The Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) on Jan. 14 accepted five cases for argument during the 2021-2022 term:
- George v. McDonough involves when a veteran has the legal right to appeal after theU.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) denies a disability benefits claim. Veterans have the right to challenge final VA decisions if the agency makes a “clear and unmistakable error” (CUE). This case is about whether CUE occurred when the VA relied on later-overturned regulations to deny a disability claim. George originated from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit.
- Kennedy v. Bremerton School District, originating from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit, concerns religious expression and government speech at a public school and the Constitution’sestablishment clause.
- Vega v. Tekoh concerns Fifth Amendment protections against self-incrimination, specifically related to the Supreme Court’s ruling in Miranda v. Arizona (1966). The case originated from the 9th Circuit.Click here to learn more about the case’s background.
- Nance v. Ward, originating from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit, involves the federal legal procedure for a convicted inmate to challenge a state’s method of execution.
- Shoop v. Twyford, originating from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit, concerns a U.S. district court’s authority to order the transport of a state prisoner involved in a federal habeas corpus proceeding.
As of this writing, the court has agreed to hear 64 cases during the term. Four cases were dismissed, and one case was removed from the argument calendar. Sixteen cases have not yet been scheduled for argument.
To date, the court has issued decisions in six cases. Two cases were decided without argument. Between 2007 and 2020, SCOTUS released opinions in 1,062 cases, averaging between 70 and 90 cases per year.
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