Supreme Court Roundup: June 12th Insights and New Cert Grants
Supreme Court Roundup: June 12th Insights and New Cert Grants  
Podcast: SCOTUS Oral Arguments and Opinions
Published On: Mon Jun 16 2025
Description: In this episode, we analyze the Supreme Court's recent activities across three key areas:Six near unanimous decisions released on June 12th, 2025Two major cases granted certiorari via June 16th, 2025 OrderIn this episode, we analyze the Supreme Court's recent activities across three key areas:Term statistics and remaining docket overviewSix decisions released on June 12th, 2025Two major cases granted certiorari via June 16th, 2025 Order2024 Term StatisticsTotal cases heard: 62 unique cases this termCases decided: 41 (approximately 66%)Cases pending: 21 (approximately 33%)Methodology: Consolidated cases counted once (e.g., Trump v. CASA/Washington/New Jersey)Timing significance: June typically brings most consequential decisionsKey Observations from June 12th, 2025 DecisionsObservation #1: Unanimity Reigned Supreme. June 12th consensus: 4 unanimous (9-0) decisions, 2 near-unanimous (8-1) decisions. Two-week pattern: 9 unanimous decisions and 3 8-1 splits out of 12 total case. Historical context: Must go back 15 opinions to find more than 2 dissents (May 22nd Oklahoma Charter School case). Full-term data: 29 of 41 decided cases unanimous or near-unanimous (71% consensus)Observation #2: Opinion Assignments Tell a Story. Recent distribution: 8 of 9 justices wrote majority opinions in past two weeks; Justice Kavanaugh who wrote sole opinion the week before)Observation #3: Speed Suggests Strategic Docket Management. Rapid turnaround: 6-10 weeks from oral argument to decision. Contrast with pending cases: U.S. v. Skrmetti (transgender medical care): 6+ months since December 4th argument; Hewitt v. United States (First Step Act): pending since January 13th; and Stanley v. City of Sanford (ADA): pending since January 13th.Observation #4: Uncle Sam Had a Bad Day. Government losses: 5 of 6 cases involved citizens vs. government agencies. Case types: FBI raid victims, disabled student vs. school district, veterans vs. benefits administration, prisoner vs. federal procedures, taxpayer vs. IRS. Pattern: Court prioritizing individual redress against institutional power. Only government win: Rivers v. Guerrero, which involved stricter habeas petition standards.Observation #5: The Court as Error Corrector. Reversal rate: 10 of 12 cases vacated or reversed (83%). Term comparison: Higher than overall 66% reversal rate. "Kick it back" approach: Court often vacates with instructions rather than final resolutionObservation #6: Roberts' Perfect Record. Chief Justice pattern: 41 cases, 41 majority opinions joined. Zero concurrences, zero dissents. Contrast with other justices:Justice Thomas: 5 dissents, Justice Gorsuch: 4 dissents (including both June 12th dissents) and Justice Jackson: 3 dissents authored, 1 joined.June 16th, 2025 Certiorari Grants1. First Choice Women's Resource Centers v. Matthew Platkin | Case No. 24-781 | Docket Link: Here. Question Presented: Where the subject of a state investigatory demand has established a reasonably objective chill of its First Amendment rights, is a federal court in a first-filed action deprived of jurisdiction because those rights must be adjudicated in state court?Key Facts:New Jersey Attorney General issued civil investigatory...