This Will Be the Supreme Court’s Most Consequential Term Yet

The Supreme Court term that begins on Monday is shaping up to be one of the most consequential in modern history — not because of the cases that are on its docket, but because the court will be entering a decisive phase in its ongoing struggle with President Donald Trump’s assault on constitutional norms and his bid to consolidate power in the executive branch.

Having mostly avoided direct conflict with Trump during his first nine months in office, the court now faces some hard decisions about taking him on. Some of the cases in which the court will have to choose whether to take a stand will come through its regular merits docket, but many others will arrive on the panel’s emergency docket, which has become increasingly important for establishing the court’s capacity to protect basic legal principles.