Trump has immunity from criminal charges related to his efforts to overturn the 2020 election and whether his supporters can be prosecuted for obstructing an official proceeding. The court will also decide whether former Trump adviser Steve Bannon can remain out of prison while appealing his contempt of Congress conviction. These cases are just a few of the dozen major disputes the court is set to decide on as the end of its term approaches.
The rulings on these cases, particularly those related to Trump, could shape narratives surrounding the court and its conservative supermajority, which includes three justices appointed by Trump. Trump and his allies may use the outcomes to further claims that the Justice Department has been unfair in prosecuting Capitol riot defendants, despite over 1,400 criminal cases and hundreds of guilty pleas stemming from the attack. The court’s handling of the immunity issue has already faced criticism, both for taking up the issue at all and for the delay in making a decision.
While the court has moved quickly in taking up the immunity case, it has acted even faster in other cases involving presidential power in the past. The three cases connected to Trump’s attempts to overturn his election loss highlight his continued presence in the court’s work this year, as he is now the presumptive nominee for president. Other major cases left to be decided include issues surrounding abortion, homelessness, federal regulation power, the opioid epidemic, and social media platforms.
Decisions on the remaining cases will be issued over the coming days, with the court extending its work beyond the usual end-of-June deadline. These cases include significant issues such as abortion provision in medical emergencies, banning homeless individuals from sleeping outdoors, overturning a 40-year-old decision on federal regulation deference, social media laws in Texas and Florida, a nationwide settlement with OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma, and challenges to the Environmental Protection Agency’s pollution-fighting plan. The outcomes of these cases will have far-reaching implications on a variety of regulatory and legal matters.
