Major Cases for Supreme Court in 2005

Some of the major issues to be decided by the Supreme Court next year:

PRISON SENTENCES: Are federal sentencing guidelines constitutional? (United States v. Booker, 04-104 and United States v. Fanfan, 04-105.) Argument heard Oct. 4.

MEDICAL MARIJUANA: Can the government prosecute sick people who grow marijuana and use it on the advice of a doctor? (Ashcroft v. Raich, 03-1454.) Argument heard Nov. 29.

DEATH PENALTY: Is it unconstitutionally cruel to execute juvenile killers? (Roper v. Simmons, 03-633.) Argument heard Oct. 13. And may the United States try and sentence to death foreign nationals without notifying their government, in violation of international law? (Medellin v. Dretke, 04-5928.) Argument not yet scheduled.

LAND RIGHTS: When can local governments seize people's homes and businesses to be used for tax-producing projects like shopping malls? (Kelo v. City of New London, 04-108.) Argument scheduled for Feb. 22.

IMMIGRATION: Can immigration officials deport someone to a country that has no government to accept them? (Jama v. INS, 03-674.) Argument heard Oct. 12. And may authorities indefinitely imprison hundreds of Cuban immigrant criminals and other illegal foreigners with no country to accept them? (Clark v. Martinez, 03-878, and Benitez v. Wallis, 03-7434.) Argument heard Oct. 13.

FREE SPEECH: May the government require beef producers to pay fees that are used to promote the industry, even if the producers disagree with some of the marketing campaigns? (Veneman v. Livestock Marketing Association, 03-1164, and Nebraska Cattlemen v. Livestock Marketing Association, 03-1165.) Argument heard Dec. 8.

WINE SHIPMENTS: May states prevent consumers from buying wine by mail from out-of-state wineries? (Granholm v. Heald, 03-1116; Michigan Beer & Wine Wholesalers Association v. Heald, 03-1120 and Swedenburg v. Kelly, 03-1274.) Argument heard Dec. 7.

PRISON SEGREGATION: Can state prison officials separate inmates based on the prisoners' skin color? (Johnson v. California, 03-636.) Argument heard Nov. 2.

TITLE IX: Whether the federal law best known for promoting women's athletics protects people who are punished after they complain about unlawful sex discrimination. (Jackson v. Birmingham Board of Education, 02-1672.) Argument heard Nov. 30.

POLICE SEARCHES: Can police use drug-sniffing dogs to check stopped cars whose drivers have given police no particular reason to suspect illegal activity? (Illinois v. Caballes, 03-923.) Argument heard Nov. 10.

TEN COMMANDMENTS: Do government displays of the Ten Commandments at public buildings violate the First Amendment's ban on an "establishment" of religion? (Van Orden v. Perry, 03-1500, and McCreary County v. ACLU, 03-1693.) Arguments scheduled for March 2.

FILE-SHARING: Should Internet file-sharing services be held responsible for their customers' illegal swapping of copyrighted songs and movies? (Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios v. Grokster, 04-480.) Argument not yet scheduled.

CABLE INTERNET ACCESS: Is cable-based broadband a "telecommunications service" under FCC (news - web sites) rules that would require cable companies to open their lines to Internet competition? (National Cable & Telecommunications Association v. Brand X Internet Services, 04-277; FCC v. Brand X Internet Services, 04-281.) Argument not yet scheduled.

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