By MARK SHERMAN and LINDSAY WHITEHURST | Associated Press
WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court has a dozen cases still undecided, including ones that could reshape the law on everything from homelessness to social media. The justices are also still weighing whether former President Donald Trump is immune from criminal prosecution in the election interference case against him, roughly two months after hearing arguments. Though the justices typically issue all of their rulings by the end of June, this term they are expected to continue into early July.
The court heard 61 cases this term, and eight remain unresolved.
Here’s a look at some of the major undecided cases:
Presidential immunity
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Donald Trump is arguing that former presidents are immune from prosecution for official acts they took in office and that the indictment he faces on charges of election interference must be dismissed.
The Supreme Court has previously ruled that former presidents can’t be sued in civil cases for what they did in office, but it has never weighed in on criminal immunity.
The timing of the decision may be as important as the outcome. Trump’s trial in Washington, D.C., may not take place before the November election, even if the court rules he is not immune.
Jan. 6, 2021
A former Pennsylvania police officer is challenging the validity of obstruction charges brought against hundreds of people who took part in the violent assault on the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. Trump faces the same charge of obstructing an official proceeding.
The issue is whether a law meant to discourage tampering with documents sought in investigations can be used against the Capitol rioters.
Homelessness
The most significant Supreme Court case in decades on homelessness centers on whether people can be banned from sleeping outdoors when shelter space is lacking.
A San Francisco-based appeals court decision said that amounts to cruel and unusual punishment.
Leaders from California and across the West say that the ruling makes it harder for them to regulate homeless encampments encroaching on sidewalks and other public places.
Advocates say it would criminalize homelessness just as rising costs have pushed the number of people without a permanent place to live to record levels.
Chevron
The justices could overturn a 40-year-old decision that has been cited thousands of times in federal court cases and used to uphold regulations on the environment, public health, workplace safety and consumer protections. The decision colloquially known as Chevron calls on judges to defer to federal regulators when the words of a statute are not crystal clear. The decision has long been targeted by conservative and business interests who say Chevron robs judges of their authority and gives too much power to regulators.
Social media
Two cases involve social media laws in Texas and Florida that would limit how Facebook, TikTok, X, YouTube and other social media platforms regulate content posted by their users. While the details vary, both laws aimed to address conservative complaints that the social media companies were liberal-leaning and censored users based on their viewpoints, especially on the political right.
