Supreme Court Starts Releasing 2025-26 Opinions as Trump Power and Voting Rights Cases Loom
Updated
Updated · CNN · May 14
Supreme Court Starts Releasing 2025-26 Opinions as Trump Power and Voting Rights Cases Loom
4 articles · Updated · CNN · May 14
The Supreme Court has begun issuing opinions in the closing stretch of its 2025-26 term, with major rulings still pending on Donald Trump’s power, voting rights and transgender athletes.
May and June typically bring the court’s biggest decisions before the justices recess for the summer, making the next several weeks pivotal for cases affecting millions of Americans.
The court has already delivered two major rulings under time pressure this term: one weakening the Voting Rights Act and another blocking Trump’s sweeping emergency tariffs.
In March, the justices also backed a Colorado counselor challenging the state’s ban on conversion therapy, the first of two major LGBTQ cases this term.
The other LGBTQ case still ahead tests state bans on transgender students competing on girls’ sports teams, underscoring the term’s broad social and political reach.
With major shifts on voting rights and trade, what long-standing legal precedents could the Supreme Court re-examine next term?
As courts and sports bodies set conflicting rules, how will fairness for transgender athletes in women's sports ultimately be defined?
2025–26 Supreme Court Term: Voting Rights Act Overturned, Executive Power Redefined, and Social Policy Shifts
Overview
The Supreme Court’s 6-3 decision in Louisiana v. Callais marked a turning point by effectively ending the Voting Rights Act, with the Court’s six Republican-appointed justices leading the way. This ruling allows Louisiana and other states to engage in discriminatory vote dilution practices, especially harming Black and brown voters. The weakening of the VRA means that votes cast, particularly at the local level, are less likely to translate into real political power. Following the loss of preclearance, cities have changed their annexation strategies, further reducing minority representation and deepening the challenges to fair elections.