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Supreme Court opens new term with disputes over climate, firearms and immigration

The justices begin hearing 30 accepted cases, touching on corporate climate liability, gun bans and religious schooling.

Updated Oct 5, 2026 · 12:00 UTC3 reports

The short version

  • The Supreme Court began its new term after agreeing to hear 30 cases spanning major regulatory, social, and constitutional issues.[PBS NewsHour]
  • Arguments will examine whether local governments can sue energy firms over climate damage, and whether state bans on firearms like AR-15s violate the Second Amendment.[NPR]
  • Other matters before the court include challenges to the Trump administration's mandatory immigration detention and deportation policies, as well as Arizona voting rules.[ABC News]
  • A key unknown is whether the court will add high-profile pending matters, including military transgender policies or former President Trump's defamation appeal.[PBS NewsHour]

Key facts

  • The Supreme Court has agreed so far to hear 30 cases during this term.[PBS NewsHour]
  • The term's opening argument addresses whether local and state governments can sue fossil fuel companies for allegedly misleading the public on climate impacts, with billions of dollars potentially at stake.[NPR · ABC News]
  • Justice Samuel Alito recused himself from the Boulder, Colorado climate change litigation on Sept. 28.[PBS NewsHour]
  • A December case will consider whether state and local prohibitions on semi-automatic weapons like AR-15 rifles violate the Second Amendment.[NPR · ABC News]
  • The justices will review two immigration policies: one regarding deporting migrants unable to be quickly returned home, and another involving mandatory detention of undocumented immigrants.[ABC News]
  • A Colorado case addresses whether a Catholic preschool that refuses LGBTQ students or families can be denied universal preschool funding under state anti-discrimination law.[NPR]
  • The docket includes a challenge to Arizona voting measures mandating citizenship proof for state voter registration forms and voter roll purges.[ABC News]

What remains uncertain

  • According to Supreme Court analyst Amy Howe, it remains uncertain whether the justices will add disputes over the military transgender ban or Donald Trump's defamation appeal.[PBS NewsHour]

Sources

Outlet counts describe coverage, not independent confirmation. Reports may share a wire service or original source.