Factbox: Abortion, gun rights, religion on agenda for U.S. Supreme Court

A general view of the US Supreme Court building in Washington, DC, the United States, June 25, 2021. REUTERS / Ken Cedeno / File Photo

October 1 (Reuters) – The US Supreme Court’s new nine-month term, beginning Monday, promises to be one of the most momentous in generations. The judges stand ready to decide important cases where the right to abortion could be withdrawn and gun and religious rights could be extended.

Here’s a look at some of the cases that the court will rule during the term through the end of June.

Women’s health organization Dobbs v. Jackson

The extent of the constitutional right to abortion is at stake in this case, as is to be argued on Dec. 1. It is an appeal from Mississippi to revive the state-backed Republican law that bans abortion after 15 weeks of gestation. Lower courts ruled against the state. Mississippi is calling on the Supreme Court to overturn Roe v. Wade, the landmark 1973 ruling that legalized abortion nationwide.

New York State Rifle & Pistol Assn. v. Brün

This Nov. 3 case could further develop gun rights in a National Rifle Association-sponsored challenge to New York state restrictions on people carrying hidden handguns in public. The case tests the scope of the second amendment to the U.S. Constitution, Keeping and Carrying Guns, and could undermine efforts to control firearms at the national level.

Carson versus Makin

In this case, it is about religious rights, as will be argued on December 8th. It is a challenge to a tuition support program in Maine that prohibits the use of taxpayers’ money on religious education in schools. The court approved tax credits in Montana last year to make it easier for students to attend religious schools, one of several decisions in recent years that expanded religious rights.

Shurtleff versus Boston

The judges will hear arguments in early 2022 in a religious and free speech case – a group contesting Boston’s rejection of their motion to hoist a flag with a Christian cross in town hall. The Christian group called Camp Constitution said Boston had violated its freedom of expression under the first amendment to the constitution. Boston had not previously turned down any flag requests, including one for LGBT rights.

United States versus Tsarnaev

Judges will hear arguments on October 13 on an offer by President Joe Biden’s government to sentence the Boston marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev to death for helping him carry out the 2013 attack that killed three people and more than 260 others were injured to reintroduce.

United States versus Vaello-Madero

This case, due to be debated on November 9th, will determine whether the U.S. Congress violated the constitutional guarantee of the same protection as it provided Puerto Rican residents from access to additional social security benefits for elderly people in need are blind or disabled.

United States versus Zubaydah

The judges will hear the arguments of the US government on Wednesday to prevent two former CIA contractors from being questioned in a criminal investigation in Poland about their role in interrogating a suspected senior al-Qaida figure who has repeatedly been waterboarded was. The case revolves around Abu Zubaydah, a Palestinian man who is being held without charge at the US naval base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

Federal Electoral Commission against Ted Cruz for the Senate

The court will hear the U.S. Federal Electoral Commission offer in early 2022 to restore a campaign finance law that limits the amount of money personal loan candidates can repay for their campaigns. In a lawsuit brought by Republican Senator Ted Cruz, a lower court found that the limit violated the freedom of expression of the First Amendment by incriminating political expression.

Compiled by Andrew Chung in New York; Adaptation by Will Dunham

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