2015 term United States Supreme Court opinions of Clarence Thomas

The 2015 term of the Supreme Court of the United States began October 5, 2015 and concluded October 2, 2016. This was the twenty-fifth term of Associate Justice Clarence Thomas's tenure on the Court .
Clarence Thomas 2015 term statistics
7
 Majority or Plurality
16
 Concurrence
0
 Other
25
 Dissent
1
 Concurrence/dissent Total = 49
Bench opinions = 39 Opinions relating to orders = 10 In-chambers opinions = 0
Unanimous opinions: 2 Most joined by: Alito (13 in full, 1 in part) Least joined by: Scalia, Ginsburg (4)[1]
Type Case Citation Issues Joined by Other opinions
4-01



New Hampshire Right to Life v. Department of Health and Human Services 577 U.S. ___ (2015)

 Freedom of Information Act Scalia
Thomas dissented from the Court's denial of certiorari.
4-02



Friedman v. Highland Park 577 U.S. ___ (2015)

 Second Amendment  • right to keep and bear arms  • municipal ban on semiautomatic firearms and high-capacity magazines Scalia
Thomas dissented from the Court's denial of certiorari.
4-03



DIRECTV, Inc. v. Imburgia 577 U.S. ___ (2015)

 Federal Arbitration Act
Breyer
 Ginsburg
1-04



Montanile v. Board of Trustees of Nat. Elevator Industry Health Benefit Plan 577 U.S. ___ (2016)

 Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974  • equitable remedies for plan enforcement Roberts, Scalia, Kennedy, Breyer, Sotomayor, Kagan; Alito (in part)
Ginsburg
2-05



Campbell-Ewald v. Gomez 577 U.S. ___ (2016)

 Article III  • Case or Controversy Clause  • effect of unaccepted settlement offer or offer of judgment on mootness  • Telephone Consumer Protection Act  • liability of federal contractor
Ginsburg
 Roberts
 Alito
4-06



Montgomery v. Louisiana 577 U.S. ___ (2016)

 Eighth Amendment  • mandatory life imprisonment of minors  • retroactivity of new constitutional rules
Kennedy
 Scalia
1-07



Musacchio v. United States 577 U.S. ___ (2016)

 challenge to sufficiency of evidence based on incorrect jury instructions  • waiver of statute of limitations Unanimous
2-08



California Building Industry Assn. v. San Jose 577 U.S. ___ (2016)

 ordinance requiring new developments include low income housing  • Fifth Amendment  • Takings Clause
Thomas concurred in the Court's denial of certiorari.
2-09



Gobeille v. Liberty Mut. Ins. Co. 577 U.S. ___ (2016)

 Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974  • preemption of state law health care disclosure requirements
Kennedy
 Breyer
 Ginsburg
4-10



American Freedom Defense Initiative v. King County 577 U.S. ___ (2016)

 First Amendment  • free speech  • public forum doctrine  • advertising in public transit areas Alito
Thomas dissented from the Court's denial of certiorari.
4-11



Nebraska v. Colorado 577 U.S. ___ (2016)

 discretion to decline original jurisdiction suits  • Colorado Amendment 64 Alito
Thomas dissented from the Court's denial of leave to file complaint.
4-12



Tyson Foods, Inc. v. Bouaphakeo 577 U.S. ___ (2016)

 Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938  • certification of class action  • compensibility for varying times spent donning and doffing protective gear Alito
Kennedy
 Roberts
1-13



Nebraska v. Parker 577 U.S. ___ (2016)

 Omaha Indian Reservation  • diminishment of reservation boundaries Unanimous[2]
2-14



Luis v. United States 578 U.S. ___ (2016)

 pretrial asset freezing  • Sixth Amendment  • right to counsel of one's choice
Breyer
 Kennedy
 Kagan
2-15



Evenwel v. Abbott 578 U.S. ___ (2016)

 legislative redistricting based on total state population  • Fourteenth Amendment  • Equal Protection Clause  • one person, one vote doctrine
Ginsburg
 Alito
4-16



Kakarala v. Wells Fargo Bank, N. A. 578 U.S. ___ (2016)

 federal court review of orders remanding cases to state court
Thomas dissented from the Court's denial of certiorari.
4-17



Welch v. United States 578 U.S. ___ (2016)

 Armed Career Criminal Act  • retroactive effect of court decision on collateral review
Kennedy
2-18



Hughes v. Talen Energy Marketing, LLC 578 U.S. ___ (2016)

 Federal Power Act  • interstate wholesale electricity rates  • federal preemption
Ginsburg
 Sotomayor
4-19



Arrigoni Enterprises, LLC. v. Durham 578 U.S. ___ (2016)

 Fifth Amendment  • Takings Clause  • exhaustion of remedies under state procedures Kennedy
Thomas dissented from the Court's denial of certiorari.
4-20



Heffernan v. City of Paterson 578 U.S. ___ (2016)

 First Amendment  • free speech by government employees  • demotion based on employer's factual mistake regarding engagement in protected activity Alito
Breyer
4-21



Ocasio v. United States 578 U.S. ___ (2016)

 Hobbs Act  • conspiracy
Alito
 Breyer
 Sotomayor
2-22



Spokeo, Inc. v. Robins 578 U.S. ___ (2016)

 Fair Credit Reporting Act of 1970  • Article III  • injury-in-fact
Alito
 Ginsburg
4-23



Husky Int’l Electronics, Inc. v. Ritz 578 U.S. ___ (2016)

 bankruptcy law  • Chapter 7  • discharge exception for actual fraud
Sotomayor
2-24



Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Inc. v. Manning 578 U.S. ___ (2016)

 Securities Exchange Act of 1934  • removal jurisdiction  • federal question jurisdiction Sotomayor
Kagan
4-25



United Student Aid Funds, Inc. v. Bible 578 U.S. ___ (2016)

 administrative law  • deference to agency interpretation
Thomas dissented from the denial of certiorari.
2-26



CRST Van Expedited, Inc. v. EEOC 578 U.S. ___ (2016)

 Title VII  • award of attorney's fees to prevailing party
Kennedy
2-27



Betterman v. Montana 578 U.S. ___ (2016)

 Sixth Amendment  • Speedy Trial Clause  • postconviction delay in sentencing Alito
Ginsburg
 Sotomayor
4-28



Foster v. Chatman 578 U.S. ___ (2016)

 Fourteenth Amendment  • Equal Protection Clause  • racial discrimination in juror peremptory challenges  • adequate and independent state ground
Roberts
 Alito
4-29



Green v. Brennan 578 U.S. ___ (2016)

 Title VII  • constructive discharge  • statute of limitations
Sotomayor
 Alito
2-30



Adams v. Alabama 578 U.S. ___ (2016)

 Eighth Amendment  • mandatory life imprisonment of minors  • retroactivity of new constitutional rules Alito
Alito
 Sotomayor
Thomas concurred in the Court's decision to grant certiorari, vacate the lower court's opinion, and remand.
4-31



Lynch v. Arizona 578 U.S. ___ (2016)

 Fourteenth Amendment  • Due Process Clause  • death penalty  • right to inform jury at sentencing of parole ineligibility Alito
per curiam
2-32



Ross v. Blake 578 U.S. ___ (2016)

 Prison Litigation Reform Act of 1995  • exhaustion of remedies
Kagan
 Breyer
4-33



Williams v. Pennsylvania 579 U.S. ___ (2016)

 Fourteenth Amendment  • Due Process Clause  • judicial recusal due to prior involvement as prosecutor
Kennedy
 Roberts
4-34



Dietz v. Bouldin 579 U.S. ___ (2016)

 district court recall of jury in civil case after discharge Kennedy
Sotomayor
2-35



Puerto Rico v. Sanchez Valle 579 U.S. ___ (2016)

 Double Jeopardy Clause  • sovereignty of Puerto Rico
Kagan
 Ginsburg
 Breyer
1-36



Puerto Rico v. Franklin Cal. Tax-Free Trust 579 U.S. ___ (2016)

 bankruptcy law  • preemption of municipal bankruptcy laws  • Puerto Rican government-debt crisis Roberts, Kennedy, Breyer, Kagan
Sotomayor
2-37



United States v. Bryant 579 U.S. ___ (2016)

 federal crime of domestic violence in Indian lands  • tribal court conviction as predicate offense  • Indian Civil Rights Act of 1968  • Sixth Amendment  • Assistance of Counsel Clause  • Fifth Amendment  • Due Process Clause
Ginsburg
1-38



Kingdomware Technologies, Inc. v. United States 579 U.S. ___ (2016)

 Veterans Benefits, Health Care, and Information Technology Act of 2006  • Department of Defense contracting with veteran-owned small businesses Unanimous[2]
1-39



Universal Health Services, Inc. v. United States ex rel. Escobar 579 U.S. ___ (2016)

 False Claims Act  • implied false certification theory  • failure to disclose noncompliance with legal requirements Unanimous[2]
4-40



Encino Motorcars, LLC v. Navarro 579 U.S. ___ (2016)

 Fair Labor Standards Act  • overtime exemption for automobile service advisors Alito
Kennedy
 Ginsburg
1-41



Utah v. Strieff 579 U.S. ___ (2016)

 Fourth Amendment  • exclusionary rule  • attenuation doctrine Roberts, Kennedy, Breyer, Alito
Sotomayor
 Kagan
2-42



Cuozzo Speed Technologies, LLC v. Lee 579 U.S. ___ (2016)

 Leahy-Smith America Invents Act  • appealability of decision to conduct inter partes review
Breyer
 Alito
4-43



Taylor v. United States 579 U.S. ___ (2016)

 Hobbs Act  • robbery of drug dealers as satisfaction of commerce requirement
Alito
4-44



Fisher v. University of Tex. at Austin 579 U.S. ___ (2016)

 Fourteenth Amendment  • Equal Protection Clause  • affirmative action  • race-conscious college admissions program
Kennedy
 Alito
3-45



Birchfield v. North Dakota 579 U.S. ___ (2016)

 Fourth Amendment  • search incident to arrest  • drunk driving  • implied consent to breathalyzer or blood alcohol content tests
Alito
 Sotomayor
2-46



Mathis v. United States 579 U.S. ___ (2016)

 Armed Career Criminal Act  • sentence enhancement for prior convictions
Kagan
 Kennedy
 Breyer
 Alito
4-47



Whole Woman's Health v. Hellerstedt 579 U.S. ___ (2016)

 Fourteenth Amendment  • abortion  • regulation of abortion providers  • Texas Senate Bill 5  • res judicata
Breyer
 Ginsburg
 Alito
4-48



Voisine v. United States 579 U.S. ___ (2016)

 federal criminal law  • prohibition on firearm ownership for misdemeanor domestic violence conviction  • Second Amendment Sotomayor (in part)
Kagan
4-49



Delaware Strong Families v. Denn 579 U.S. ___ (2016)

 First Amendment  • campaign finance reform  • mandated disclosure of anonymous donors
Thomas dissented from the Court's denial of certiorari.

Notes

  1. ↑ All but eight of Thomas's opinions were issued after Justice Scalia's death.
  2. 1 2 3 This opinion was handed down after the death of Justice Scalia, and so was unanimous as to the eight justices remaining on the Court.

References

Judicial opinions of Clarence Thomas
U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit (March 6, 1990 – October 17, 1991); by calendar year
  • 1990
  • 1991
Supreme Court of the United States (October 18, 1991 – present); by term
Supreme Court of the United States 2015 term (October 5, 2015 – October 2, 2016)
Opinions by justice:
Chief Justice Roberts | Associate Justices Scalia (died Feb. 12/13, 2016) | Kennedy | Thomas | Ginsburg | Breyer | Alito | Sotomayor | Kagan
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