WASHINGTON – The U.S. Supreme Court justices will take the bench today to release their last few opinions of the term, including a closely watched case: Whether former President Donald Trump has immunity from criminal prosecution for his role in the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol.
The court also will decide on Monday whether state laws limiting how social media platforms regulate content posted by their users violate the Constitution. The immunity case was the last case argued, on April 25. The court typically begins issuing opinions at 10 a.m. Eastern Time.
Here’s the latest:
Three additional rulings are likely to come today
The justices also have three other cases remaining on the docket Monday, including another major case over social media laws in Texas and Florida that would limit how platforms regulate content posted.
Both laws aimed to address conservative complaints that the social media companies were liberal-leaning and censored users based on their viewpoints, especially on the political right.
The timing of the Trump immunity ruling could be as important as the ruling itself
The immunity case was the last case argued, on April 25. So in one sense, it’s not unusual that it would be among the last decided. But the timing of the court’s resolution of Trump’s immunity may be as important as the eventual ruling.
By holding on to the case until early July, the justices have reduced, if not eliminated, the chance that Trump will have to stand trial before the November election, no matter what the court decides.
In other epic court cases involving the presidency, including the Watergate tapes case, the justices moved much faster. Fifty years ago, the court handed down its decision forcing President Richard Nixon to turn over recordings of Oval Office conversations just 16 days after hearing arguments.
Even this term, the court reached a decision in less than a month to rule unanimously for Trump that states cannot invoke the post-Civil War insurrection clause to kick him off the ballot over his refusal to accept Democratic President Joe Biden’s victory four years ago.
▶ Read more about the stakes of the Trump immunity ruling.
The Supreme Court nears the end of another momentous term. A decision on Trump’s immunity looms
In the last 10 days of June, on a frenetic pace of its own making, the Supreme Court touched a wide swath of American society in a torrent of decisions on abortion, guns, the environment, health, the opioid crisis, securities fraud and homelessness.
And, with the court meeting for the final time this term on Monday, an unusual push into July, the most anticipated decision of the term awaits: whether former President Donald Trump is immune from prosecution for his role in the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol.
The court also will decide whether state laws limiting how social media platforms regulate content posted by their users violate the Constitution.
▶ Read more about what to expect as the Supreme Court term wraps.
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