Home > On The Docket > Oct. Term 2023

Fischer v. United States: A Supposedly Textualist Court Ignores the Text

On January 6, 2021, Trump supporters attacked the U.S. Capitol to disrupt the certification of Joe Biden's election victory. In Fischer v. United States, the Supreme Court controversially ruled that these actions did not violate the law against obstructing official proceedings. Professor Eliason argues this decision contradicts both the statute's plain language and common sense.

Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo: Chevron is Dead; Long Live Skidmore

Professor Pierce discusses the Supreme Court's landmark decision in Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo, which overturns the Chevron deference doctrine. The ruling shifts the emphasis to independent judicial interpretation of statutes, moving away from automatic deference to agency interpretations. This change aligns with the principles of Skidmore v. Swift & Co., promoting a more nuanced approach to judicial review while still respecting agency expertise.

Previews for the 2023 October Term of the Supreme Court

After a consequential two years in which the law of gun rights, substantive due process, religious liberty, and affirmative action, among others, was made anew, the Supreme Court's October 2023 Term features a wide array of cases that will refine the scope of its "history and tradition" approach in the Second Amendment context, contemplate the intersection of social media and the First Amendment, reconsider the foundations of the modern administrative state, and much more.