05-05-2020
Starting today, we’ll see another way in which the COVID-19 pandemic has radically changed society, at least for the near future. The United States Supreme Court will begin hearing the first of ten cases to be argued by conference call. Even more momentous is that the public will be allowed to listen. Up until very recently, the Court has rejected requests to allow the general public such access to its arguments. The cases to be heard over the next few weeks include several related to access to President Trump’s financial records, the limits of federal jurisdiction on Native American reservations, the clash between religious institutions and the contraceptive requirements under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), and whether the First Amendment's religion clauses prevent civil courts from adjudicating employment-discrimination claims brought by an employee against her religious employer, when the employee carried out important religious functions. C-SPAN will offer live coverage of the arguments.