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Justices on the United States Supreme Court in 1976.

Supreme Court

Corbis
Death Sentences
How The Death Penalty At 50 Is Far More Broken Than We Knew
The racial disparities, the arbitrary outcomes, the endless waiting and the risk of executing the innocent persist.
By and
A photo shows a White man, in a white prison uniform with his hands behind his back, standing behind visitation room glass.
A photo shows people walking in front of the U.S. Supreme Court building.
Closing Argument June 6
How The Supreme Court Is Tightening Early Prison Release
In recent decisions, the justices restricted the bipartisan First Step Act that President Donald Trump signed in his first term.
By
A color photo shows a Black woman in a blue vest chanting into a megaphone while holding a sign that says "protect our vote." The woman is part of a crowd with signs and flags.
Jackson June 2
How the U.S. Supreme Court’s Callais Ruling Erased a Key Mississippi Voting Rights Victory
A major legal win for Black Mississippians that was supposed to lead to new elections for the state Supreme Court was wiped away.
By
A black-and-white photo shows a Black woman holding a folder speaking to a Black man holding paperwork in front of a desk with piles of forms. A group of Black women and children stand nearby. A sign for the "Immigration & Naturalization Service" is in the background, with the agency's logo.
Closing Argument April 25
Behind Haitians’ Supreme Court Immigration Fight, a Long History Looms
Trump’s move to end Haitians’ protected status is the latest chapter in a long history of the government treating them differently from other immigrants, some argue.
By
Young Thug, a Black rapper wearing a white shirt and striped pants, holds a mic as he performs in a crowd during a concert.
Closing Argument March 28
His Rap Lyrics Helped Send Him to Death Row. Travis Scott and T.I. Are Trying to Stop His Execution.
The rappers argue that James Broadnax’s case exemplifies a larger problem in American courtrooms: The use of rap lyrics as evidence.
By
A photo shows a large crowd of demonstrators. One person is holding a sign that reads, "Keep our country free of drugs."
Closing Argument March 14
How Hospitals Helped Erode Reproductive Rights
Criminal prosecutions sparked by hospital drug testing helped advance the legal concept that the fetus had interests the state could protect.
By
A photo collage shows parts of a photo of the current U.S. Supreme Court justices overlaid on a photo of the Mississippi Supreme Court. There are also excerpts of a photo of a protest with people holding signs saying "NAACP Demands Action" and "Quality Justice for all in Mississippi." The background of the illustration is pale mustard color and the photo collage is in tones of black, white, maroon and pink.
Jackson February 26
Mississippi’s Black Voters Brace for Elections Ruling That Could Gut Supreme Court Clout
Black Mississippians won a Voting Rights Act case that challenges how the state elects supreme court justices. But that victory may be in jeopardy.
By
A photo shows a Black woman, with red hair and a white sweater, wiping the face of her young daughter while she sits on top of a kitchen table. Her eldest daughter, wearing pink hair ribbons and a blue Care Bears shirt, stands next to her while she looks at a phone placed on the table.
Feature February 10
Tens of Thousands of Mothers Were Flagged to Police Over Flawed Drug Tests at Childbirth
The Marshall Project found more than 70,000 cases referred to law enforcement over allegations of substance use during pregnancy — and that’s a significant undercount.
By and
An illustration shows a window into a room where a person is covered by a bedsheet while lying on top of a gurney. Two guards stand on the left and right sides of the window in the foreground.
St. Louis January 8
How Missouri Denied Condemned Men Spiritual Advisers at Their Deaths
“We’re talking about constitutional rights in someone’s dying moments,” one advocate said.
By
A photo shows Jazmine Mapes, a Native American woman with long dark hair, wearing a white sweater and jeans, walking near a chain link fence. An empty lot is situated behind the fence. In front of the fence is a tent. A woman holding an umbrella walks behind Mapes, and a man talking on a cell phone walks behind her.
Feature November 20, 2025
Homeless Camp Sweeps Can Harm Health. Some Cities Are Trying a New Way.
Some localities are addressing street homelessness with a new approach, which experts say can clear encampments while protecting the health of people who are forced to move.
By Ryan Levi, Tradeoffs
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