Three Upcoming Supreme Court Cases to Watch Out For

October promises a range of fall hallmarks: pumpkin spice lattes, comfort show rewatches, rainy nights spent indoors, and the arrival of a new Supreme Court term. The new term begins on the first Monday of October, which will fall on October 7th, 2024. A series of upcoming Supreme Court cases has been released, each of great importance to the nation. In particular, three stand out for their impact on modern issues, including transgender care, the death penalty, and regulation of firearms. These next cases are only a few legal issues that will be interpreted and decided by the Supreme Court for its 2024-25 term.

U.S. v. Skrmetti

Based on the Constitution, are Kentucky and Tennessee allowed to limit specific sex-transition treatments for minors? Treatments for individuals, especially minors, who are questioning their gender identity have evolved and become more widely available, but some groups have raised concerns over the accessibility and potential side effects of these resources. Deciding to take action over these concerns, Kentucky and Tennessee banned treatments such as puberty blockers for minors experiencing gender dysphoria. These measures were challenged using the argument that the bans violated the due process and equal protection rights of transgender and gender-dysphoric minors. 

Glossip v. Oklahoma

Can the state of Oklahoma execute a defendant despite prosecutorial misconduct in handling the case? Richard Glossip has endured almost three decades behind bars and nine execution dates, with several investigations revealing that there are vital weaknesses in the case against him. Glossip had been sentenced to death after being convicted for murdering the owner of the hotel he managed. A key point in the conviction was the testimony of a hotel handyman, who claimed he was paid $10,000 by Glossip to kill the hotel owner; however, it was later discovered that the handyman had falsely testified about his mental state. Glossip asked the Oklahoma Court of Appeals to grant him clemency for the conviction, but the request was rejected. In 2022, the state admitted that the sentence was reached due to false testimony, but Glossip’s execution remained scheduled. His latest execution date, May 18, 2023, was granted a stay after Glossip asked the Supreme Court to determine whether or not his Constitutional rights had been violated when his prosecutors allowed the suppression of crucial evidence that could have allowed him to escape the death penalty.

Garland v. VanDerStok

Did the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) exceed its authority by broadening its regulation of “ghost guns?” One of the ATF’s responsibilities is regulating firearms, which includes serialization and background checks; however, they do not have strong jurisdiction over regulating ghost guns, which are assembled by parts and do not have serial numbers. The ATF’s firearm regulations are dependent on the meaning of firearm, frame, and receiver, but their definitions became outdated with the rise of ghost guns, which are unregulated and unserialized. In their 2022 “Final Rule,” the ATF broadened the meanings of the aforementioned words, but these measures were challenged using the argument that the ATF exceeded its authority in firearm regulation, which was affirmed by the district courts.

In summary, these three cases will undoubtedly have major consequences for the United States. It is the responsibility of American citizens to pay attention to legal matters like these and know how to respond. Whatever happens, we as students must watch out for the decisions that come out of these cases, since we will be the next people affected by them.