LOW LIGHTS OF THE 2021-2022 SCOTUS TERM.

• Author: Blum, Bill

ABORTION

United States v. Texas,

December 10,2021. The Biden Administration's petition to enjoin implementation of the Texas Heartbeat Act is rejected.

Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization, June 24,2022. Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey are overruled.

SECOND AMENDMENT

New York State Rifle & Pistol Association Inc. v. Bruen, June 23, 2022. New York's "proper-cause requirement for obtaining an unrestricted license to carry a concealed firearm" violates the Second and Fourteenth Amendments.

THE DEATH PENALTY

United States v. Tsarnaev, March 4, 2022. The death penalty is upheld for the Boston Marathon bomber.

Shinn v. Ramirez, May 23, 2022. Federal courts may not conduct an evidentiary hearing pursuant to a habeas corpus petition based on allegations of ineffective assistance of counsel in state proceedings.

RELIGIOUS LIBERTY AND THE SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE

Shurtleffv. City of Boston, May 2, 2022. The free speech rights of a Christian group were violated when Boston refused to let the group fly its flag outside city hall.

Carson v. Makin, June 21, 2022. The free exercise rights of parents who live in districts without public secondary schools are violated by a state statute that denies them tuition assistance payments to send their children to religious schools.

Kennedy v. Bremerton School District, June 27, 2022. The free exercise and free speech clauses of the First Amendment permit a high school football coach to kneel in prayer on the field with students after games.

CAMPAIGN FINANCE AND VOTING RIGHTS

Federal Election Commission v. Ted Cruz for Senate, May 16, 2022. It is unconstitutional to limit the amount of post-election contributions that may be used to reimburse a candidate who loans money to his own political campaign.

Merrill v. Milligan, February 7, 2022, and Ardoin v. Robinson, June 28...