The last day of the Supreme Court's term saw several big cases announced against the remarkable backdrop of farewells to a departing Justice, the opening of the confirmation hearings for his presumptive successor, and the Court collectively comforting a Justice on the death of her husband of 56 years.
The four cases were:
1. McDonald v Chicago. State and local gun regulations must conform to the Second Amendment’s protection of the right to keep and bear arms. (The Fourteenth Amendment incorporates the Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms.) 5-4, J. Alito delivered the opinion.
2. Christian Legal Soc. Chapter of Univ. of Cal., Hastings College of Law v Martinez. A public university law school may deny school funding and other benefits to a religious student group because the group excludes from its officers and voting members those who don't agree with its core religious viewpoints. 5-4, J. Ginsburg delivered the opinion.
3. Bilski v Kappos. The machine-or-transformation test is not the sole test for patent eligibility under Section 101 of the Patent Act. J. Kennedy delivered the opinion.
4. Free Enterprise Fund v Public Company Accounting Oversight Bd. The dual for-cause limitations on the removal of members of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board created by Sarbanes-Oxley, violate the Constitution’s separation of powers (appointments clause). 5-4, CJ Roberts delivered the opinion.
