The Supreme Court will begin its new term on Monday. For the first time since the COVID crisis began, the Court will hear oral arguments in person - though the Supreme Court building remains closed to the general public.
It will hear those arguments in several cases that are reflective of some of America’s deepest cultural and political divides, including cases that concern reproductive rights, gun regulation and religious freedom.
And it will convene as public opinion of the Court has plummeted, with polls showing a lack of confidence and the perception that the justices are political partisans. In just the past few weeks, Justices Clarence Thomas, Stephen Breyer and Amy Coney Barrett have made public remarks aimed at convincing people that they are not politically motivated, a recognition, at the very least, that the Court is acutely aware of the possibility that their credibility has been undermined.
Today on Midday on the Law, we take a look at some of the hot-button issues the Court will consider during the new session, with legal scholar Kim Wehle, a law professor at the University of Baltimore School of Law, a former Assistant US Attorney, and the author of two excellent books,How to Read the Constitution-And Why, and What You Need to Know About Voting-And Why. Kim is also the host of an Instagram show called #Simple Politics…
Kim Wehle joins us on our digital line from Chevy Chase, Maryland.
