Senate Judiciary Committee Update

The next hearings are expected on November 10 and 18, after the Senate returns for a post-Election lame duck session. 

Join Chicago Council of Lawyers and Partners in a Debate on Election Security on Oct. 29: CCL Offered

Join us for a moderated Civil Disagreements program featuring informed perspectives on election security, voting access, public trust, and the integrity of our elections!

Free and fair elections depend on both secure election systems and public confidence in their results. Yet Americans continue to disagree about the nature and extent of the threats facing our elections, the effectiveness of existing safeguards, and whether proposed reforms would strengthen election integrity or make it more difficult for eligible voters to participate.

Moderator:
Alisa Kaplan, Executive Director, Reform for Illinois
Panelists:
Noah Praetz, President, Ready for Tuesday
June Brown, Chicago Board of Elections
Anthony Vega, Lake County Clerk
Elizabeth Yang, President, WStrong LLC

Click Here To Register

Supreme Court Opens 2026-27 Term

Weekly Wrap Up: October 19

Special SCOTUS  New Term Update

Oyez. Oyez. Oy! With a docket full of significant cases (and room for more!), Chief Justice John Roberts gaveled in the new Supreme Court term on the First Monday of October. 

Court-watchers aren’t just anticipating upcoming cases; they are buzzing with the news that Justice Samuel Alito “thought about” retiring at the end of the previous term. Nominated by President George W. Bush in 2006, Justice Alito is 76 years old and has been the subject of criticism for potential conflicts of interest, questionable ethics, partisanship, and of course, his opinions. He took his seat on the bench on October 5 for the start of the term, but there is speculation that, should the Democrats “flip” the Senate with wins in the midterm elections, Justice Alito might retire during the so-called lame-duck session so that the Republican majority might confirm a Trump-nominated successor before the new Congress is sworn in January. Justice Alito says that he has no such plans. 

So far the Supreme Court has granted 30 cases, but those are the cases set to be argued publicly as part of the merits docket — cases that will be decided in written opinions with the justices’ analysis and explanations presented for all to see. 

If recent history is any guide, there will be numerous cases decided on an “emergency” basis as part of the shadow docket without oral arguments or written opinions. 

Under the second Trump administration, the number of these cases has mushroomed and have generally favored the administration’s side. Certainly the merits docket will grow in the weeks and months ahead. 

Already the court has added three new cases: US DOGE Service v. US District Court for the District of Columbia; Blanche v. Ozurumba; and Berry v. United States.

Visit our US Supreme Court page for updates on first cases argues in new term.

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