The Supreme Court may be running behind schedule as it enters the final week of its term, with roughly 20 opinions still outstanding, according to the Associated Press. The justices typically announce all rulings before departing for summer recess at the end of June, and the volume of unresolved cases has prompted public speculation about whether the court will meet that deadline, the AP reported.
Among the most closely watched are eight cases the court is expected to decide this week, centered on President Donald Trump’s efforts to expand presidential power. These include his bid to restrict birthright citizenship for children born in the United States to parents who are in the country illegally or temporarily, his asserted authority to fire the heads of most independent federal agencies at will, and his power to remove a sitting Federal Reserve governor.
The court also is weighing whether to uphold laws in roughly half the states that prohibit transgender girls and women from playing on public school and college sports teams. Those cases originated in West Virginia and Idaho.
Two election-related cases remain on the docket. One concerns state laws that provide a grace period for the receipt of mailed ballots, provided they are sent by election day. The other involves limits on political party spending in support of candidates for Congress and president.
Also outstanding is a dispute over geofence warrants — court orders that collect cellphone location data for identifying potential witnesses or suspects near crime scenes. Critics say the practice is a fishing expedition that violates civil liberties, the Associated Press reported.