As de new Supreme Court term begin on Monday, October 7, 2024, all eyes dey on de potential legal battles wey go arise from de upcoming presidential election. De court, wey get a conservative majority of six justices to three, go face several critical cases dat could shape many aspects of American life.
According to experts, including Nate Persily, an election law specialist at Stanford Law School, there’s a high likelihood dat de court will be called upon to address legal disputes before and possibly after de election. However, it’s uncertain whether these disputes will be as monumental as de 2000 Bush v. Gore case or if dem go be inconsequential like de unsuccessful efforts to challenge Joe Biden‘s 2020 victory.
De new term also feature significant cases on de agenda, including a contentious debate on state bans on gender-affirming care for transgender youth and a challenge to new regulations on “ghost guns” by de Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). De ATF regulations, which were initially implemented in 2022 but blocked by a lower court, aim to regulate these largely untraceable firearms similarly to commercial gun sales.
Additionally, de court will deliberate on a case seeking to clarify how courts assess whether a police officer employed reasonable force in lethal shootings. Dis case involve a Texas officer who fatally shot a driver during a 2016 traffic stop in Houston, and it could have wide-ranging implications for police use of force.
De Supreme Court’s decisions in these cases could exacerbate existing doubts among de American populace, whose approval rating for de court has dropped to nearly a historic low. Experts warn dat if de court is seen as contributing to election chaos, it could significantly undermine its legitimacy.
