An Eight-Member Supreme Court, and More from CRS

A new report from the Congressional Research Service examines the implications of having only eight members on the Supreme Court following Justice Scalia’s death.

“This report provides an overview of the Supreme Court’s procedural rules and requirements when the Court is staffed with less than nine members. Included in this discussion is an overview of the Court’s quorum requirements, rehearing procedures, and vote count practices, with a focus on how the Court has traditionally responded to a change of composition during a term. The report concludes by highlighting over a dozen cases from the current term that could result in an evenly divided Supreme Court.”

See The Death of Justice Scalia: Procedural Issues Arising on an Eight-Member Supreme Court, February 25, 2016.

Other new and updated CRS reports that were published (but not publicly released) in the past week include the following.

DOD Releases Plan to Close GTMO, CRS Legal Sidebar, February 23, 2016

The United Kingdom and the European Union: Stay or Go?, CRS Insight, February 24, 2016

Court-Ordered Access to Smart Phones: In Brief, February 23, 2016

Health Care for Veterans: Suicide Prevention, updated February 23, 2016

Prescription Drug Abuse, February 23, 2016

Overview of Labor Enforcement Issues in Free Trade Agreements, updated February 22, 2016

Senators’ Official Personnel and Office Expense Account (SOPOEA): History and Usage, February 25, 2016

U.S. Trade Deficit and the Impact of Changing Oil Prices, updated February 25, 2016

The 2015 National Security Strategy: Authorities, Changes, Issues for Congress, updated February 26, 2016

Ukraine: Current Issues and U.S. Policy, updated February 22, 2016

Federal Court Declines to Bar the Resettlement of Syrian Refugees in Texas, CRS Legal Sidebar, February 26, 2016

Iraqi and Afghan Special Immigrant Visa Programs, updated February 26, 2016

Iran-North Korea-Syria Ballistic Missile and Nuclear Cooperation, updated February 26, 2016