Supply Chain Report – 10/06/2025
The U.S. Supreme Court will reconvene on Monday, beginning a new term that is expected to address a wide range of issues touching on trade, voting rights, civil liberties, religious freedoms, and the scope of federal and state authority. The docket, which runs through December with additional arguments scheduled into November and beyond, highlights the broad influence of the Court in shaping the nation’s laws and policies.
One of the headline cases on the agenda involves the president’s authority to impose tariffs without prior approval from Congress. The Court is set to review challenges to the use of executive powers that declared a trade emergency, allowing tariffs to be enacted unilaterally. The U.S. Court of International Trade and the U.S. Circuit Appellate Court in Washington have previously ruled against these actions, raising important questions about the separation of powers and how much discretion a president has in trade policy decisions. The outcome of this case may have lasting consequences for U.S. trade relations and economic governance.
The justices will also examine redistricting disputes, including a case out of Louisiana, where lawmakers have been accused of using race as a primary factor when redrawing congressional maps. The central issue is whether these actions violate the Voting Rights Act of 1965, which prohibits discriminatory practices in the electoral process. The Court’s decision could have significant implications not only for Louisiana but also for future redistricting battles across the country.
In addition to trade and voting cases, the Court is set to hear oral arguments on Colorado’s 2019 law banning conversion therapy for minors. The law makes it illegal for mental health professionals to attempt to alter the sexual orientation or gender identity of clients under 18. Colorado therapist Kaley Chiles has challenged the law, arguing that it restricts her First Amendment rights and places what she calls a “gag order” on counselors. State attorneys counter that the law regulates professional practices to protect the well-being of minors, citing research that conversion therapy is ineffective and potentially harmful. The 10th Circuit Court of Appeals has already upheld enforcement of the law while the case continues to move through the judicial system.
The Court’s October calendar also includes hearings on other constitutional and criminal law matters. Justices will consider whether individuals can be tried and punished in both state and federal courts for the same criminal act, a case that could clarify the scope of the “double jeopardy” principle. Another case will look at how state laws regulate the counting of mail-in ballots, a subject that has drawn heightened attention in recent election cycles.
The November docket is equally wide-ranging, covering several important cases with potential national impact. Among them is a religious rights case stemming from the Louisiana Department of Corrections, where a practicing Rastafarian claimed his religious freedoms were violated after prison officials forcibly cut his hair while he was jailed for five months in 2020. The case will test how far religious protections extend within correctional facilities.
The Court will also hear arguments about whether a state can carry out the death penalty against a prisoner deemed to be intellectually disabled based on multiple intelligence tests. This decision could reshape standards around capital punishment and the constitutional rights of vulnerable individuals.
Another major case involves a U.S. military service member injured in a bombing who is seeking to sue the government contractor that allegedly employed the perpetrator. Justices will need to decide whether government contractors can be held liable under these circumstances, or whether sovereign immunity shields them when acting on behalf of the federal government.
Beyond these scheduled hearings, the Supreme Court is also expected to take up emergency cases during its current term as new issues arise. Possible emergency hearings may involve matters such as birthright citizenship or other federal challenges, reflecting the Court’s role as a final arbiter in fast-moving legal disputes.
Each year, the Supreme Court begins its formal term on the first Monday in October. The justices typically issue their final rulings by the end of June, though deliberations sometimes extend into July. With a docket this year that spans tariffs, electoral fairness, civil liberties, and religious rights, the Court’s decisions are likely to shape debates across legal, political, and social landscapes for years to come.
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