2015 term opinions of the Supreme Court of the United States

The 2015 term of the Supreme Court of the United States began October 5, 2015 and concluded October 2, 2016. The table below illustrates which opinion was filed by each justice in each case and which justices joined each opinion.[1]

Table key


 Delivered the Court's opinion

Joined the Court's opinion

Filed a concurrence

Joined a concurrence

 Filed a dissent

Joined a dissent

Filed a concurrence/dissent

Joined a concurrence/dissent

 Did not participate in the decision
  • Decisions that do not note an argument date were decided without oral argument. Decisions that do not note a Justice delivering the Court's opinion are per curiam.
  • Multiple concurrences and dissents within a case are numbered, with joining votes numbered accordingly. Justices frequently join multiple opinions in a single case; each vote is subdivided accordingly.
  • An asterisk ( * ) in the Court's opinion denotes that it was only a majority in part or a plurality. An asterisk in a joining vote denotes that the justice joined it only in part.
  • A dash ( - ) denotes that the Justice concurred or dissented without filing a separate opinion.

2015 term opinions

# Case name and citation Argued Decided Roberts Scalia Kennedy Thomas Ginsburg Breyer Alito Sotomayor Kagan
1 Maryland v. Kulbicki, 577 U.S. ___October 5, 2015
2 Mullenix v. Luna, 577 U.S. ___November 9, 2015
3 OBB Personenverkehr AG v. Sachs, 577 U.S. ___October 5, 2015December 1, 2015
4 Shapiro v. McManus, 577 U.S. ___November 4, 2015December 8, 2015
5 DIRECTV, Inc. v. Imburgia, 577 U.S. ___October 6, 2015December 14, 2015
1
2
2
6 White v. Wheeler, 577 U.S. ___December 14, 2015
7 Bruce v. Samuels, 577 U.S. ___November 4, 2015January 12, 2016
8 Hurst v. Florida, 577 U.S. ___October 13, 2015January 12, 2016
9 Kansas v. Carr, 577 U.S. ___October 7, 2015January 20, 2016
10 Montanile v. Board of Trustees of Nat. Elevator Industry Health Benefit Plan, 577 U.S. ___November 9, 2015January 20, 2016
*
11 Campbell-Ewald v. Gomez, 577 U.S. ___October 14, 2015January 20, 2016
1
1
12
12 Duncan v. Owens,[2] 577 U.S. ___January 12, 2016January 20, 2016
13 Montgomery v. Louisiana, 577 U.S. ___October 13, 2015January 25, 2016
1
12
1
14 Musacchio v. United States, 577 U.S. ___November 30, 2015January 25, 2016
15 Menominee Tribe of Wis. v. United States, 577 U.S. ___December 1, 2015January 25, 2016
16 FERC v. Electric Power Supply Assn., 577 U.S. ___October 14, 2015January 25, 2016
17 James v. Boise, 577 U.S. ___January 25, 2016
18 Amgen Inc. v. Harris, 577 U.S. ___January 25, 2016
19 Gobeille v. Liberty Mut. Ins. Co., 577 U.S. ___December 2, 2015March 1, 2016
1
2
20 Lockhart v. United States, 577 U.S. ___November 3, 2015March 1, 2016
21 Americold Realty Trust v. ConAgra Foods, Inc., 577 U.S. ___January 19, 2016March 7, 2016
22 Wearry v. Cain, 577 U.S. ___March 7, 2016
23 V.L. v. E.L., 577 U.S. ___March 7, 2016
24 Caetano v. Massachusetts, 577 U.S. ___March 21, 2016
25 Sturgeon v. Frost, 577 U.S. ___January 20, 2016March 22, 2016
26 Tyson Foods, Inc. v. Bouaphakeo, 577 U.S. ___November 10, 2015March 22, 2016
*
27 Nebraska v. Parker, 577 U.S. ___January 20, 2016March 22, 2016
28 Hawkins v. Community Bank,[3] 577 U.S. ___October 5, 2015March 22, 2016
29 Friedrichs v. California Teachers Ass'n,[4] 578 U.S. ___January 11, 2016March 29, 2016
30 Luis v. United States, 578 U.S. ___November 10, 2015March 30, 2016
1
*
1
2
31 Evenwel v. Abbott, 578 U.S. ___December 8, 2015April 4, 2016
12*
2
32 Nichols v. United States, 578 U.S. ___March 1, 2016April 4, 2016
33 Woods v. Etherton, 578 U.S. ___April 4, 2016
34 Welch v. United States, 578 U.S. ___March 30, 2016April 18, 2016
35 Hughes v. Talen Energy Marketing, LLC, 578 U.S. ___February 24, 2016April 19, 2016
1
2
36 Franchise Tax Bd. of Cal. v. Hyatt, 578 U.S. ___December 7, 2015April 19, 2016
-
37 Molina-Martinez v. United States, 578 U.S. ___January 12, 2016April 20, 2016
38 Bank Markazi v. Peterson, 578 U.S. ___January 13, 2016April 20, 2016
*
39 Harris v. Arizona Independent Redistricting Comm’n, 578 U.S. ___December 8, 2015April 20, 2016
40 Heffernan v. City of Paterson, 578 U.S. ___January 19, 2016April 26, 2016
41 Ocasio v. United States, 578 U.S. ___October 6, 2015May 2, 2016
2
1
2
42 Sheriff v. Gillie, 578 U.S. ___March 29, 2016May 16, 2016
43 Spokeo, Inc. v. Robins, 578 U.S. ___November 2, 2015May 16, 2016
44 Husky Int'l Electronics, Inc. v. Ritz, 578 U.S. ___March 1, 2016May 16, 2016
45 Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Inc. v. Manning, 578 U.S. ___December 1, 2015May 16, 2016
46 Zubik v. Burwell, 578 U.S. ___March 23, 2016May 16, 2016
47 Kernan v. Hinojosa, 578 U.S. ___May 16, 2016
48 CRST Van Expedited, Inc. v. EEOC, 578 U.S. ___March 28, 2016May 19, 2016
49 Betterman v. Montana, 578 U.S. ___March 28, 2016May 19, 2016
1
1
2
50 Luna Torres v. Lynch, 578 U.S. ___November 3, 2015May 19, 2016
51 Foster v. Chatman, 578 U.S. ___November 2, 2015May 23, 2016
52 Wittman v. Personhuballah, 578 U.S. ___March 21, 2016May 23, 2016
53 Green v. Brennan, 578 U.S. ___November 30, 2015May 23, 2016
54 Army Corps of Engineers v. Hawkes Co., 578 U.S. ___March 30, 2016May 31, 2016
1
1
2
1
3
55 Johnson v. Lee, 578 U.S. ___May 31, 2016
56 Lynch v. Arizona, 578 U.S. ___May 31, 2016
57 Simmons v. Himmelreich, 578 U.S. ___March 22, 2016June 6, 2016
58 Ross v. Blake, 578 U.S. ___March 29, 2016June 6, 2016
1
2
59 Williams v. Pennsylvania, 579 U.S. ___February 29, 2016June 9, 2016
1
2
1
60 Dietz v. Bouldin, 579 U.S. ___April 26, 2016June 9, 2016
61 Puerto Rico v. Sanchez Valle, 579 U.S. ___January 13, 2016June 9, 2016
12
2
62 Halo Electronics, Inc. v. Pulse Electronics, Inc., 579 U.S. ___February 23, 2016June 13, 2016
63 Puerto Rico v. Franklin Cal. Tax-Free Trust, 579 U.S. ___March 22, 2016June 13, 2016
64 United States v. Bryant, 579 U.S. ___April 19, 2016June 13, 2016
65 Kingdomware Technologies, Inc. v. United States, 579 U.S. ___February 22, 2016June 16, 2016
66 Universal Health Services, Inc. v. United States ex rel. Escobar, 579 U.S. ___April 19, 2016June 16, 2016
67 Kirtsaeng v. John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 579 U.S. ___April 25, 2016June 16, 2016
68 Encino Motorcars, LLC v. Navarro, 579 U.S. ___April 20, 2016June 20, 2016
69 Utah v. Strieff, 579 U.S. ___February 22, 2016June 20, 2016
1*2
1
2
70 Cuozzo Speed Technologies, LLC v. Lee, 579 U.S. ___April 25, 2016June 20, 2016
*
**
71 Taylor v. United States, 579 U.S. ___February 23, 2016June 20, 2016
72 RJR Nabisco, Inc. v. European Community, 579 U.S. ___March 21, 2016June 20, 2016
*1
*12
*1
73 Fisher v. University of Tex. at Austin, 579 U.S. ___December 9, 2015June 23, 2016
2
12
2
74 Birchfield v. North Dakota, 579 U.S. ___April 20, 2016June 23, 2016
1
2
2
75 Mathis v. United States, 579 U.S. ___April 26, 2016June 23, 2016
1
2
1
1
2
76 Dollar General Corp. v. Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians,[5] 579 U.S. ___December 7, 2015June 23, 2016
77 United States v. Texas,[6] 579 U.S. ___April 18, 2016June 23, 2016
78 McDonnell v. United States, 579 U.S. ___April 27, 2016June 27, 2016
79 Whole Woman's Health v. Hellerstedt, 579 U.S. ___March 2, 2016June 27, 2016
2
12
2
80 Voisine v. United States, 579 U.S. ___February 29, 2016June 27, 2016
*
# Case name and citation Argued Decided Roberts Scalia Kennedy Thomas Ginsburg Breyer Alito Sotomayor Kagan

2015 term membership and statistics

This was the eleventh term of Chief Justice Roberts's tenure. Justice Scalia died on February 12 or 13, 2016, making it the sixth and final term with the same membership.

Justice Appointment history Agreement with judgment Opinions filed
Seniority Name President Date confirmed % # Total
Chief Justice Roberts, JohnJohn Roberts Bush, George W.George W. Bush September 29, 2005 91.3% 73/80 6 1 0 4 11
Associate Justice Scalia, AntoninAntonin Scalia Reagan, RonaldRonald Reagan September 26, 1986 83.3% 15/18 2 1 0 2 5
Associate Justice Kennedy, AnthonyAnthony Kennedy Reagan, RonaldRonald Reagan February 18, 1988 97.5% 78/80 9 2 0 1 12
Associate Justice Thomas, ClarenceClarence Thomas Bush, George H. W.George H. W. Bush October 23, 1991 72.5% 58/80 7 14 1 17 39
Associate Justice Ginsburg, Ruth BaderRuth Bader Ginsburg Clinton, BillBill Clinton August 10, 1993 87.5% 70/80 8 4 1 4 17
Associate Justice Breyer, StephenStephen Breyer Clinton, BillBill Clinton August 3, 1994 93.8% 75/80 8 5 1 2 16
Associate Justice Alito, SamuelSamuel Alito Bush, George W.George W. Bush January 31, 2006 82.1% 64/78 7 5 1 6 19
Associate Justice Sotomayor, SoniaSonia Sotomayor Obama, BarackBarack Obama August 6, 2009 81% 64/79 7 3 1 7 18
Associate Justice Kagan, ElenaElena Kagan Obama, BarackBarack Obama August 7, 2010 94.9% 75/79 8 1 0 3 12

Notes on statistics:

  • Opinion counts only include the bench opinions listed above; opinions relating to orders or in-chambers opinions are not included.
  • Agreement with the Court's judgment does not guarantee agreement with the reasoning expressed in its opinion. A justice is not considered in agreement if they dissented even in part. Agreement percentages are based only on the listed cases in which a justice participated and are rounded to the nearest one-tenth of one percentage point.

Totals
62 36 5 46 149

Notes

  1. ↑ One decree in an original jurisdiction case has been omitted from this table: Montana v. Wyoming, 577 U.S. ___ (2016).
  2. ↑ In Duncan v. Owens, 577 U.S. ___ (2016), the Court dismissed certiorari as improvidently granted.
  3. ↑ The Court's per curiam opinion in Hawkins v. Community Bank, 577 U.S. ___ (2016) noted that the judgment was affirmed by an equally divided Court.
  4. ↑ The Court's per curiam opinion in Friedrichs v. California Teachers Assn., 578 U.S. ___ (2016) noted that the judgment was affirmed by an equally divided Court.
  5. ↑ The Court's per curiam opinion in Dollar General Corp. v. Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians, 579 U.S. ___ (2016) noted that the judgment was affirmed by an equally divided Court.
  6. ↑ The Court's per curiam opinion in United States v. Texas, 579 U.S. ___ (2016) noted that the judgment was affirmed by an equally divided Court.

References

Further reading

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 11/22/2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.