The new year will bring a new side job for Justice Clarence Thomas. The Daily Texan reported that he “will teach a course at UT’s School of Civic Leadership to 17 UT undergraduate students in spring 2027,” drawing on “texts by civil rights activists and political figures.” Although Supreme Court justices often teach seminars at law schools, it’s rare for them to take part in a course aimed at undergrads, according to The Daily Texan.
At the Court
On Friday, the justices met in a private conference to discuss cases and vote on petitions for review. That afternoon, the Supreme Court announced that, during the conference, the justices added a new case to the oral argument docket: Goldman Sachs Bank USA v. Brown, on whether and when a bankruptcy court can override the Federal Arbitration Act and refuse to honor an agreement to arbitrate disputes. For more on the case, see the On Site section below.
Additional orders from Friday’s conference are expected this morning at 9:30 a.m. EST.
Today, the justices will hear arguments in two cases: Nielsen v. Watanabe, on whether and when federal officials can be held liable for constitutional violations; and Hoffmann v. WBI Energy Transmission, Inc., on whether the “just compensation” paid to land owners losing property to a pipeline project should be determined by referring to state law, which often provides for a higher payment than what the Constitution requires.
On Tuesday, the justices will hear argument in Department of Labor v. Sun Valley Orchards, LLC, on whether the Constitution allows the executive branch – as opposed to the courts – to adjudicate the obligation of an employer to comply with employment agreements it makes with temporary immigrant workers.
On Oct. 21, the Trump administration asked the court to allow it to resume construction of its border wall in the Big Bend region of southwestern Texas. The request has been fully briefed since Oct. 30, and the court’s decision could come at any time.
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[ H/T SCOTUSblog ]
