I went to the Court today to hear the announcement of decisions, so I can offer some information for people considering attending the final sessions of the term.
The public section did look full (around 50 people) just before the session opened, but there was no need to wait in line from early hours. I spoke with someone who had number 35, and he got in line at 8:00 that morning. For members of the Supreme Court Bar: I was one of no more than a dozen people in that section, plus members of the Solicitor General’s office. (So I really did not need to get there at 7:30, as I did….) They let us into the building about 8:30 and handed out cards for the courtroom at 9:00. I believe the public line got into the building just before 9:00, although they had just started handing out numbered cards for the public line when I got there at 7:30.
Presumably the crowds will be larger and will line up earlier for the final day(s). Thursday, June 29 is already on the calendar. The Chief Justice announced that today from the bench but did not say anything like “when all remaining decisions will be released” (I forget the exact traditional language, but there at least used to be something like that). So if that’s still the tradition, they’re not yet promising to be done on Thursday. But note that we get to “7” remaining cases by counting the two cases each on affirmative action and student loan forgiveness — so really 5 major issues to be resolved. They could do that in one day. I plan to be there on Thursday.
The remaining cases are:
- The affirmative action cases (argued Oct. 31), Students for Fair Admissions, Inc. v. University of North Carolinaand Students for Fair Admissions v. President and Fellows of Harvard
- 303 Creative LLC v. Elenis (argued Dec. 5) — the latest chapter in challenges to anti-discrimination laws involving LGBTQ rights.
- Biden v. Nebraska and Dept. of Educ. v. Brown (argued Feb. 28), the student loan forgiveness cases.
- Groff v. DeJoy (argued Apr. 18), involving the scope of an employer’s Title VII obligation to accommodate religious observances.
- And one I hadn’t been highlighting: Abitron Austria GmbH v. Hetronic International, Inc., involving extraterritorial application of trademark law.