Supreme Court Begins 2025-2026 Term with Focus on Executive Power and Voting Rights

The Supreme Court began its 2025-2026 term on October 6, 2025, with a docket featuring critical cases on executive power, voting rights, and constitutional law. The October session includes 10 oral arguments over five days, with several cases that could fundamentally reshape American governance.

Key cases scheduled for the term include Louisiana v. Callais (October 15), which could further weaken the Voting Rights Act by questioning whether states can consider race when drawing districts to comply with Section 2 protections. The Court also scheduled December oral arguments in a case reconsidering the landmark Humphrey’s Executor precedent, which limits presidential power to fire independent agency heads.

Legal scholars noted this term’s docket reflects the Court’s continued rightward trajectory, with multiple cases that could expand presidential authority while curtailing civil rights protections. The session opened with Villareal v. Texas, addressing right-to-counsel issues, and includes cases on conversion therapy bans, voting rights enforcement, and administrative law. The term’s outcome could determine the balance of power between branches and the future of federal regulatory agencies.