2009 term United States Supreme Court opinions of Samuel Alito

Summary

The 2009 term of the Supreme Court of the United States began October 5, 2009, and concluded October 4, 2010. This was the fifth term of Associate Justice Samuel Alito's tenure on the Court.
Samuel Alito 2009 term statistics
8
Majority or Plurality
10
Concurrence
0
Other
8
Dissent
0
Concurrence/dissent Total = 26
Bench opinions = 25 Opinions relating to orders = 1 In-chambers opinions = 0
Unanimous opinions: 2 Most joined by: Roberts (10) Least joined by: Stevens, Sotomayor (4)
Type Case Citation Issues Joined by Other opinions
201



Bobby v. Van Hook 558 U.S. 4 (2009)

Sixth Amendment  • ineffective assistance of counsel
per curiam
Alito joined the Court's per curiam opinion, which had reversed the lower court for resolving an ineffective assistance of counsel claim by applying guidelines published by the American Bar Association nearly twenty years after the trial. Alito filed a separate concurrence to emphasize his understanding that the Supreme Court's opinion "in no way suggests that the [ABA Guidelines] have special relevance in determining whether an attorney’s performance meets the standard required by the Sixth Amendment." Pointing out that the ABA "is a private group with limited membership," Alito observed that its views are not necessarily reflective of American lawyers as a whole. It is instead the responsibility of the courts to determine what conduct by an attorney meets constitutional standards, and Alito saw "no reason why the ABA Guidelines should be given a privileged position in making that determination."
402



Wellons v. Hall 558 U.S. 220 (2010)

habeas corpus  • procedural default  • GVR orders Roberts
per curiam
Scalia
203



Kucana v. Holder 558 U.S. 233 (2010)

Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996  • ban on judicial review of discretionary actions by Attorney General
Ginsburg
104



South Carolina v. North Carolina 558 U.S. 256 (2010)

state apportionment of the Catawba River waters  • intervention by municipal entity in original action Stevens, Scalia, Kennedy, Breyer
Roberts
405



Johnson v. United States 559 U.S. 133 (2010)

Armed Career Criminal Act  • state battery conviction as predicate violent felony Thomas
Scalia
106



Mac's Shell Service, Inc. v. Shell Oil Products Co. 559 U.S. 175 (2010)

Petroleum Marketing Practices Act  • constructive termination Unanimous
407



Bloate v. United States 559 U.S. 196 (2010)

Speedy Trial Act  • exclusion of time granted to prepare pretrial motions Breyer
Thomas
Ginsburg
108



Jones v. Harris Associates 559 U.S. 335 (2010)

Investment Company Act of 1940  • investment advisor compensation as breach of fiduciary duty Unanimous
Thomas
209



Padilla v. Kentucky 559 U.S. 356 (2010)

Sixth Amendment  • ineffective assistance of counsel  • legal advice on deportation as consequence of conviction Roberts
Stevens
Scalia
410



United States v. Stevens 559 U.S. 460 (2010)

criminalization of depictions of animal cruelty  • First Amendment  • free speech
Roberts
111



Perdue v. Kenny A. 559 U.S. 542 (2010)

Civil Rights Attorney's Fees Award Act of 1976  • calculation of attorney's fees Roberts, Scalia, Kennedy, Thomas
Kennedy
Thomas
Breyer
112



Stolt-Nielsen S. A. v. AnimalFeeds Int'l Corp. 559 U.S. 662 (2010)

Federal Arbitration Act  • class arbitration Roberts, Scalia, Kennedy, Thomas
Ginsburg
213



Salazar v. Buono 559 U.S. 700 (2010)

Article III  • standing  • First Amendment  • Establishment Clause  • display of religious symbol on government land  • land transfer from government to private owner
Kennedy
Roberts
Scalia
Stevens
Breyer
414



Nurre v. Whitehead 559 U.S. 1025 (2010)

First Amendment  • free speech  • student speech in public schools  • public forum doctrine
Alito dissented from the Court's denial of certiorari.
415



Graham v. Florida 560 U.S. 48 (2010)

Eighth Amendment  • cruel and unusual punishment  • sentencing of juveniles to life imprisonment for nonhomicide crimes
Kennedy
Roberts
Stevens
Thomas
216



United States v. Comstock 560 U.S. 126 (2010)

Necessary and Proper Clause  • civil commitment of mentally ill, sexually dangerous prisoners
Breyer
Kennedy
Thomas
217



Samantar v. Yousuf 560 U.S. 305 (2010)

Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act  • immunity for officials of foreign states
Stevens
Scalia
Thomas
218



Levin v. Commerce Energy, Inc. 560 U.S. 413 (2010)

discriminatory state taxation  • comity
Ginsburg
Kennedy
Thomas
419



Carr v. United States 560 U.S. 438 (2010)

Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act  • registration requirements for interstate travel  • ex post facto application Thomas, Ginsburg
Sotomayor
Scalia
120



Hamilton v. Lanning 560 U.S. 505 (2010)

bankruptcy law  • Chapter 13  • Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act of 2005  • calculation of debtor's projected disposal income Roberts, Stevens, Kennedy, Thomas, Ginsburg, Breyer, Sotomayor
Scalia
221



Holland v. Florida 560 U.S. 631 (2010)

Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act of 1996  • statute of limitations  • equitable tolling
Breyer
Scalia
122



Monsanto Co. v. Geertson Seed Farms 561 U.S. 139 (2010)

Plant Protection Act  • deregulation of genetically modified plants  • Article III  • standing Roberts, Scalia, Kennedy, Thomas, Ginsburg, Sotomayor
Stevens
223



Doe v. Reed 561 U.S. 186 (2010)

public disclosure of referendum petitions  • First Amendment  • free speech
Roberts
Stevens
Scalia
Breyer
Sotomayor
Thomas
224



Skilling v. United States 561 U.S. 358 (2010)

Enron scandal  • Sixth Amendment  • Article III  • change of venue  • juror prejudice from pretrial publicity  • honest services fraud
Ginsburg
Scalia
Sotomayor
425



Christian Legal Soc. Chapter of Univ. of Cal., Hastings College of Law v. Martinez 561 U.S. 661 (2010)

nondiscrimination policy for university student organizations  • First Amendment  • free speech  • public forum doctrine Roberts, Scalia, Thomas
Ginsburg
Stevens
Kennedy
126



McDonald v. Chicago 561 U.S. 742 (2010)

Second Amendment  • Fourteenth Amendment  • Incorporation Doctrine  • gun control Roberts, Scalia, Kennedy; Thomas (in part)
Scalia
Thomas
Stevens
Breyer

References

  • "2009 Term Opinions of the Court". Supreme Court of the United States. Retrieved October 4, 2010.
  • "2009 Term Opinions Relating to Orders". Supreme Court of the United States. Retrieved October 4, 2010.
  • "2009 Term In-Chambers Opinions". Supreme Court of the United States. Retrieved October 4, 2010.