Rationally Based is a Supreme Court blog focused on the United States Supreme Court’s decisions, judicial philosophies, and their effects. We analyze landmark cases, legal trends, and the Court’s role in shaping law and society, keeping it clear and concise. Whether you’re a legal professional, law student, or just interested in the highest court, we provide insights into its impact on American jurisprudence. Explore our articles to stay informed on the Court’s decisions and their implications.
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Race-Based Redistricting Comes Before the Supreme Court
Louisiana is asking the Supreme Court to invalidate a congressional map that creates a second majority-Black district, setting the stage for a major showdown over the future of the Voting Rights Act and the role of race in American politics. Amid debates over redistricting, the disposition of this case may have long lasting ramifications.
Transgender Bathroom Case Reaches Supreme Court’s Emergency Docket
The Supreme Court is once again being asked to weigh in on the contentious issue of transgender rights, this time in the context of student bathroom access. An emergency request from South Carolina has landed on the Court's docket, and the decision could have far-reaching implications.
Is There a Path to Overturn Flag Burning Precedents
In a move that has reignited a long-simmering debate, President Trump has issued a new executive order aimed at prosecuting the burning of the American flag. The order, titled "Prosecuting the Burning of the American Flag," has sparked both praise and condemnation, with supporters lauding it as a defense of national pride and opponents decrying it as an assault on free speech.
Trump Admin Ends Shotgun and Rifle Ban in DC
In a significant policy shift, federal prosecutors in the District of Columbia have been directed to stop bringing felony charges against individuals solely for carrying rifles or shotguns. The new directive, confirmed by U.S. Attorney for D.C. Jeanine Pirro, stems from a Justice Department determination that the city's longstanding ban on the public carry of long guns is unconstitutional in light of recent Supreme Court precedent.
DC Attorney General Files Lawsuit to Stop Federal Takeover of MPD
The District of Columbia has filed a federal lawsuit against President Donald J. Trump, Attorney General Pamela Bondi, and other top administration officials, seeking to block what it calls a "brazen usurpation" of its authority over the city's Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). The complaint, filed on August 15, 2025, asks a federal court to halt the administration's assertion of "direct federal control" over the local police force, arguing the move is an illegal overreach that violates federal law and threatens to create "operational havoc" within the department.
SCOTUS Asked to Overturn Same-Sex Marriage Rights
In a direct challenge to one of the most significant civil rights rulings of the 21st century, former Kentucky county clerk Kim Davis has formally petitioned the Supreme Court to overturn its 2015 decision in Obergefell v. Hodges, which established a constitutional right to same-sex marriage. Davis’s petition stems from a lawsuit where she was found liable for damages for refusing to issue marriage licenses based on her religious beliefs. Her lawyers argue that the Court should reverse its precedent, asserting that Obergefell was "egregiously wrong" and "on a collision course with the Constitution from the day it was decided."
Supreme Court Steps In to Preserve Private Lawsuits Under Voting Rights Act
The Supreme Court has temporarily shielded the Voting Rights Act (VRA) from a lower court ruling that threatened to gut a key enforcement provision of the landmark civil rights law. In a brief order, the justices paused a decision from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 8th Circuit that would have barred private individuals and organizations from suing under Section 2 of the Act, which prohibits racial discrimination in voting.
White House Asks SCOTUS to Stay Injunction Requiring Grants for DEI and Gender Ideology
The Trump administration has escalated a legal battle over the termination of National Institutes of Health (NIH) grants, asking the Supreme Court to step in and halt a lower court's order that compels the continued funding of research projects linked to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) and gender ideology.
Trump Administration Aims to Weaken Current Gun Regulations
The Trump Administration has initiated a decisive shift in the national debate over firearms, moving beyond legislative battles to employ a novel strategy centered on executive authority. The administration's core objective is to systematically dismantle the federal firearms regulatory framework from within. This is being achieved not by repealing laws through Congress, but through targeted non-enforcement of statutes, strategic reversals in the Department of Justice's (DOJ) litigation posture, and administrative actions to nullify prior regulations.
Plaintiffs Request Supreme Court to Recognize Private Actions Under the Voting Rights Act
In a high-stakes legal battle with profound implications for the future of voting rights, a group of plaintiffs, including two Native American tribes from North Dakota, have asked the U.S. Supreme Court to intervene in their case. They seek to block a controversial appellate court ruling that threatens to dismantle a key enforcement mechanism of the federal Voting Rights Act (VRA).
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In a significant policy shift, federal prosecutors in the District of Columbia have been directed to stop bringing felony charges against individuals solely for carrying rifles or shotguns. The new directive, confirmed by U.S. Attorney for D.C. Jeanine Pirro, stems from a Justice Department determination that the city's longstanding ban on the public carry of long guns is unconstitutional in light of recent Supreme Court precedent.