Today in Supreme Court History: December 11

Texas v. Pennsylvania, 141 S.Ct. 1230 (decided December 11, 2020): Texas has no standing to contest how other states conduct their elections (the Constitutional objection argued appears to be that Trump actually won)

Carey v. Musladin, 549 U.S. 70 (decided December 11, 2006): fact that judge allowed murder victim’s family to sit in front row at trial wearing buttons with victim’s photo did not entitle defendant to habeas relief (because allowing this was not contrary to “clearly established” federal law, 28 U.S.C. §2254(d)(1))

Pennsylvania Coal Co. v. Mahon, 260 U.S. 393 (decided December 11, 1922): legislature violated Contracts Clause rights of mining company by prohibiting mining that would cause subsidence damage to private property (different result where subsidence was pervasive over many properties, Keystone Bituminous Coal Ass’n v. DeBenedictis, 1987)