Random Acts of Chaos

sinidentidades:

WASHINGTON — The US Supreme Court is back in session Monday to tackle major social issues such as same-sex marriage and affirmative action, as well as a high-profile international human rights case.

On its first day back in session, the highest US court will start off by reexamining a suit, alleging complicity in acts of torture, against Dutch oil giant Shell in Nigeria.

Twelve Nigerians accuse Shell of becoming an accomplice to torture, extrajudicial executions and crimes against humanity in the Niger Delta region.

The nine justices will decide whether to hold major companies liable for crimes committed outside US borders by virtue of the Alien Tort Statute, a law passed two centuries ago.

“ATS clearly covers those violations,” said Carey D’Avino, one of the plaintiffs’ attorneys. “There’s nothing in the ATS that violates domestic and international laws.”

Not everyone is so sure.

The Supreme Court could be “afraid of some kind of backlash, what other nations will think of us,” said constitutional lawyer Lisa Blatt.

In what could be the term’s most prominent case, the justices will take up affirmative action at the University of Texas.

The policy, aimed at correcting historic imbalances in education by favoring US minorities in public university admissions and other circumstances, has come under increasing scrutiny in the wake of a growing minority population.

A white student is accusing the university of using quotas for racial and ethnic minority groups in university admissions in a way she claims violates her US constitutional rights.

It will be the first time the court takes up the controversial issue since its 2003 ruling saying racial or ethnic quotas did not violate the US Constitution.

But since then, the makeup of the court has changed to make it “the most conservative in a lifetime,” giving greater likely voice to affirmative action opponents, said Georgetown Law professor Louis Seidman.

Alan Morrison of The George Washington University Law School stressed that “there’s a lot at stake and plenty of reasons to be concerned.” He called the affirmative action decision “crucial,” saying it would be felt at all US universities, both public and private.

Among the fairly rare national security issues to come before the court will be a case on wiretapping and human rights due to be examined on October 29. And on October 31, the justices are set to address whether the use of drug-sniffing dogs violates constitutional rights.

Still, in terms of social reach, it is the court’s looming moves on same-sex marriage that have both captured a lot of Americans’ attention and fueled strong reactions.

All eyes will be riveted on the court when it takes up any of at least eight appeals in line for consideration.