While the Court's decision was couched in constitutional terms, the results were a lot more mercenary. The law at issue here, he said, 'unequivocally dictates what a state legislature may do and not do,' thus putting state legislatures 'under the direct control of Congress.Ĭongress, he said, can regulate sports gambling directly, but it can't pass the buck to the states, telling them how to regulate their own citizens. The court's sports betting decision, written by Justice Samuel Alito, said the federal law had unconstitutionally commandeered the states' lawmaking authority. LA, the court, by a 6-3 vote, ordered a new trial for a capital defendant whose lawyer conceded his guilt to the jury, disregarding the explicit instructions of his client.
US, the court ruled unanimously that police who stop a motorist for a traffic infraction may not search a rental car without a search warrant, even if the driver's name is not on the rental agreement. Separately on Monday, the Supreme Court also handed down decisions in two other important cases, dealing with personal rights. Law Supreme Court Upholds Individual Rights In 2 Key Criminal Justice Cases