On Thursday, September 24, 2009 ACS hosted its annual preview of the Supreme Court’s new term, which opens October 5, 2009. A diverse panel of constitutional law experts and litigators highlighted some the Court’s most pressing cases and issues, including the scope of habeas corpus review, limits of police questioning after a right of counsel has been invoked, the ability to challenge the constitutionality of a religious display on public property, and whether the First Amendment limits government regulation of videos depicting animal cruelty. The panelists also discussed unfolding trends on the high court and Justice Sotomayor’s potential to shape those trends.

The panel featured Thomas C. Goldstein, Partner, Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld, LLP; Michael A. Carvin, Partner, Jones Day; Pamela Harris, Executive Director, Supreme Court Institute at the Georgetown Law Center; Doug Kendall, Founder and President, Constitutional Accountability Center; Lisa Kung, H. Lee Sarokin Director, Southern Center for Human Rights; Deanne E. Maynard, Partner, Morrison & Foerster LLP; Paul M. Smith, Partner, Jenner & Block LLP.