2015 term United States Supreme Court opinions of Samuel Alito

The 2015 term of the Supreme Court of the United States began October 5, 2015, and concluded October 2, 2016. This was the eleventh term of Associate Justice Samuel Alito's tenure on the Court.
Samuel Alito 2015 term statistics
7
Majority or Plurality
7
Concurrence
0
Other
10
Dissent
1
Concurrence/dissent Total = 25
Bench opinions = 19 Opinions relating to orders = 6 In-chambers opinions = 0
Unanimous opinions: 2 Most joined by: Thomas (14 in full, 1 in part) Least joined by: Scalia (1)[1]
Type Case Citation Issues Joined by Other opinions
401



Hurst v. Florida 577 U.S. ___ (2016)

 death penalty  • Sixth Amendment  • right to a jury trial  • judicial factfinding of aggravating circumstances after jury advisory recommendation
Sotomayor
Breyer
402



Campbell-Ewald v. Gomez 577 U.S. ___ (2016)

 Article III  • Case or Controversy Clause  • effect of unaccepted settlement offer or offer of judgment on mootness  • Telephone Consumer Protection Act  • liability of federal contractor
Ginsburg
Thomas
Roberts
103



Menominee Tribe of Wis. v. United States 577 U.S. ___ (2016)

 Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act  • Contract Disputes Act of 1978  • equitable tolling of statute of limitations Unanimous
204



Taylor v. Yee 577 U.S. ___ (2016)

 notification and length of state law escheat periods  • Fourteenth Amendment  • Due Process Clause Thomas
Alito concurred in the Court's denial of certiorari.
405



Ben-Levi v. Brown 577 U.S. ___ (2016)

 Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act of 2000  • First Amendment  • Free Exercise Clause  • prison denial of inmate request for group prayer
Alito dissented from the Court's denial of certiorari.
406



Wearry v. Cain 577 U.S. ___ (2016)

 Due Process Clause  • obligation of prosecution to turn over exculpatory evidence Thomas
per curiam
207



Caetano v. Massachusetts 577 U.S. ___ (2016)

 Second Amendment  • prohibition on stun gun ownership Thomas
per curiam
208



Evenwel v. Abbott 578 U.S. ___ (2016)

 legislative redistricting based on total state population  • Fourteenth Amendment  • Equal Protection Clause  • one person, one vote doctrine Thomas (in part)
Ginsburg
Thomas
109



Nichols v. United States 578 U.S. ___ (2016)

 Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act  • change of residence registration requirements Unanimous[2]
210



Molina-Martinez v. United States 578 U.S. ___ (2016)

 Federal Sentencing Guidelines  • sentencing based on incorrect range Thomas
Kennedy
111



Ocasio v. United States 578 U.S. ___ (2016)

 Hobbs Act  • conspiracy Kennedy, Ginsburg, Breyer, Kagan
Breyer
Thomas
Sotomayor
112



Spokeo, Inc. v. Robins 578 U.S. ___ (2016)

 Fair Credit Reporting Act of 1970  • Article III  • injury-in-fact Roberts, Kennedy, Thomas, Breyer, Kagan
Thomas
Ginsburg
213



Foster v. Chatman 578 U.S. ___ (2016)

 Fourteenth Amendment  • Equal Protection Clause  • racial discrimination in juror peremptory challenges  • adequate and independent state ground
Roberts
Thomas
214



Green v. Brennan 578 U.S. ___ (2016)

 Title VII  • constructive discharge  • statute of limitations
Sotomayor
Thomas
215



Adams v. Alabama 578 U.S. ___ (2016)

 Eighth Amendment  • mandatory life imprisonment of minors  • retroactivity of new constitutional rules Thomas
Thomas
Sotomayor
Alito concurred in the Court's decision to grant certiorari, vacate the lower court's opinion, and remand.
316



Cuozzo Speed Technologies, LLC v. Lee 579 U.S. ___ (2016)

 Leahy-Smith America Invents Act  • appealability of decision to conduct inter partes review Sotomayor
Breyer
Thomas
117



Taylor v. United States 579 U.S. ___ (2016)

 Hobbs Act  • robbery of drug dealers as satisfaction of commerce requirement Roberts, Kennedy, Ginsburg, Breyer, Sotomayor, Kagan
Thomas
118



RJR Nabisco, Inc. v. European Community 579 U.S. ___ (2016)

 Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act  • extraterritorial application Roberts, Kennedy, Thomas; Ginsburg, Breyer, Kagan (in part)
Ginsburg
Breyer
419



Williams v. Louisiana 579 U.S. ___ (2016)

 Fourteenth Amendment  • Equal Protection Clause  • racial discrimination in juror peremptory challenges  • judge-supplied race-neutral reason for challenge Thomas
Ginsburg
Alito dissented from the Court's order to grant, vacate, and remand.
420



Flowers v. Mississippi 579 U.S. ___ (2016)

 Fourteenth Amendment  • Equal Protection Clause  • racial discrimination in juror peremptory challenges  • GVR orders Thomas
Alito dissented from the Court's order to grant, vacate, and remand.
421



Fisher v. University of Tex. at Austin 579 U.S. ___ (2016)

 Fourteenth Amendment  • Equal Protection Clause  • affirmative action  • race-conscious college admissions program Roberts, Thomas
Kennedy
Thomas
122



Birchfield v. North Dakota 579 U.S. ___ (2016)

 Fourth Amendment  • search incident to arrest  • drunk driving  • implied consent to breathalyzer or blood alcohol content tests Roberts, Kennedy, Breyer, Kagan
Thomas
Sotomayor
423



Mathis v. United States 579 U.S. ___ (2016)

 Armed Career Criminal Act  • sentence enhancement for prior convictions
Kagan
Kennedy
Thomas
Breyer
424



Whole Woman's Health v. Hellerstedt 579 U.S. ___ (2016)

 Fourteenth Amendment  • abortion  • regulation of abortion providers  • Texas Senate Bill 5  • res judicata Roberts, Thomas
Breyer
Ginsburg
Thomas
425



Stormans, Inc. v. Wiesman 579 U.S. ___ (2016)

 First Amendment  • Free Exercise Clause  • religious objection by pharmacist to dispensing emergency contraceptives Roberts, Thomas
Alito dissented from the Court's denial of certiorari.

Notes

  1. ^ All but three of Alito's opinions were issued after Justice Scalia's death. Of the justices who participated the entire term, Sotomayor joined the fewest of Alito's opinions, with four.
  2. ^ This opinion was handed down after the death of Justice Scalia, and so was unanimous as to the eight justices remaining on the Court.

References

  • "2015 Term Opinions of the Court". Supreme Court of the United States. Retrieved June 29, 2016.
  • "2015 Term Opinions Relating to Orders". Supreme Court of the United States. Retrieved June 29, 2016.
  • "2015 Term In-Chambers Opinions". Supreme Court of the United States. Retrieved June 29, 2016.