Professor Jason Mazzone, a constitutional law scholar, spoke to the News-Gazette in advance of the new Supreme Court term that began on Monday, October 7, 2019.

There are a number of cultural flashpoint issues on the docket, including LGBTQ rights, abortion, and the future of DACA, as well as the cloud of potential impeachment proceedings that could ultimately result in the chief justice presiding over a trial in the Senate. 

Another big issue in play is the composition of the Court. 

"An unexpected retirement or a death would give President Trump a third appointment; even with impeachment proceedings against the president underway in the House, the Republican-controlled Senate would confirm the president’s nominee. A third Trump appointment to the Supreme Court would be the most significant long-term legacy of the Trump administration," Mazzone said.

Read Professor Mazzone's full preview at news-gazette.com.