U.S. Supreme Court: 2011 Cases & Court Resources

Returning to the bench post-holiday break, the United States Supreme Court has geared up for further sessions and oral arguments beginning January 5, 2011. The Justices will consider the last oral argument in the end of April, then move on to consider petitions for writs of certiorari and cases for the upcoming term to begin in October 2011. Here is a brief preview of upcoming oral arguments this month, and resources for more information about the Supreme Court, its cases, the term, its history, and its functions.

Upcoming cases for January 2011:

General Dynamics Corp. v. United States (09-1298); Boeing Company v. United States (09-1302). Oral argument: Jan. 18, 2011; see transcript
This case concerns state secrets privilege, national security, due process and government contracts after the Navy terminating a contract for General Dyanamics to aircraft; the manufacturer claimed that delays in delivering the product were due to the Government’s inability to share information with them necessary to the construction of the aircraft.

Stern v. Marshall (10-179). Oral argument: Jan. 18, 2011 ; see transcript
This is a case many of us are familiar with and is an appeal by the estate of Vickie Lynn Marshall (Anna Nicole Smith), to reverse the findings of a lower court with regards to claims for her late husband’s estate, and for a reversed bankruptcy court decision in favor of her late husband’s heir. This case concerns bankruptcy, jurisdiction, and chapter 11.

Smith v. Bayer Corp. (09-1205). Oral argument: Jan. 18, 2011; see transcript
This cases concerns a class-action law suit pursued against Bayer, the makes of a cholesterol drug linked to deaths. This case concerns multi-district litigation, collateral estoppel (a doctrine in which an earlier decision by a court is rendered conclusive and cannot be re-litigated), and the anti-injunction act.

FCC v. AT&T Inc. (09-1279). Oral argument: Jan. 19, 2011; see transcript
This case concerns the Freedom of information act, privacy, corporations, statutory construction. After a FOIA request that would have resulted in AT&T customer data being released to a non-profit, AT&T sued to stop the request. In this appeal, AT&T is arguing that the term “personal privacy” should apply to corporations, while the FCC argues that the term is only applicable to individuals.

Astra USA v. Santa Clara County, CA (09-1273). Oral argument: Jan. 19, 2011; see transcript
This case has to do with the price for prescription drugs for third-party beneficiaries and the Veteran’s Health Care Act.

For some helpful Supreme Court Resources, you can visit the Westminster Law Library “web research links” page, under federal resources > federal courts > Supreme Court.

You can also visit the following websites:

Official Supreme Court site
Legal Information Institute Supreme Court page
ABA Supreme Court Previews

Written By Kimberley Dickey, Law Librarian Fellow