Story perspectives

Supreme Court’s new term opens with rifle, voter-ID cases

By Drooid · Oct 4, 2026, 6:06 AM UTC · How we work

7 1

Summary

Thomas Alito Conservative Term

Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito will guide the Supreme Court’s new term toward conservative rulings.
The nine-month term begins on Monday and runs through the end of June.
On December 2 the Court will hear arguments on banning AR-15s and other semiautomatic rifles.
On December 8 the justices will consider Arizona’s voter-ID law requiring proof of citizenship for registration.

Summary

Supreme Court Floods Emergencies

Supreme Court now issues twice as many emergency rulings as merits decisions.
Emergency orders are decided rapidly with minimal briefing, no oral argument, and scant explanations.
Professor Stephen Vladeck notes the President Donald Trump era ballooned emergency appeals while full-briefed cases fell sharply.
Harvard professor Daphna Renan says the Court backs a strong executive but draws limits when Trump exceeds statutes.

1 of 2

Thomas Alito Conservative Term

Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito will guide the Supreme Court’s new term toward conservative rulings.
The nine-month term begins on Monday and runs through the end of June.
On December 2 the Court will hear arguments on banning AR-15s and other semiautomatic rifles.
On December 8 the justices will consider Arizona’s voter-ID law requiring proof of citizenship for registration.

1 / 2