Supreme Court Reversals 2-9-26

As of late January 2026, the U.S. Supreme Court is in the midst of its 2025-2026 term, focusing on major cases regarding executive power, LGBTQ rights, and voting, with few final merits reversals issued yet. Key, early 2026 actions include a reversal on habeas corpus standards in Klein v. Martin and active consideration of cases involving the removal of a Federal Reserve board member (Trump v. Cook) and state-level voting maps.  

Key 2026 Pending Cases and Early Rulings

Klein v. Martin (Jan 26, 2026): The Court issued a per curiam decision reversing a lower court ruling that had departed from strict standards for federal habeas relief under the Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act of 1996.

Trump v. Cook (Argued Jan 21, 2026): The Court is reviewing whether the President can fire Federal Reserve board member Lisa Cook, potentially reversing lower court efforts to protect the Board's independence.

Louisiana v. Callais (2026 Term): The Court is considering a challenge to Louisiana’s second majority-Black congressional district, which could weaken the 1965 Voting Rights Act and overturn lower court findings that approved the map.

Mahmoud v. Taylor (2026 Term): The Court is reviewing a case that could force public schools to allow parents to opt out of curriculum items on religious grounds, potentially reversing lower court decisions that upheld school policies.

Transgender Student Sports Cases (Little v. Hecox, West Virginia v. B.P.J.): The Court is reviewing state bans on transgender athletes competing in sports aligning with their gender identity. 

Key Trends in 2026

Emergency Docket: The Court continues to use the "shadow docket" for temporary rulings on high-profile issues like the aforementioned Federal Reserve case.

Upcoming Decisions: Rulings on major cases regarding the 2026 elections, conversion therapy, and federal authority are expected later in the term. 

As of February 1, 2026, the Supreme Court has issued several significant reversals during its 2025–2026 term. These include both the reversal of lower court decisions and the potential overturning of established precedents. 

Recent Case Reversals (2025–2026 Term)

The court has issued 11 opinions so far this term, with a high percentage of these resulting in the reversal of lower court rulings. 

Barrett v. United States (Decided Jan 14, 2026): The Court reversed a Second Circuit judgment, holding that Congress did not authorize multiple convictions under 18 U.S.C. § 924(c) and (j) for a single act.

Klein v. Martin (Decided Jan 26, 2026): In a per curiam opinion, the Court reversed a Fourth Circuit decision that had granted a new trial to a state prisoner, ruling the lower court departed from the strict standards of the Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act.

Ames v. Ohio Department of Youth Services (Decided June 2025): Although decided just before the current calendar year, this landmark ruling invalidated the "background circumstances" rule for "reverse" discrimination claims, unanimously overturning precedent held by five federal circuit courts. 

Precedents Under Review for Overturning

Several major cases currently before the court could result in the overturning of long-standing precedents: 

Trump v. Slaughter (Independent Agencies): The justices are considering whether to overturn the 90-year-old precedent in Humphrey’s Executor (1935), which protects the independence of federal agencies like the FTC and FCC from unilateral presidential dismissal.

Chiles v. Salazar (Conversion Therapy): This case challenges state bans on conversion therapy. A ruling for the challenger could overturn lower court precedents that treat such therapy as regulated medical conduct rather than protected speech.

Louisiana v. Callais (Voting Rights Act): The Court is weighing whether the intentional creation of a second majority-Black district violates the 14th Amendment. A broad ruling could significantly weaken Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act. 

Emergency Docket Reversals

The court has also used its emergency docket to stay or reverse lower court orders: 

Noem v. Perdomo (Immigration Raids): The Court overturned a federal judge's order that had limited immigration raids in Los Angeles, allowing race to be used as one factor in immigration checks.

Trump v. Illinois (National Guard): In a rare check on executive power, the Court blocked the president's deployment of National Guard troops to Chicago for now. 

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Norb Leahy, Dunwoody GA Tea Party Leader