Thursday, November 10, 2011

This Week's SCOTUS Oral Argument Audio and Transcripts Online

Kawashima v. Holder

Whether a person can be deported for filing a false statement on a corporate tax return under a statute that allows the government to deport anyone convicted of an aggravated felony involving fraud and deceit?

Zivotofsky v. Clinton

Whether courts can enforce a federal statute governing how the Secretary of State is to record the birthplace of American citizens on passports and related documents; and (2) whether a federal law instructing the Secretary of State, if requested to do so, to record the birthplace of U.S. citizens born in Jerusalem as Israel interferes with the President's authority under the Constitution to recognize foreign nations.

Smith v. Cain

1) Whether there is a reasonable probability that the outcome of Smith's trial would have been different but for Brady and Giglio/Napue errors; 2) whether the state courts violated the Due Process Clause by rejecting Smith's Brady and Giglio/Napue claims

United States v. Jones

(1) Whether the warrantless use of a tracking device on respondent's vehicle to monitor its movements on public streets violated the Fourth Amendment; and (2) whether the government violated respondent's Fourth Amendment rights by installing the GPS tracking device on his vehicle without a valid warrant and without his consent.

Kurns v. Railroad Friction Products Corp.

Do federal laws governing railroad safety prohibit lawsuits against railroads under state law for injuries allegedly caused by the railroads?

National Meat Assn. v. Harris

Whether the Federal Meat Inspection Act which requires slaughterhouses to hold animals that become unable to walk for observation for evidence of disease preempts a state law that requires such animals to be immediately killed.