Verizon Communications, Inc., v. Law Offices of Curtis V. Trinko, LLP, 02-682. Majority opinion by Justice Scalia, in which Chief Justice Rehnquist and Justices O'Connor, Kennedy, Ginsburg, and Breyer joined. Justice Stevens wrote an opinion concurring in the judgment, in which Justices Souter and Thomas joined ( Read more... )

Securities and Exchange Commission v. Edwards, 02-1196. Justice O'Connor wrote the opinion for a unanimous Court ( Read more... )

Castro v. United States, 02-6683. Justice Breyer wrote the majority opinion, which the Chief Justice and Justices Stevens, O'Connor, Kennedy, Souter, and Ginsburg joined. Justice Scalia wrote a separate opinion concurring in part and concurring in the judgment, which Justice Thomas joined.

Castro is an interesting case at the meeting point of ( Read more... )

Maryland v. Pringle, No. 02-809. Opinion by Chief Justice Rehnquist for a unanimous court ( Read more... )

Virginia v. Maryland, No. 129, Orig., Majority opinion by Chief Justice Rehnquist, in which Justices O'Sconnor, Scalia, Souter, Thomas, Ginsburg, and Breyer joined. Justice Kennedy wrote the principal dissent, in which Justice Stevens joined. Justice Stevens also wrote a dissent, which Justice Kennedy joined ( Read more... )

Raytheon Co. v. Hernandez, No. 02-749. Unanimous (7-0) opinion by Justice Thomas, with Justice Souter taking no part in the decision of the case and Justice Breyer taking no part in the consideration or decision of the case. (I don't know why the notation is different for Justice Souter and Justice Breyer. As far as I can tell, Justice Souter ( Read more... )

United States v. Banks, No. 02-473, unanimous opinion by Justice Souter.

The Supreme Court considered how long police must wait after announcing that they are serving a search warrant but before knocking the door down. The Ninth Circuit held that a 15-20 second wait was insufficient, but the Supreme Court reversed.

The OpinionBanks pled guilty ( Read more... )

Goodridge v. Dept. of Public Health, Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts, SJC 08860, Majority opinion (4-3) by Chief Justice Marshall joined by Justices Greaney, Ireland, and Cowin; Justice Greaney wrote a concurrence (it is a little unclear whether Greaney joined the majority opinion or just the decision); dissents by Spina, Sosman, and Cordy ( Read more... )

Barnhart v. Thomas, No. 02-763, Unanimous opinion by Justice Scalia ( Read more... )

Mitchell v. Esparza, No. 02-1369, per curiam

Mitchell reversed a decision by the Sixth Circuit issuing a writ of habeas corpus in an Ohio capital case ( Read more... )