The High Court Report

Hikma Pharmaceuticals USA Inc. v. Amarin Pharma, Inc. | Case No. 24-889 | Docket Link: Here | Argued: 04/29/2026 | Decided: 06/04/2026 Overview: Amarin's cardiovascular drug patent faced challenge when generic maker Hikma launched a skinny-label version and marketed it through statements Amarin claimed encouraged doctors to prescribe the generic for the still-patented heart indication. Question Pr...

Sripetch v. Securities and Exchange Commission | Case No. 25-466 | Docket Link: Here | Argued: April 20, 2026 | Decided: June 4, 2026 Overview: The Supreme Court resolves a circuit split over whether the SEC must prove investors lost money before ordering disgorgement — preserving billions in annual securities enforcement power. Question Presented: Whether the SEC may seek disgorgement without pro...

Sripetch v. Securities and Exchange Commission | Case No. 25-466 | Docket Link: Here | Argued: April 20, 2026 | Decided: June 4, 2026 Overview: The Supreme Court resolves a circuit split over whether the SEC must prove investors lost money before ordering disgorgement — preserving billions in annual securities enforcement power. Question Presented: Whether the SEC may seek disgorgement without pro...

FCC v. AT&T, Inc. / Verizon Communications, Inc. v. FCC | Case Nos. 25-406 & 25-567 | Docket Links: Here and Here | Argued: April 21, 2026 | Decided: June 4, 2026 Oral Advocates: Petitioners (AT&T, Inc. and Verizon Communications Inc.): Jeffrey B. Wall of Sullivan & Cromwell LLP Respondents (FCC): Vivek Suri of the Department of Justice Overview: The FCC fined AT&T $57.3 millio...

FCC v. AT&T, Inc. / Verizon Communications, Inc. v. FCC | Case Nos. 25-406 & 25-567 | Docket Links: Here and Here | Argued: April 21, 2026 | Decided: June 4, 2026 Overview: The FCC fined AT&T $57.3 million and Verizon $46.9 million for mishandling customer location data through in-house proceedings offering no jury — raising the question whether those proceedings violated the Seventh A...

Flowers Foods, Inc. v. Brock | Case No. 24-935 | Argued: 3/25/26 | Decided: May 28, 2026 | Docket Link: Here Overview: The Supreme Court unanimously ruled that last-mile delivery workers who never cross state lines still qualify for the Federal Arbitration Act's exemption from mandatory arbitration if their intrastate routes form part of a continuous interstate journey. Question Presented: Whether...

Flowers Foods, Inc. v. Brock | Case No. 24-935 | Argued: 3/25/26 | Decided: May 28, 2026 | Docket Link: Here Overview: The Supreme Court unanimously ruled that last-mile delivery workers who never cross state lines still qualify for the Federal Arbitration Act's exemption from mandatory arbitration if their intrastate routes form part of a continuous interstate journey. Question Presented: Whether...

Pitchford v. Cain | Case No. 24-7351 | Argued: 3/31/26 | Decided: 5/28/26 | Docket Link: Here Overview: A Mississippi prosecutor struck four of five eligible Black jurors at a death penalty trial, a trial court skipped the required third step of the racial-discrimination inquiry, and the Mississippi Supreme Court then called it a waiver. The Supreme Court reverses. Question Presented: Whether Miss...

Pitchford v. Cain | Case No. 24-7351 | Argued: 3/31/26 | Decided: 5/28/26 | Docket Link: Here Overview: A Mississippi prosecutor struck four of five eligible Black jurors at a death penalty trial, a trial court skipped the required third step of the racial-discrimination inquiry, and the Mississippi Supreme Court then called it a waiver. The Supreme Court reverses. Question Presented: Whether Miss...

Fernandez v. United States | Case No. 24-556 | Decided: 5/28/26 | Docket Link: Here Overview: A federal prisoner serving a mandatory life sentence sought early release by arguing potential innocence — but the Supreme Court closed that door, ruling compassionate release cannot substitute for the strict habeas process Congress designed. Question Presented: Whether a federal prisoner may use the comp...

Fernandez v. United States | Case No. 24-556 | Decided: 5/28/26 | Docket Link: Here Overview: A federal prisoner serving a mandatory life sentence sought early release by arguing potential innocence — but the Supreme Court closed that door, ruling compassionate release cannot substitute for the strict habeas process Congress designed. Question Presented: Whether a federal prisoner may use the comp...

Carter v. United States | Case No. 24-860 | Date Decided: 5/28/26 | Oral Argument Date: 11/12/25 | Docket Link: Here (consolidated with Rutherford v. United States | Case No. 24-820 | Docket Link: Here ) Overview: Two prisoners serving decades-long gun-crime sentences sought early release after Congress reduced those sentences for future offenders but deliberately left them behind. The Court resol...

Carter v. United States | Case No. 24-860 | Date Decided: 5/28/26 | Oral Argument Date: 11/12/25 | Docket Link: Here (consolidated with Rutherford v. United States | Case No. 24-820 | Docket Link: Here ) Overview: Two prisoners serving decades-long gun-crime sentences sought early release after Congress reduced those sentences for future offenders but deliberately left them behind. The Court resol...

Hamm v. Smith | Case No. 24-872 | Oral Argument Date: 12/10/25 | Docket Link: Here Question Presented: When someone takes multiple IQ tests to prove intellectual disability in a capital case, do courts look at all the scores together, or can one low score alone save their life? Overview The Supreme Court will decide whether courts must evaluate multiple IQ scores collectively or whether a single q...

Hamm v. Smith | Case No. 24-872 | Decided: May 21, 2026 | Docket Link: Here Overview: Death penalty case examining how courts evaluate multiple IQ scores when determining intellectual disability under Atkins. Court dismissed writ as improvidently granted after oral argument revealed parties never litigated the question below. Question Presented: Whether and how courts may consider the cumulative e...

M & K Employee Solutions, LLC v. Trustees of The IAM Pension Fund | Argument Date: 1/20/26 | Docket Link: Here Oral Advocates: For Petitioner (M&K Employee Solutions): Michael E. Kenneally, Jr., Washington, D.C. For Respondent (IAM National Pension Fund): John E. Roberts, Providence, Rhode Island. For United States as (Amicus Curiae Supporting Respondent): Kevin J. Barber, Assistant to the...

I'll create show notes and five alternative episode title options for this opinion episode. Now I'll create the show notes and title options for the M & K Employee Solutions opinion episode. PART 1: SHOW NOTES M & K Employee Solutions, LLC v. Trustees of IAM National Pension Fund | Case No. 23-1209 | Decided May 21, 2026 | Docket Link: https://www.supremecourt.gov/docket/docketfiles/html/p...

Havana Docks Corp. v. Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. | Oral Argument: 2/23/2026 | Case No. 24-983 | Docket Link: Here Question Presented: Whether Title III liability requires proving defendants trafficked in property plaintiff currently owns a claim to, or property plaintiff would own absent confiscation. Overview: Cuban property confiscation case challenges Eleventh Circuit's "counterfactual analys...

Havana Docks Corp. v. Royal Caribbean Cruises, Ltd. | Case No. 24-983 | Oral Argument: 2/23/2026 | Decided: 5/21/26 | Docket Link: Here Overview: Supreme Court preserves Title III liability for entities trafficking in physical property confiscated by Cuban Government even when plaintiff's underlying time-limited property interest expired before trafficking occurred. Question Presented: Whether cru...

Jules v. Andre Balazs Properties | Case No. 25-83 | Docket Link: Here | Argument: 3/30/26 Overview: A former hotel security guard lost his arbitration entirely, then argued the federal court he originally chose lacked power to confirm the award — forcing the Court to resolve when federal courts retain post-arbitration jurisdiction. Question Presented: When a federal court pauses a lawsuit for arbi...

Jules v. Andre Balazs Properties | Case No. 25-83 | Decided May 14, 2026 | Docket Link: Here Question Presented: Whether federal courts retain jurisdiction to confirm or vacate arbitration awards when confirmation motions lack independent federal jurisdiction. Overview: Federal Arbitration Act case resolves circuit split over whether district courts maintaining stayed federal claims during arbitra...

Montgomery v. Caribe Transport II, LLC | Oral Argument: 3/4/2026 | Case No. 24-1238 | Docket Link: Here Question Presented: Whether the FAAAA's safety exception permits negligent-hiring claims against transportation brokers who arrange shipments with unsafe motor carriers. Overview: Truck crash victim challenges federal preemption of state tort claims against transportation brokers, testing whethe...

Montgomery v. Caribe Transport II, LLC | Case No. 24-1238 | Decided May 14, 2026 | Docket Link: Here Question Presented: Whether the FAAAA's safety exception permits negligent-hiring claims against transportation brokers who arrange shipments with unsafe motor carriers. Overview: Truck crash victim challenges federal preemption of state tort claims against transportation brokers, testing whether s...

Danco Laboratories, L.L.C. v. Louisiana | Nos. 25A1207, 25A1208 | Decided May 14, 2026 | Docket Link: Here Overview: The Supreme Court blocked the Fifth Circuit's nationwide order reinstating mifepristone's in-person dispensing requirement, preserving mail-order and telehealth distribution while Louisiana's APA challenge to the FDA's 2023 REMS proceeds. Question Presented: Whether the Fifth Circui...

Scott v. McDougle | Virginia Gerrymandering Case | Docket Link: Here On May 15th, the Supreme Court blocked Virginia's gerrymandered maps from taking effect. This episode breaks down the main issue and airs the Virginia Supreme Court oral arguments. Case Overview: Virginia Supreme Court struck down partisan gerrymandering amendment because 1.3 million Virginians voted early before legislature's se...