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2015 term United States Supreme Court opinions of Clarence Thomas

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The 2015 term of the Supreme Court of the United States began October 5, 2015, and concluded October 2, 2016. This was the twenty-fifth term of Associate Justice Clarence Thomas's tenure on the Court.
Clarence Thomas 2015 term statistics
7
Majority or Plurality
16
Concurrence
0
Other
25
Dissent
1
Concurrence/dissent Total = 49
Bench opinions = 39 Opinions relating to orders = 10 In-chambers opinions = 0
Unanimous opinions: 2 Most joined by: Alito (13 in full, 1 in part) Least joined by: Scalia, Ginsburg (4)[1]
Type Case Citation Issues Joined by Other opinions
401



New Hampshire Right to Life v. Department of Health and Human Services 577 U.S. ___ (2015)

Freedom of Information Act Scalia
Thomas dissented from the Court's denial of certiorari.
402



Friedman v. Highland Park 577 U.S. ___ (2015)

Second Amendment  • right to keep and bear arms  • municipal ban on semiautomatic firearms and high-capacity magazines Scalia
Thomas dissented from the Court's denial of certiorari.
403



DIRECTV, Inc. v. Imburgia 577 U.S. ___ (2015)

Federal Arbitration Act
Breyer
Ginsburg
104



Montanile v. Board of Trustees of Nat. Elevator Industry Health Benefit Plan 577 U.S. ___ (2016)

Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974  • equitable remedies for plan enforcement Roberts, Scalia, Kennedy, Breyer, Sotomayor, Kagan; Alito (in part)
Ginsburg
205



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
Roberts
Alito
406



Montgomery v. Louisiana 577 U.S. ___ (2016)

Eighth Amendment  • mandatory life imprisonment of minors  • retroactivity of new constitutional rules
Kennedy
Scalia
107



Musacchio v. United States 577 U.S. ___ (2016)

challenge to sufficiency of evidence based on incorrect jury instructions  • waiver of statute of limitations Unanimous
208



California Building Industry Assn. v. San Jose 577 U.S. ___ (2016)

ordinance requiring new developments include low income housing  • Fifth Amendment  • Takings Clause
Thomas concurred in the Court's denial of certiorari.
209



Gobeille v. Liberty Mut. Ins. Co. 577 U.S. ___ (2016)

Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974  • preemption of state law health care disclosure requirements
Kennedy
Breyer
Ginsburg
410



American Freedom Defense Initiative v. King County 577 U.S. ___ (2016)

First Amendment  • free speech  • public forum doctrine  • advertising in public transit areas Alito
Thomas dissented from the Court's denial of certiorari.
411



Nebraska v. Colorado 577 U.S. ___ (2016)

discretion to decline original jurisdiction suits  • Colorado Amendment 64 Alito
Thomas dissented from the Court's denial of leave to file complaint.
412



Tyson Foods, Inc. v. Bouaphakeo 577 U.S. ___ (2016)

Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938  • certification of class action  • compensibility for varying times spent donning and doffing protective gear Alito
Kennedy
Roberts
113



Nebraska v. Parker 577 U.S. ___ (2016)

Omaha Indian Reservation  • diminishment of reservation boundaries Unanimous[2]
214



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

pretrial asset freezing  • Sixth Amendment  • right to counsel of one's choice
Breyer
Kennedy
Kagan
215



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

legislative redistricting based on total state population  • Fourteenth Amendment  • Equal Protection Clause  • one person, one vote doctrine
Ginsburg
Alito
416



Kakarala v. Wells Fargo Bank, N. A. 578 U.S. ___ (2016)

federal court review of orders remanding cases to state court
Thomas dissented from the Court's denial of certiorari.
417



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

Armed Career Criminal Act  • retroactive effect of court decision on collateral review
Kennedy
218



Hughes v. Talen Energy Marketing, LLC 578 U.S. ___ (2016)

Federal Power Act  • interstate wholesale electricity rates  • federal preemption
Ginsburg
Sotomayor
419



Arrigoni Enterprises, LLC. v. Durham 578 U.S. ___ (2016)

Fifth Amendment  • Takings Clause  • exhaustion of remedies under state procedures Kennedy
Thomas dissented from the Court's denial of certiorari.
420



Heffernan v. City of Paterson 578 U.S. ___ (2016)

First Amendment  • free speech by government employees  • demotion based on employer's factual mistake regarding engagement in protected activity Alito
Breyer
421



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

Hobbs Act  • conspiracy
Alito
Breyer
Sotomayor
222



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

Fair Credit Reporting Act of 1970  • Article III  • injury-in-fact
Alito
Ginsburg
423



Husky Int'l Electronics, Inc. v. Ritz 578 U.S. ___ (2016)

bankruptcy law  • Chapter 7  • discharge exception for actual fraud
Sotomayor
224



Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Inc. v. Manning 578 U.S. ___ (2016)

Securities Exchange Act of 1934  • removal jurisdiction  • federal question jurisdiction Sotomayor
Kagan
425



United Student Aid Funds, Inc. v. Bible 578 U.S. ___ (2016)

administrative law  • deference to agency interpretation
Thomas dissented from the denial of certiorari.
226



CRST Van Expedited, Inc. v. EEOC 578 U.S. ___ (2016)

Title VII  • award of attorney's fees to prevailing party
Kennedy
227



Betterman v. Montana 578 U.S. ___ (2016)

Sixth Amendment  • Speedy Trial Clause  • postconviction delay in sentencing Alito
Ginsburg
Sotomayor
428



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

Fourteenth Amendment  • Equal Protection Clause  • racial discrimination in juror peremptory challenges  • adequate and independent state ground
Roberts
Alito
429



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

Title VII  • constructive discharge  • statute of limitations
Sotomayor
Alito
230



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

Eighth Amendment  • mandatory life imprisonment of minors  • retroactivity of new constitutional rules Alito
Alito
Sotomayor
Thomas concurred in the Court's decision to grant certiorari, vacate the lower court's opinion, and remand.
431



Lynch v. Arizona 578 U.S. ___ (2016)

Fourteenth Amendment  • Due Process Clause  • death penalty  • right to inform jury at sentencing of parole ineligibility Alito
per curiam
232



Ross v. Blake 578 U.S. ___ (2016)

Prison Litigation Reform Act of 1995  • exhaustion of remedies
Kagan
Breyer
433



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

Fourteenth Amendment  • Due Process Clause  • judicial recusal due to prior involvement as prosecutor
Kennedy
Roberts
434



Dietz v. Bouldin 579 U.S. ___ (2016)

district court recall of jury in civil case after discharge Kennedy
Sotomayor
235



Puerto Rico v. Sanchez Valle 579 U.S. ___ (2016)

Double Jeopardy Clause  • sovereignty of Puerto Rico
Kagan
Ginsburg
Breyer
136



Puerto Rico v. Franklin Cal. Tax-Free Trust 579 U.S. ___ (2016)

bankruptcy law  • preemption of municipal bankruptcy laws  • Puerto Rican government-debt crisis Roberts, Kennedy, Breyer, Kagan
Sotomayor
237



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

federal crime of domestic violence in Indian lands  • tribal court conviction as predicate offense  • Indian Civil Rights Act of 1968  • Sixth Amendment  • Assistance of Counsel Clause  • Fifth Amendment  • Due Process Clause
Ginsburg
138



Kingdomware Technologies, Inc. v. United States 579 U.S. ___ (2016)

Veterans Benefits, Health Care, and Information Technology Act of 2006  • Department of Defense contracting with veteran-owned small businesses Unanimous[2]
139



Universal Health Services, Inc. v. United States ex rel. Escobar 579 U.S. ___ (2016)

False Claims Act  • implied false certification theory  • failure to disclose noncompliance with legal requirements Unanimous[2]
440



Encino Motorcars, LLC v. Navarro 579 U.S. ___ (2016)

Fair Labor Standards Act  • overtime exemption for automobile service advisors Alito
Kennedy
Ginsburg
141



Utah v. Strieff 579 U.S. ___ (2016)

Fourth Amendment  • exclusionary rule  • attenuation doctrine Roberts, Kennedy, Breyer, Alito
Sotomayor
Kagan
242



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

Leahy-Smith America Invents Act  • appealability of decision to conduct inter partes review
Breyer
Alito
443



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

Hobbs Act  • robbery of drug dealers as satisfaction of commerce requirement
Alito
444



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

Fourteenth Amendment  • Equal Protection Clause  • affirmative action  • race-conscious college admissions program
Kennedy
Alito
345



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
Alito
Sotomayor
246



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

Armed Career Criminal Act  • sentence enhancement for prior convictions
Kagan
Kennedy
Breyer
Alito
447



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

Fourteenth Amendment  • abortion  • regulation of abortion providers  • Texas Senate Bill 5  • res judicata
Breyer
Ginsburg
Alito
448



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

federal criminal law  • prohibition on firearm ownership for misdemeanor domestic violence conviction  • Second Amendment Sotomayor (in part)
Kagan
449



Delaware Strong Families v. Denn 579 U.S. ___ (2016)

First Amendment  • campaign finance reform  • mandated disclosure of anonymous donors
Thomas dissented from the Court's denial of certiorari.

Notes

  1. ^ All but eight of Thomas's opinions were issued after Justice Scalia's death.
  2. ^ a b c 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.