U.S. Supreme Court Case Commentaries

Clarifying Agency Policy Shifts and Harmless-Error Review Under the APA: FDA v. Wages & White Lion (2025)

Date: Apr 3, 2025

Clarifying Agency Policy Shifts and Harmless-Error Review Under the APA: FDA v. Wages & White Lion (2025) Case Snapshot Court: U.S. Supreme Court Citation: 604 U.S. ___ (2025) Date: April 2, 2025...

“A Circuit Justice or Judge” Means One Judge Suffices: Justice Sotomayor’s Dissent in Shockley v. Vandergriff and the Unresolved COA Rule

Date: Apr 1, 2025

“A Circuit Justice or Judge” Means One Judge Suffices: Justice Sotomayor’s Dissent in Shockley v. Vandergriff and the Unresolved COA Rule Introduction In Shockley v. Vandergriff, 604 U.S. ___ (2025),...

United States v. Miller: Section 106(a) Waives Sovereign Immunity Only for the §544 Cause of Action—Not for the State-Law “Applicable Law” Under §544(b)

Date: Mar 27, 2025

United States v. Miller: Section 106(a) Waives Sovereign Immunity Only for the §544 Cause of Action—Not for the State-Law “Applicable Law” Under §544(b) Introduction In United States v. Miller, 604...

“Readily Convertible” and Artifact Nouns: The Supreme Court Confirms the GCA Reaches Some Weapon Parts Kits and Unfinished Frames (Bondi v. Vanderstok)

Date: Mar 27, 2025

“Readily Convertible” and Artifact Nouns: The Supreme Court Confirms the GCA Reaches Some Weapon Parts Kits and Unfinished Frames Commentary on Bondi v. Vanderstok, 604 U.S. ___ (2025) Introduction...

Franklin v. New York: A Supreme Court Signal To Reconsider Crawford and the “Primary‑Purpose” Test in Confrontation Clause Law

Date: Mar 25, 2025

Franklin v. New York: A Supreme Court Signal To Reconsider Crawford and the “Primary‑Purpose” Test in Confrontation Clause Law Introduction In Franklin v. New York (604 U.S. ___, Mar. 24, 2025), the...

“False” Means “Not True”: Section 1014 Does Not Criminalize Merely Misleading Statements — Thompson v. United States

Date: Mar 22, 2025

“False” Means “Not True”: Section 1014 Does Not Criminalize Merely Misleading Statements Thompson v. United States, 604 U.S. ___ (2025) Introduction In a unanimous opinion authored by Chief Justice...

Using Force by Omission: Supreme Court Holds Intentional Harm by Inaction Qualifies as “Use of Physical Force” Under §924(c)’s Elements Clause

Date: Mar 22, 2025

Using Force by Omission: Supreme Court Holds Intentional Harm by Inaction Qualifies as “Use of Physical Force” Under §924(c)’s Elements Clause Introduction In Delligatti v. United States (U.S....

Reevaluating the McDonnell Douglas Framework: Clarifying Title VII Discrimination Standards in Summary Judgment Contexts

Date: Mar 13, 2025

Reevaluating the McDonnell Douglas Framework: Clarifying Title VII Discrimination Standards in Summary Judgment Contexts Introduction The case of Ronald Hittle v. City of Stockton, California, et...

Judicial Limits on Enforcing Non-Appealable TROs: Redefining Government Payment Obligations and Sovereign Immunity

Date: Mar 10, 2025

Judicial Limits on Enforcing Non-Appealable TROs: Redefining Government Payment Obligations and Sovereign Immunity Introduction The case, Department of State, et al. v. AIDS Vaccine Advocacy...

The Standard of Review for VA’s Benefit-of-the-Doubt Determinations: Clear-Error Review Affirmed

Date: Mar 10, 2025

The Standard of Review for VA’s Benefit-of-the-Doubt Determinations: Clear-Error Review Affirmed I. Introduction This commentary examines the recent Supreme Court judgment in Joshua E. Bufkin,...

Limiting the Limits: Reaffirming EPA’s Boundaries on End‐Result Requirements under the Clean Water Act

Date: Mar 6, 2025

Limiting the Limits: Reaffirming EPA’s Boundaries on End‐Result Requirements under the Clean Water Act Introduction The case, City and County of San Francisco, California, Petitioner v. Environmental...

Bias Response Teams and the Right to Challenge University Policies: Establishing New Standards for First Amendment Standing

Date: Mar 5, 2025

Bias Response Teams and the Right to Challenge University Policies: Establishing New Standards for First Amendment Standing Introduction The case of Speech First, Inc. v. Pamela Whitten, et al....

Upholding Corporate Separateness: Redefining "Defendant's Profits" Under the Lanham Act

Date: Mar 2, 2025

Upholding Corporate Separateness: Redefining "Defendant's Profits" Under the Lanham Act Introduction The Supreme Court’s recent decision in Dewberry Group, Inc. fka Dewberry Capital Corporation v....

Voluntary Dismissal Without Prejudice Recognized as a "Final Proceeding" Under Rule 60(b)

Date: Mar 2, 2025

Voluntary Dismissal Without Prejudice Recognized as a "Final Proceeding" Under Rule 60(b) Introduction The Supreme Court’s decision in Gary Waetzig v. Halliburton Energy Services, Inc. establishes a...

New Precedent: Enduring Judicial Relief Required for Prevailing Party Status under §1988(b)

Date: Mar 1, 2025

New Precedent: Enduring Judicial Relief Required for Prevailing Party Status under §1988(b) Introduction This commentary analyzes the United States Supreme Court’s decision in the case of GERALD F....

Reconciling the Hatch Rule with Double Jeopardy: A New Frontier in Dismissal Standards

Date: Feb 28, 2025

Reconciling the Hatch Rule with Double Jeopardy: A New Frontier in Dismissal Standards Introduction The case of John Kevin Woodward v. California, et al. presents a complex intersection between state...

Realigning Federal Tort Liability: A Call to Overrule the Feres Doctrine

Date: Feb 28, 2025

Realigning Federal Tort Liability: A Call to Overrule the Feres Doctrine Introduction The case of RYAN G. CARTER, et al. v. UNITED STATES revisits one of the most controversial doctrines in federal...

Prosecutorial Duty to Correct False Testimony: A New Precedent in Napue Violations and Post‐Conviction Review

Date: Feb 28, 2025

Prosecutorial Duty to Correct False Testimony: A New Precedent in Napue Violations and Post‐Conviction Review I. Introduction The Supreme Court’s judgment in Richard Eugene Glossip v. Oklahoma has...

Establishing the 'In-the-Presence' Requirement: A New Inquiry into Warrantless Misdemeanor Arrests Under the Fourth Amendment

Date: Feb 28, 2025

Establishing the 'In-the-Presence' Requirement: A New Inquiry into Warrantless Misdemeanor Arrests Under the Fourth Amendment Introduction The case of Victor Javier Grandia Gonzalez v. United States...

Reassessing Content-Neutrality in Buffer Zone Cases: The Erosion of Hill's Precedent

Date: Feb 28, 2025

Reassessing Content-Neutrality in Buffer Zone Cases: The Erosion of Hill's Precedent Introduction The case of Coalition Life v. City of Carbondale, Illinois, presents a significant moment in the...