Publication Date:
Source:
Author:
Lecturer Thomas Goldstein is quoted in the Wall Street Journal on the Supreme Court's upcoming term:
Questions before the Supreme Court, which begins its new term Monday, include corporate political spending, dog-fighting videos, a cross in the desert -- and whether a more unified conservative bloc emerges.
On the DocketSee some of the notable cases coming up in the 2009-2010 term.. This year, the court itself has had a makeover with the appointment of Justice Sonia Sotomayor. The justices reshuffled their swivel chairs to maintain a seating pattern based on seniority.
...
"Last year, we had the most divisive Supreme Court term in modern history," says Tom Goldstein, co-chairman of the litigation practice at Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP and founder of scotusblog.com, a Web site that follows the Supreme Court.
As recently as the 2005 term, when Justice Samuel Alito succeeded Sandra Day O'Connor at midpoint, the court voted unanimously 52% of the time. According to Mr. Goldstein, just 33% of last term's decisions were unanimous.
A big question among court watchers like Mr. Goldstein: "Is that an anomaly or are we settling into a pattern of a bitterly divided court?"