2011 term United States Supreme Court opinions of Samuel Alito

Maples v. Thomas

565 U.S. 266 (2012)

habeas corpus • excusable procedural default • abandonment by counsel

United States v. Jones

565 U.S. 400 (2012)

Fourth Amendment • GPS tracking of suspect's vehicle

Ginsburg, Breyer, Kagan

Howes v. Fields

565 U.S. 499 (2012)

Miranda warning • custodial status of prison inmate during interrogation

Roberts, Scalia, Kennedy, Thomas, Kagan

Buck v. Thaler • [full text]

565 U.S. 1022 (2011)

death penalty

Scalia, Breyer

Alito filed a statement respecting the Court's denial of certiorari in a case involving a murder conviction and death sentence in Texas state court. During the sentencing phase, a psychologist had improperly testified that blacks were more likely to be violent. The psychologist, however, was a defense witness, and his statements elicited during cross-examination on race as a predictor of future violence did not go beyond his direct testimony on the issue. The defendant was, therefore, himself responsible for the introduction of the inappropriate race-related statements .

Further reading

AP/The Huffington Post (November 7, 2011), "Duane Buck, Texas Death Row Inmate, Refused Supreme Court Appeal", The Huffington Post

Doe v. Reed • [full text]

565 U.S. 1048 (2011)

disclosure of referendum petitions

Alito dissented from the Court's denial of an injunction, in a case involving a Washington state law that compelled disclosure of referendum petitions. The Court had previously decided in the case to reject a facial challenge to the constitutionality of the law, brought by supporters of a failed petition to bar domestic partnership rights to same-sex couples. On remand, the District Court also rejected the plaintiffs' as-applied challenge, ruling that they were not part of the narrow group that could challenge disclosure, and in the alternative that they had not shown the requisite threatened harm that disclosure would cause. Alito thought the standards the District Court applied were questionable and that important legal issues were raised by the case, for which there had not yet been meaningful appellate review.

Sackett v. EPA

566 U.S. 120 (2012)

Clean Water Act • discharge of pollutants into navigable waters • finality of EPA compliance order under Administrative Procedure Act

Lafler v. Cooper

566 U.S. 156 (2012)

ineffective assistance of counsel • rejection of plea bargain as prejudice

Zivotofsky v. Clinton

566 U.S. 189 (2012)

political question doctrine • U.S. position on status of Jerusalem • Foreign Relations Authorization Act, Fiscal Year 2003 • passport designation of births in Jerusalem

FAA v. Cooper

566 U.S. 284 (2012)

Privacy Act of 1974 • sovereign immunity • damages for mental or emotional distress

Roberts, Scalia, Kennedy, Thomas

Florence v. Board of Chosen Freeholders of County of Burlington

566 U.S. 318 (2012)

Fourth Amendment • strip searches in jail of arrestees of minor offenses

Ginsburg, Sotomayor, Kagan

Rehberg v. Paulk

566 U.S. 356 (2012)

Section 1983 • absolute immunity for grand jury witnesses

Unanimous

Taniguchi v. Kan Pacific Saipan, Ltd.

566 U.S. 560 (2012)

Court Interpreters Act • document translation expenses as court costs awardable to prevailing parties

Roberts, Scalia, Kennedy, Thomas, Kagan

Elgin v. Department of Treasury

567 U.S. 1 (2012)

Civil Service Reform Act of 1978 • Merit Systems Protection Board • jurisdiction over constitutional claims by federal employees

Ginsburg, Kagan

Williams v. Illinois

567 U.S. 50 (2012)

Sixth Amendment • Confrontation Clause • expert testimony

Roberts, Kennedy, Breyer

Kagan

Christopher v. SmithKline Beecham Corp.

567 U.S. 142 (2012)

Fair Labor Standards Act • exemption of outside salesmen from overtime regulations • status of pharmaceutical sales representatives

Roberts, Scalia, Kennedy, Thomas

Knox v. Service Employees

567 U.S. 298 (2012)

mootness due to voluntary cessation • First Amendment • compulsory fees for political lobbying by public sector agency shop

Roberts, Scalia, Kennedy, Thomas

Arizona v. United States

567 U.S. 387 (2012)

immigration • federal preemption • Arizona SB 1070

Miller v. Alabama

567 U.S. 460 (2012)

Eighth Amendment • Cruel and Unusual Punishment • sentencing of juveniles to life without parole

Scalia

National Federation of Independent Business v. Sebelius

567 U.S. 519 (2012)

Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act • individual mandate • Anti-Injunction Act • Commerce Clause • Necessary and Proper Clause • Medicaid expansion • coercive conditions on federal spending

Signed jointly with Scalia, Kennedy, and Thomas.

United States v. Alvarez

567 U.S. 709 (2012)

Stolen Valor Act of 2005 • First Amendment • freedom of speech • protection of false statements

Scalia, Thomas