2009 term United States Supreme Court opinions of John Roberts

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The 2009 term of the Supreme Court of the United States began October 5, 2009, and concluded October 3, 2010. This was the fifth term of Chief Justice John Roberts's tenure on the Court.
John Roberts 2009 term statistics
8
Majority or Plurality
3
Concurrence
2
Other
4
Dissent
2
Concurrence/dissent Total = 19
Bench opinions = 15 Opinions relating to orders = 2 In-chambers opinions = 2
Unanimous opinions: 0 Most joined by: Scalia (11) Least joined by: Breyer (3)
Type Case Citation Issues Joined by Other opinions
101



Beard v. Kindler 558 U.S. 53 (2009)

habeas corpus review  • adequate and independent state ground doctrine  • discretionary state procedural rules Stevens, Scalia, Kennedy, Thomas, Ginsburg, Breyer, Sotomayor
Kennedy
302



South Carolina v. North Carolina 558 U.S. 256 (2010)

state apportionment of the Catawba River waters  • intervention by municipal entity in original action Thomas, Ginsburg, Sotomayor
Alito
203



Citizens United v. Federal Election Comm'n 558 U.S. 310 (2010)

campaign finance reform  • Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002  • First Amendment  • free speech  • corporate speech Alito
Kennedy
Scalia
Stevens
Thomas
404



Virginia v. Harris 558 U.S. 978 (2009)

Fourth Amendment  • investigative stops  • drunk driving Scalia
Roberts dissented from the Court's denial of certiorari. The Virginia Supreme Court had ruled that a police officer violated the Fourth Amendment when he stopped a driver reported to be drunk and driving dangerously, because the officer did not first independently verify that he was driving dangerously. Roberts questioned the wisdom of this rule given the imminent danger posed by drunk driving, characterizing the effect of the decision as "to grant drunk drivers 'one free swerve' before they can be pulled over by the police." Roberts noted that lower courts had split on the issue of when and whether the Fourth Amendment required independent verification. "Maybe the decision of the Virginia Supreme Court was correct," he wrote, "and the Fourth Amendment bars police from acting on anonymous tips of drunk driving unless they can verify each tip. If so, then the dangerous consequences of this rule are unavoidable. But the police should have every legitimate tool at their disposal for getting drunk drivers off the road. I would grant certiorari to determine if this is one of them."
105



Hemi Group, LLC v. City of New York 559 U.S. 1 (2010)

Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act  • Jenkins Act  • local taxation of online cigarette sales  • lost tax revenue as injury to municipality Scalia, Thomas, Alito; Ginsburg (in part)
Ginsburg
Breyer
406



Machado v. Holder 559 U.S. 966 (2010)

ineffective assistance of counsel Scalia, Thomas, Alito
Roberts dissented from the Court's summary granting of certiorari, vacatur of the lower Court's opinion, and remand of the case.
107



United States v. Stevens 559 U.S. 460 (2010)

criminalization of depictions of animal cruelty  • First Amendment  • free speech Stevens, Scalia, Kennedy, Thomas, Ginsburg, Breyer, Sotomayor
Alito
108



Conkright v. Frommert 559 U.S. 506 (2010)

Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974  • standard of review of plan administrator interpretration Scalia, Kennedy, Thomas, Alito
Breyer
209



Salazar v. Buono 559 U.S. 700 (2010)

Article III  • standing  • First Amendment  • Establishment Clause  • display of religious symbol on government land  • land transfer from government to private owner
Kennedy
Scalia
Alito
Stevens
Breyer
110



Renico v. Lett 559 U.S. 766 (2010)

Fifth Amendment  • Double Jeopardy Clause  • retrial after mistrial Scalia, Kennedy, Thomas, Ginsburg, Alito
Stevens
511



Jackson v. District of Columbia Board of Elections and Ethics 559 U.S. 1301 (2010)

Same-sex marriage in the District of Columbia  • local referendum process
Roberts denied an application for a stay of the D.C. Religious Freedom and Civil Marriage Equality Amendment Act, which legalized same-sex marriage in Washington, D.C. effective March 3, 2010.
212



Graham v. Florida 560 U.S. 48 (2010)

Eighth Amendment  • cruel and unusual punishment  • sentencing of juveniles to life imprisonment for nonhomicide crimes
Kennedy
Stevens
Thomas
Alito
413



Robertson v. United States ex rel. Watson 560 U.S. 272 (2010)

criminal contempt proceedings initiated by private action Scalia, Kennedy, Sotomayor
per curiam
Sotomayor
Roberts dissented from the Court's per curiam dismissal of the writ of certiorari as improvidently granted.
314



Alabama v. North Carolina 560 U.S. 330 (2010)

Southeast Interstate Low-Level Radioactive Waste Compact Thomas
Scalia
Kennedy
Breyer
415



Dolan v. United States 560 U.S. 605 (2010)

Mandatory Victims Restitution Act  • deadline for restitution order Stevens, Scalia, Kennedy
Breyer
116



Holder v. Humanitarian Law Project 561 U.S. 1 (2010)

USA Patriot Act  • nonviolent training and expert advice as material support to terrorism  • standing  • Fifth Amendment  • Due Process Clause  • First Amendment  • free speech  • freedom of association Stevens, Scalia, Kennedy, Thomas, Alito
Breyer
117



Doe v. Reed 561 U.S. 186 (2010)

public disclosure of referendum petitions  • First Amendment  • free speech Kennedy, Ginsburg, Breyer, Alito, Sotomayor
Stevens
Scalia
Breyer
Alito
Sotomayor
Thomas
118



Free Enterprise Fund v. Public Company Accounting Oversight Bd. 561 U.S. 477 (2010)

Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002  • Public Company Accounting Oversight Board  • separation of powers  • Appointments Clause Scalia, Kennedy, Thomas, Alito
Breyer
519



Lux v. Rodrigues 561 U.S. 1306 (2010)

signatures required to appear on congressional ballot
Roberts denied an application for an injunction.

References

  • "2009 Term Opinions of the Court". Supreme Court of the United States. Retrieved October 4, 2010.
  • "2009 Term Opinions Relating to Orders". Supreme Court of the United States. Retrieved October 4, 2010.
  • "2009 Term In-Chambers Opinions". Supreme Court of the United States. Retrieved October 4, 2010.