Healthcare, Unions, Ministers and More: Civil Cases in the Supreme Court's 2011-2012 Term

Abstract

Written for the American Judges Association's Court Review, this paper provides a brief overview of the most significant civil cases decided by the Supreme Court during its 2011-2012 Term. The most significant of those cases was, of course, National Federation of Independent Business v. Sebelius, and the paper begins by giving that monumental healthcare ruling its due. The paper then turns to many of the Term’s other civil cases, focusing particularly on decisions that are likely to be of broad interest to those who work or litigate in the nation’s state and federal courtrooms. Those rulings address important issues in the areas of administrative law, arbitration, Bivens, due process, equal protection, federal jurisdiction, qualified immunity, religion, speech, and the Supremacy Clause, among others.

Keywords: Supreme Court, civil cases, 2011 Term, 2012 Term, healthcare, administrative law, arbitration, bivens, due process, equal protection, federal jurisdiction, qualified immunity, religion, speech, supremacy clause, American Judges Association

JEL Classification: K10, K30, K40, K41