Southwest
Gun rights, gender transitions, medical pot among issues SCOTUS will tackle this term
Gun rights, medical marijuana use, regulation of e-cigarettes and gender transition medical procedures for minors are just a few of the issues awaiting the Supreme Court when it comes back to work from its summer recess two weeks from today.
Last term, the court decided a series of politically charged cases like former President Trump’s presidential immunity case, a challenge to the government’s regulation of the abortion pill and free speech in the digital age.
The high court will kick off the 2024 term on Oct. 7 as it also navigates pressure from Democratic lawmakers for Congress to impose a new code of ethics and term limits.
Here are some cases to watch:
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A view of the U.S. Supreme Court building at sunrise on Sept. 5, 2024, in Washington, D.C. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
Garland v. VanDerStok
In a challenge to the Biden administration’s regulation on so-called “ghost guns,” the Supreme Court will decide whether the federal rule is constitutional.
The rule in question was issued in 2022 by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) to regulate “buy build shoot” kits that are available online or in stores that allow any individual to assemble a working firearm without a background check or the usual serial numbers required by the federal government.
The Biden administration argued the rule is necessary to respond to rising numbers of untraceable guns. The Justice Department had argued in court that local law enforcement agencies seized more than 19,000 ghost guns at crime scenes in 2021, a more than tenfold increase in just five years.
However, gun rights groups say the rule is “unconstitutional and abusive.”
Medical Marijuana v. Horn
In this case, a truck driver, Douglas Horn is suing a medical marijuana company after he took one of its CBD products for chronic pain.
But after he failed a drug test and lost his job, he sued the company using the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) – a federal statute used to fight organized crime. The justices will decide whether Horn can continue his suit.
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The Supreme Court on July 29, 2024 in Washington, D.C. (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)
Bufkin v. McDonough
In this case, two veterans sued after they were repeatedly denied medical care for post-traumatic stress disorder after the Department of Veteran’s Affairs said they did not qualify for care. The case could expand benefits for thousands of veterans.
Food and Drug Administration v. Wages and White Lion Investments, LLC
This case will decide whether to allow the FDA to deny approval for fruit-flavored e-cigarettes. The FDA asked the high court to overturn a ruling that overruled the agency’s denial, warning that the decision has “far-reaching consequences for public health.”
The agency has authorized the marketing of four e-cigarette products in the U.S., including the first menthol-flavored vaping product. But the FDA has routinely denied applications for fruit-flavored products, claiming the risks of addicting children outweigh any benefits for the rest of the population.
U.S. v. Skrmetti
This case will review the Biden administration’s “equal protection” challenge to Tennessee’s ban on puberty blockers and transgender surgeries for minors.
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Members of the Supreme Court, seated from left, Justices Sonia Sotomayor and Clarence Thomas, Chief Justice John Roberts, Justices Samuel Alito and Elena Kagan, and, standing from left, Justices Amy Coney Barrett, Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh and Ketanji Brown Jackson pose for their official portrait at the East Conference Room of the Supreme Court building on Oct. 7, 2022. (Alex Wong/Getty Images)
It is the first time the high court will consider restrictions on puberty blockers, hormone therapy and surgery for minors. Tennessee is one of 22 states that has measures banning such medical intervention for minors.
Free Speech Coalition v. Paxton
This challenge, launched by a trade association for adult-only content, asks the high court to decide whether a Texas law’s age verification requirement for accessing online sexual content violates the First Amendment.
The law passed in 2023 sets requirements for any commercial website where more than one-third of its content is “sexual material harmful to minors.”
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Los Angeles, Ca
Protests mark 1-year anniversary of federal agents storming L.A.’s Fashion District
Events and protests were held in downtown Los Angeles Saturday on the one-year anniversary of one of the largest immigration enforcement actions in California.
One June 6, 2025, federal agents stormed the L.A. Fashion District, arresting and detaining dozens of workers.
The enforcement action served as a catalyst, igniting a wave of subsequent raids across Southern California. In response, city leaders affirmed their “unwavering commitment to the immigrant communities” in Los Angeles, as events were held throughout the city to remember those who were deported and those whose immigration cases remain unresolved.
Protesters advocating for immigrant communities gathered outside a federal detention center in downtown Saturday, waving flags and signs. One woman was arrested during a clash with police.
The initial raid in the L.A. Garment District swept up workers, including the father of one woman who described the experience as “one of the most traumatic experiences” of their lives. This operation was among the first deportation actions that resulted in families being separated and triggered days of civil unrest.
At a commemoration event, L.A. Mayor Karen Bass and the Executive Director of the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of L.A. stood together, vowing to protect immigrant communities living in fear.
“We all felt attacked, and I think what’s so critical today, is to know and remember and acknowledge that this is still going on every day,” Bass said.
While the Department of Homeland Security maintains that its enforcement operations target criminals, families of those detained argue that immigration enforcement terrorizes hardworking people. These families contend that many immigrants pay taxes and contribute to society, even if they are not U.S. citizens.
Immigration attorneys report that thousands of individuals are still trying to locate their loved ones. They also highlighted that hundreds of people swept up in immigration raids last year remain detained in facilities, facing medical neglect, inhumane conditions and the denial of basic due process protections.
Watch the full report from KTLA’s Sara Welch in the video at the top of this story.
All facts in this report were gathered by journalists employed by KTLA. Artificial intelligence tools were used to reformat information into a news article for our website. This report was edited and fact-checked by KTLA staff before being published.
Los Angeles, Ca
Pasadena motorist knocked unconscious in unprovoked assault after other driver flashes high beams at him
A motorist was rendered unconscious after what authorities are calling an unprovoked attack that occurred after another driver flashed their high beams at him, authorities say.
According to the Pasadena Police Department, the victim, a 63-year-old man, was driving northbound on Raymond Avenue near Washington Boulevard when a vehicle traveling in the opposite direction flashed him around 1 a.m. Saturday.
“The victim reported that he was driving northbound on Raymond Avenue from Washington Boulevard when he observed a vehicle traveling southbound flashing its high beams at him,” a Pasadena Police Department spokesperson confirmed to KTLA. “The victim stated he stopped his vehicle and exited. He was then assaulted by an unknown suspect. The assault was unprovoked.”
The attack left the man unconscious and with a three-inch deep laceration to his head, police added. Upon regaining consciousness, the man transported himself to Huntington Hospital, and it was around 1:20 a.m. when police responded there to a report of an assault with a deadly weapon and began their investigation.
Upon arriving at the hospital, the victim told police that, due to his injuries, he was not able to provide a description of a suspect, vehicle or the weapon used, nor was he able to tell police the exact location where the assault occurred, although it was confirmed to be somewhere near Raymond Avenue and Washington Boulevard. La Pintoresca Park is located near that intersection.
No further details were immediately available.
Anyone with any information on the incident is asked to contact the Pasadena Police Department right away.
Sofia Pop Perez contributed to this report.
Los Angeles, Ca
Woman killed by driver while crossing PCH in Long Beach
A woman was struck and killed by a driver while crossing the street on Pacific Coast Highway in Long Beach.
On June 3, the female pedestrian was using the crosswalk at Pacific Coast Highway and Pacific Avenue around 4:50 a.m.
She had walked against a red light and was hit by a 19-year-old driver in a Chevy sedan, Long Beach police said.
Despite lifesaving efforts, the woman was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver remained at the scene and is cooperating with the investigation.
“At this time, impaired driving, distracted driving and excessive speed are not believed to be a factor in this collision,” police said.
The woman’s name is being withheld pending identification by the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner.
Anyone who witnessed the crash or has information on the incident is asked to call Detective Joseph Johnson at 562-570-7355.
Anonymous tips can be provided to L.A. Regional Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or online at lacrimestoppers.org.
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