CLE
Michael Dorf
Michael Dorf Cornell Law School
Vikram Amar
Vikram Amar UC Davis School of Law
Key Rulings From the 2024–2025 Supreme Court Term Breaking Down the Bench
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Overview AI Webinar Summary
Key Rulings From the 2024–2025 Supreme Court Term: Breaking Down the Bench

Join us for another lively Supreme Court Term discussion as Professors Amar and Dorf return to discuss the leading cases the Supreme Court decided in its most recent Term, as well as those issues that the Court failed to address. Topics may include: universal injunctions (Trump v. CASA), transgender healthcare rights (U.S. v. Skrmetti), religious exercise in schools (Mahmoud v. Taylor), the executive power of presidents (Trump v. Wilcox), the legal authority of DHS (Noem v. Doe), and more.

Topics covered include:
Supreme Court
Agenda:
Duration of this webinar: 60 minutes
Originally broadcast: July 21, 2025 11:00 AM PT
Webinar Highlights

This webinar is divided into section summaries, which you can scan for key points and then dive into the sections that interest you the most.

Introduction
Vikram Amar and Michael Dorf are experts in constitutional law and will discuss key Supreme Court rulings. The speakers emphasize the importance of understanding the Supreme Court's role within the broader context of the judiciary and democratic institutions. They discuss the impact of the new administration's executive orders, categorizing them into lawful but contentious versus constitutionally questionable actions. The speakers note the significant number of injunctions issued by district courts against these executive orders.
Supreme Court and Executive Orders
The discussion focuses on the Supreme Court's handling of executive orders and the concept of the 'shadow docket.' The speakers highlight the administration's selective approach in appealing cases to the Supreme Court. They express concern over the administration's actions that may not reach the Supreme Court, such as executive orders affecting universities and law firms. They discuss the role of other institutions, like Congress and the media, as counterweights to presidential power, noting their varying effectiveness. The speakers emphasize the influence of international markets as a constraint on presidential actions.
Universal Injunctions and CASA Case
The discussion shifts to the topic of universal injunctions, focusing on the Trump v. CASA case. Universal injunctions are explained as court orders that apply beyond the immediate parties involved in a case. The Supreme Court's stance is that federal courts should not grant relief beyond what is necessary to protect the plaintiffs. The speakers discuss the implications of universal injunctions, noting their potential to create an unfair advantage for plaintiffs. They highlight the limitations of enforcing universal injunctions, especially when the administration chooses not to comply. The speakers suggest that class actions may offer a more effective legal strategy than universal injunctions.
Gender-Affirming Care and Equal Protection
The discussion moves to the case of United States v. Skrmetti, which involves a Tennessee law banning gender-affirming care for transgender minors. The law is challenged on equal protection grounds, with the Supreme Court ultimately rejecting the discrimination claims. The court's decision is based on the rationale that the law does not discriminate based on sex or transgender status. The speakers critique the court's reasoning, comparing it to past decisions on pregnancy discrimination. The speakers discuss the implications of the court's decision for transgender rights and equal protection.
Parental Rights and LGBTQ+ Curriculum
The discussion continues with the Mahmoud case, which involves parental rights and an LGBTQ+ inclusive curriculum in public schools. Parents objected to the curriculum on religious grounds, leading to a legal challenge. The Supreme Court sided with the parents, recognizing a religious right to direct their children's upbringing. The speakers discuss the implications of this decision for public schools and religious accommodations. They highlight the potential for this ruling to lead to further challenges based on religious objections to school curricula.
Shadow Docket and Executive Power
The discussion turns to the shadow docket and the Supreme Court's handling of executive power cases. The speakers discuss the implications of the court's decisions for the enforcement of executive orders and regulatory programs. They highlight the potential for irreparable harm when government actions are blocked by court injunctions. They express concern over the lack of transparency in the court's decision-making process. The speakers discuss the role of the shadow docket in shaping legal outcomes without full briefing or explanation.

Please note this AI-generated summary provides a general overview of the webinar but may not capture all details, nuances, or the exact words of the speaker. For complete accuracy, please refer to the original webinar recording.

Continuing Legal Education (CLE) Credits

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California CLE

Status: Approved

Credits: 1.00 General

Earn Credit Until: June 30, 2026

North Carolina CLE

Status: Approved

Credits: 1.00 General

Earn Credit Until: February 28, 2026

South Carolina CLE

Status: Approved

Credits: 1.00 General

Difficulty: All Levels

Earn Credit Until: December 31, 2025

Texas CLE

Status: Approved

Credits: 1.00 General

Earn Credit Until: June 30, 2026


This presentation is approved for one hour of General CLE credit in California, North Carolina, and South Carolina (all levels). This course has been approved for Minimum Continuing Legal Education credit by the State Bar of Texas Committee on MCLE in the amount of 1.00 credit hours.

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Speakers
Michael Dorf
Michael Dorf Professor of Law
Cornell Law School

Michael C. Dorf teaches constitutional law, federal courts, and related subjects at Cornell Law School. He has authored or co-authored six books and over one hundred scholarly articles and essays for law journals and peer-reviewed science and social science journals. He also writes a bi-weekly column for Justia’s Verdict and publishes a popular blog, Dorf on Law: www.dorfonlaw.org. Dorf received his undergraduate and law degrees from Harvard. Read More ›

Vikram Amar
Vikram Amar Distinguished Professor of Law
UC Davis School of Law

Vikram Amar is a Distinguished Professor of Law at UC Davis, and was previously the dean and the Iwan Foundation Professor of Law at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign College of Law from 2015-2023. Amar has also taught law at Berkeley School of Law, Hastings College of Law and UCLA School of Law. Amar is one of the most eminent and frequently cited authorities in constitutional law, federal courts, and civil procedure. He has written several books and more than 60 articles in leading law reviews. He is a co-author (along with Akhil Reed Amar) of the upcoming revised multi-volume Treatise on Constitutional Law (West Publishing Co.) pioneered by Ron Rotunda and John Nowak. Read More ›

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