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The Supreme Court, now with a solid conservative majority after Justice Brett Kavanaugh's appointment, is hearing cases that could have long-term ramifications on immigration, LGBTQ employment protections and access to abortion.

The big picture: The high court — with 5 conservatives and 4 liberals — kept a relatively low profile in its first term this year. But it could hand major wins to Republicans in 2020's second term, emboldened by Kavanaugh's appointment and sharpening their focus as a slew of hot-button disputes work their way up from lower courts.

Consumer Financial Protection Bureau: The court has agreed to consider whether the structure of the CFPB, created in 2010 in the aftermath of the Great Recession, is constitutional. Challengers argue that the CFPB having a single director — which the president cannot fire at will — is a violation of the president's constitutional powers, Axios' Sam Baker writes.

Abortion: The Supreme Court agreed to take up a case on Louisiana's abortion law which requires doctors to have admitting privileges at nearby hospitals to perform an abortion.

If the court rules in favor of Louisiana's law, it could be more difficult to prove in court that state abortion restrictions are unconstitutional.

Abortion rights advocates say the law would leave Louisiana with just 1 clinic.

LGBTQ workplace discrimination: The court will hear oral arguments for 3 blockbuster cases on Oct. 8 that question whether Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act prohibits employers from discriminating against workers based on their sexual orientation and status as a transgender person.

The law bans discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex and national origin, and the Trump administration told the court last year it does not cover gender identity.

Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals: The Supreme Court will hear a set of lawsuits on Nov. 12 challenging President Trump's effort to end DACA, the Obama-era immigration program that shields roughly 700,000 foreign-born people brought into the United States illegally as children from deportation.

Trump sought in 2017 to end the DACA program.

Puerto Rico's financial crisis: The court will decide if the appointments to the Financial Oversight and Management Board for Puerto Rico were constitutional. A federal appeals court previously ruled the appointments were not constitutional because the Senate didn't confirm them.

The Trump administration has argued the lower court's ruling “simultaneously imperiled Puerto Rico’s recovery from the worst fiscal crisis in its history and cast substantial doubt on the constitutionality of territorial self-governance.”

Mexico border shooting: The Supreme Court will in the fall decide whether families of Mexican teenagers who were fatally shot by American border agents in Texas and Arizona can sue in U.S. courts for damages, per the AP.

The high court heard arguments in Hernandez v. Mesa in February 2017 and sent the case back to a lower court for further proceedings. At the time, the Trump administration argued the teenager's location of death — in Mexico — should result in the dismissal of the case, saying the right to sue “should not be extended to aliens injured abroad.”

Affordable Care Act: Legal challenges by Republicans against the ACA, which the court upheld in 2012 and 2015, are likely to reach the high court again.

Last year, a Texas federal judge struck down the entire ACA. The case is playing out at the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans. 

2020 citizenship question: The court temporarily froze the Trump administration's decision to add a controversial citizenship question to the 2020 census in June, causing the administration to print the census without the question.

Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross defended his decision to add the question, saying he acted solely at the request of the Justice Department to enhance the Voting Rights Act. 

2 federal judges who ruled against Ross in January said his reasoning lacks a factual basis and would unconstitutionally suppress census responses from non-citizens.

Apple iPhone app pricing: The court allowed a massive antitrust lawsuit against Apple  to move forward in May. 

The suit alleges the company has built an illegal monopoly on the sale of applications for the smartphone, by being the sole distributor of iPhone apps and taking a 30% cut.

"The ruling could impact a broad range of digital marketplaces, not just Apple's," Axios' Ina Fried notes. Those marketplaces could possibly be exposed to monopoly concerns brought by the people who buy products on them.

Partisan gerrymandering: In a move that will allow gerrymandering to get even more aggressive, the court said in June that cases about partisan gerrymandering are "beyond the reach of the federal courts" — a blow to voting-rights activists and Democrats.

The ruling will make it harder for minority parties to retake the reins of power — even in wave elections.

Double jeopardy: The court decided in June not to overrule its long-standing decision that sometimes allows criminal defendants to be prosecuted twice for the same crimes,  once in state court and again in federal court. 

This case, unrelated to Trump, ultimately affects his ability to pardon people like former campaign chairman Paul Manafort, who was sentenced to 7.5 years in March for crimes uncovered in the Mueller probe.

Go deeper: In the Supreme Court, it's all been building to this

Second-term Supreme Court cases to watch

Abortion law, LGBTQ workplace discrimination and DACA are on the docket.

Politics

Supreme Court

U.S. News

The Supreme Court, now with a solid conservative majority after Justice Brett Kavanaugh&#x27;s appointment, is hearing cases that could have long-term ramifications on immigration, LGBTQ employment protections and access to abortion.The big picture: The high court — with 5 conservatives and 4 liberals — kept a relatively low profile in its first term this year. But it could hand major wins to Republicans in 2020&#x27;s second term, emboldened by Kavanaugh&#x27;s appointment and sharpening their focus as a slew of hot-button disputes work their way up from lower courts.

The U.S. faces a range of health care flashpoints — unaffordable drugs, opioids, vaping — as we debate whether to adopt universal care. For now, the Affordable Care Act is the law of the land, but Republicans want to issue it a final death blow.

Health

Due to his moderate politics and name recognition, former Vice President Joe Biden may be well-suited to make inroads with blue-collar swing voters who broke for Trump in 2016.

Previous roles: President Obama's VP; Delaware senator from 1973-2009

Immigration: His plan focuses on fast-tracking citizenship for seasonal agricultural workers and undocumented immigrants living in the U.S. who pass background checks and are up-to-date on taxes.

He also wants to increase refugee intake, give asylum eligibility to domestic violence survivors and those fleeing political persecution, and double the number of immigration judges and court staff to tackle the issue.

College tuition: "Community college should be ... free," Biden said at the Electrical Workers Conference this year.

Health care: Favors expanding Obamacare with a public insurance option to compete alongside private insurance and available for everyone.

His plan would make the ACA's premium subsidies more generous and accessible.

The public option would take the place of Medicaid expansion in states that haven't expanded.

Would allow importations of prescription drugs.

Criminal justice: Released a plan to shift from incarceration to prevention. He supports "automatically expunging records for marijuana convictions," "mandatory treatment, not jail, for those with drug addictions," and "automatic restoration of voting rights" after a sentence is served.

Has a history of being anti-marijuana, calling it a "gateway drug." As VP, Biden supported decriminalization, not legalization.

Minimum wage: He called for a $15 federal minimum wage in April.

Climate change: Biden introduced an ambitious climate plan in June, calling for net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

Allegations of inappropriate touching: 7 woman came forward in 2019 to address what they described as inappropriate touching.

Biden responded to allegations, saying he understands "social norms are changing" and "boundaries of protecting personal space have been reset."

Justice Clarence Thomas' Supreme Court confirmation: Biden, who formerly chaired the Senate Judiciary Committee, voted against Thomas, but was criticized for failing to defuse attacks against Anita Hill, who accused Thomas of sexual harassment.

Hyde Amendment: After criticism, Biden reversed his position on supporting a ban on federal funding for abortions.

The war on drugs and crime bills: In January, Biden expressed regret for supporting tough-on-crime bills during his time in Congress, which experts say has led to an era of mass incarceration that disproportionately affected black Americans.

Integration: He attempted to pass anti-busing legislation for school integration in the 1970s, a stance that garnered renewed criticism.

Immigration: During the 2008 Democratic primaries, Biden said he supported building a fence along the southern border to stop "illegals" from bringing drugs to the U.S.

Biden was the first Roman Catholic vice president in the U.S. 

What you need to know about the other 2020 presidential candidates

Biden got obliterated online for his gaffes

Joe Biden on the issues, in under 500 words

Biden could make inroads with blue-collar swing voters who broke for Trump in 2016.

Joe Biden. Photo: Mark Makela/Getty Images

Joe Biden

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Due to his moderate politics and name recognition, former Vice President Joe Biden may be well-suited to make <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="inroads with blue-collar swing voters" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/joe-biden-2020-rally-pennsylvania-0e958d42-9035-4ee3-b6b8-2e10aa740fe6.html" data-vars-content-id="56e407ce-1f01-4001-b556-734c634cf47a" data-vars-headline="Joe Biden on the issues, in under 500 words" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/joe-biden-2020-rally-pennsylvania-0e958d42-9035-4ee3-b6b8-2e10aa740fe6.html" target="_self">inroads with blue-collar swing voters</a> who broke for Trump in 2016.

President Biden has made the COVID-19 crisis and a post-Trump return to national unity and traditional democratic ideals his top priorities. From vaccinations to stimulus to schools, Biden is seeking bipartisan compromise while showing a willingness to use executive authority and bare Democratic majorities in the U.S. House and Senate to implement his policies. Republican leaders are navigating deep party divisions over if and how to move beyond former President Trump.

Politics & Policy

Many 2020 presidential hopefuls have reacted to the shooting at STEM School Highlands Ranch in suburban Denver Tuesday, with several stressing their pledges to change gun laws. 

Details: The White House called it a "hateful and horrible" act of violence and said President Trump was monitoring the situation. Here's how 2020 presidential candidates reacted.

What the presidential candidates are saying:

Sen. Elizabeth Warren: She tweeted, "Heartsick for the victims, their loved ones, and the Highlands Ranch community. How many more of our children’s schools must be torn apart by gun violence until Congress does something? We need gun reform. Now."

Sen. Cory Booker: He tweeted, "My heart aches. Another day, another school shooting. Every hour we wait more people are murdered—we have to pass comprehensive gun safety reform."

Southbend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg: He tweeted, "We have to solve the mass shooting epidemic. We — especially our students — should all feel safe in our communities. I’m praying for the students and families from STEM School Highlands Rach, and will not rest until we deliver common-sense gun reform."

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand: She tweeted, "Another school shooting. Another life cut far too short. Another family and community changed. Forever. How many more will it take?  I’m holding Highlands Ranch in my heart tonight. This can’t go on."

Sen Kamala Harris: She tweeted, "How many more children have to watch their classmates get shot before Congress and the White House act?"

Former Texas congressman Beto O'Rourke: He tweeted a video post of an interview on gun violence alongside his comments, "Yesterday, a 14-year-old told me she was afraid that she would be shot in her classroom. Today, students in Highlands Ranch were shot in theirs. We are not doing enough to protect the lives in our lives. We must take action now to stop gun violence in our communities."

Sen. Amy Klobuchar: She tweeted, "My heart goes out to the victims & their families at the STEM School Highlands Ranch, just eight miles away from Columbine High School. This has to stop. We must pass federal laws to end gun violence."

Rep. Eric Swalwell: He tweeted: "One thing we can all agree on: This should not be a child's reality.  #EnoughIsEnough #STEMShooting"

Rep. Seth Moulton: he tweeted, "This is the only country in the world where this happens regularly. Everyone else has figured it out — there should be no reason we haven’t."

Washington Gov. Jay Inslee: He tweeted, "My heart goes out to the Highlands Ranch community and the families of those injured. Every person in America should feel safe at school, the movies, nightclubs, their place of worship — everywhere. Aggressive gun safety reform is the only answer."

Former HUD Secretary Julián Castro: He tweeted, "We’ve lost another young person today, and seven more injured. This is not the nation we set out to become. We are losing our children to gun violence. They are our future, and we must do better to protect them."

Sen. Michael Bennet: He tweeted, "Heartbroken for this student’s family, loved ones, and classmates, and for everyone affected by today’s tragedy. This sickening reality has become too normal for our children. They deserve better. We have to do better. "

Venture for America founder Andrew Yang: He tweeted, "Every shooting hurts.  Let’s do something about it while it still hurts.  The danger is we become numb and it becomes commonplace.  We can do much more - we owe it to the next generation to rise to the challenge of school shootings via both improved mental health and gun safety."

Former Gov. John Hickenlooper: He tweeted, "My heart is with the parents, students, and faculty of @stemschoolHR , and the first responders who rushed to their aid. This is every parent's nightmare, and it's becoming every child's nightmare as well. We can't just accept this. We have to end this epidemic of gun violence."

Miramar, Florida, Mayor Wayne Messam: He tweeted: "Until this nation decides to have the political will to change the course of inaction, more tragedies are certain.   I believe America can act and I believe these tragedies can end. I have the political will to fight for this. #ChangeCantWait"

Spiritual leader, author and activist Marianne Williamson: She tweeted, "Another school shooting in Denver. Once again our NRA-owned senators & congressmen will offer thoughts & prayers & yet do nothing. I pray for the victims & for those who love them. And I pray for forgiveness for a country that puts gun sales before the safety of our own children."

Colorado STEM school shooting: What the 2020 candidates are saying

Many 2020 hopefuls reacted to the Denver STEM School shooting.

Kids of all ages are brought off buses to be reunited with their parents at the Highlands Ranch Recreation Center at Northridge after a shooting at the STEM school on Tuesday.

Students are reunited with their parents at the Highlands Ranch Recreation Center. Photo: Helen H. Richardson/MediaNews Group/The Denver Post via Getty Images

School shooting

Many 2020 presidential hopefuls have reacted to the <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="shooting" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/school-shooting-denver-stem-school-a95d3f0f-294c-44f5-963c-a2ea51e3bb22.html" data-vars-content-id="6a59a05c-58ee-45e2-962f-6b40f635a9a0" data-vars-headline="Colorado STEM school shooting: What the 2020 candidates are saying" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/school-shooting-denver-stem-school-a95d3f0f-294c-44f5-963c-a2ea51e3bb22.html" target="_self">shooting</a> at STEM School Highlands Ranch in suburban Denver Tuesday, with several stressing their pledges to change gun laws. Details: The White House called it a &quot;hateful and horrible&quot; act of violence and said President Trump was monitoring the situation. Here&#x27;s how 2020 presidential candidates reacted.

Attorney Michael Avenatti was at one point considered to be a rising Democratic star — one who was even contemplating a 2020 run after positioning himself as a champion of women’s rights and an outspoken foil to President Trump.

What's new: Avenatti is being sued for at least $9.5 million by a former client — a man who is paralyzed and claims the attorney siphoned $4 million from a settlement he had won. The claims underlying the suit are tied up in a federal prosecutors’ criminal case against Avenatti, over various matters in California and New York.

March–August 2018: Avenatti becomes a household name, dominating cable news shows to relentlessly taunt the president. 

He files three lawsuits on behalf of Stephanie Clifford, "Stormy" Daniels: One seeks to nullify a nondisclosure agreement Daniels signed in 2016 prohibiting her from discussing an affair she had with Trump; one claims that former Trump lawyer Michael Cohen conspired with the president to keep her quiet; and the last accuses Trump of defaming Daniels on Twitter. 

He also seeks to position himself as the face of Democrats' opposition to Trump, giving fiery speeches in Democratic circles that often attract presidential hopefuls.

October 2018: Avenatti faces backlash after filing what many believe is a falsified sexual misconduct claim on behalf of a client against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh. Democrats say he hurts their case against Kavanaugh, while Senate Judiciary chair Chuck Grassley refer him and his client to the Justice Department for criminal investigation.

He is also scrutinized for telling Time magazine in an interview that the 2020 Democratic nominee "better be a white male." He says only a white man can be taken seriously. 

November 2018: Avenatti is arrested in Los Angeles on suspicion of domestic violence, dealing the most significant blow yet to his political ambitions. After news breaks of his arrest, the Vermont Democratic Party cancels two events at which he was the featured speaker. Avenatti denies any wrongdoing. Next February, prosecutors will conclude that he won't face criminal charges for this. 

Later, Avenatti has a public fallout with Daniels, who tells The Daily Beast he went against her wishes by filing a defamation suit against Trump and starting a crowdfunding page to pay for her legal defense without informing her.

December 2018: Avenatti announces on Twitter that he will not be running for president in 2020. 

February 2019: Avenatti agrees to give up control of his longtime law firm after a former partner accuses him of "hiding millions of dollars from the court that oversaw its bankruptcy," the Los Angeles Times reports.

March 2019: Daniels says she has retained another attorney and she and Avenatti are parting ways, USA Today reports. 

Federal prosecutors in New York later announce Avenatti is being charged for attempting to extort $20 million from Nike. Prosecutors in California also charge him with wire and bank fraud.

April 2019: Federal prosecutors in California announce 36 charges against Avenatti for fraud, perjury, tax evasion, embezzlement and other financial crimes. Per the L.A. Times, Avenatti would face a maximum sentence of 335 years in prison if convicted on all 36 counts — not including his cases in New York and Los Angeles.

Avenatti pleaded not guilty in California on April 30 to charges he stole millions of dollars from clients who were awarded settlements, per ABC News.

May 2019: Avenatti pleaded not guilty before a federal judge in New York on Tuesday, May 28 to charges of wire fraud and aggregated identity theft involving his former client Stephanie Clifford, "Stormy Daniels."

He also pleaded "100% not guilty!" on Tuesday to charges that he extorted Nike.

June 2019: Avenatti is being sued by a former client — a man who is paralyzed and claims the attorney siphoned $4 million from a settlement he had won, reports Reuters.

Read the first two cases against Avenatti

Read the latest 36 charges against Avenatti

Timeline: The rise and fall of Michael Avenatti

He was once a ubiquitous presence on cable news. Now, he may be headed to prison.

Michael Avenatti, the attorney for Stormy Daniels. 

Photo: Jennifer S. Altman/for The Washington Post via Getty Images

Michael Avenatti

Attorney Michael Avenatti was at one point considered to be a rising Democratic star — one who was even contemplating a 2020 run after positioning himself as a champion of women’s rights and an outspoken foil to President Trump.What&#x27;s new: Avenatti is being sued for at least $9.5 million by a former client — a man who is paralyzed and claims the attorney siphoned $4 million from a settlement he had won. The claims underlying the suit are tied up in a federal prosecutors’ criminal case against Avenatti, over various matters in California and New York.

Prosecutors on Wednesday said the 2 suspects involved in the May 7 school shooting at STEM School Highlands Ranch that left 1 student dead and 8 wounded, were formally charged with more than a dozen counts of murder and attempted murder as well as theft and arson, reports the AP.

Details: All injured students have been released from Denver area hospitals. Wednesday's hearing was just hours before a memorial service for Kendrick Castillo — the 18-year-old student who was killed.

The latest: On Wednesday, May 15, Judge Theresa Slade refused a request from the defense to allow the 18-year-old suspect to be unshackled for the hearing and ruled that information related to the case — including arrest affidavits — will not be made public.

The 18-year-old suspect's next court date is set for June 7.

What we know: Authorities responded to a middle school administrator's phone call just before 2 pm MST on Tuesday, May 7. Douglas County Sheriff Tony Spurlock said at a press conference the 2 suspects were believed to be students of the school. They were armed with at least 2 handguns, which they could not have purchased on their own due to their ages, he said.

Authorities said at a news conference 3 students who leapt from their desks to tackle the gunman saved lives, the AP reports. Among them was Castillo. His friend Brendan Bialy said he called out to Castillo after wrestling the gun away, but he was unresponsive. "Kendrick went out as a hero," Bialy said.

Spurlock said the 2 suspects engaged students at 2 separate locations.

The FBI is leading the crime scene investigation. 

A Denver Post journalist on the scene shared video of a car being towed away from a suspect's house. "A pentagram was spray painted on hood, with the numbers 666," the reporter, Kieran Nicholson said in his tweet.

Highland Ranch schools went into lockdown for several hours, according to the Douglas County School District.

White House adviser Ivanka Trump canceled a visit to the nearby Colorado city of Littleton because the administration "did not want to divert resources or attention" from the shooting, according to the Denver Post. She tweeted her reaction to the 4th school shooting in Colorado since the Columbine massacre, as did many 2020 presidential candidates and her father, President Trump.

A letter from December 2018 has surfaced from an anonymous parent to the director of the STEM School, flagging “concerns about student violence due to a high-pressure environment,” and harkening back to the Columbine massacre of 1999, Reuters reports. In the letter, the parent told Douglas County School Board of Education Director Wendy Vogel that “many students are suicidal and violent in school. Several students have reported sexual assault and nothing is being done.”

Suspects in deadly Colorado school shooting face murder charges

The judge refused a request from the defense to allow the 18-year-old suspect to be unshackled for Wednesday's hearing.

Students escorted school bus in front of STEM School Highlands Ranch after a shooting. 

Students escorted to a school bus at STEM School Highlands Ranch after the shooting. Photo: Hyoung Chang/MediaNews Group/The Denver Post via Getty Images

Prosecutors on Wednesday said the 2 suspects involved in the May 7 school shooting at STEM School Highlands Ranch that left 1 student dead and 8 wounded, were formally charged with more than a dozen counts of murder and attempted murder as well as theft and arson, <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="reports the AP." data-vars-click-url="https://apnews.com/af4087bcfb8a4749bb2f38f242aa7622" data-vars-content-id="a95d3f0f-294c-44f5-963c-a2ea51e3bb22" data-vars-headline="Suspects in deadly Colorado school shooting face murder charges" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://apnews.com/af4087bcfb8a4749bb2f38f242aa7622" target="_blank">reports the AP.</a>Details: All injured students have been released from Denver area hospitals. Wednesday&#x27;s hearing was just hours before a memorial service for Kendrick Castillo — the 18-year-old student who was killed.

Khorri Atkinson

Stories

Joe Biden on the issues, in under 500 words

Second-term Supreme Court cases to watch

Timeline: The rise and fall of Michael Avenatti

Suspects in deadly Colorado school shooting face murder charges

Colorado STEM school shooting: What the 2020 candidates are saying