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Elections, religion, and federalism top court's docket in new term.

Article Excerpt
The new Supreme Court term began not on the traditional first Monday in October, but on September 9, when the Court reconvened to hear challenges to the campaign finance reform law enacted last year. To the surprise of many, the Court returned with the same nine justices; the predicted retirements did not happen.

On the last day of last term, after the Court announced several dramatic rulings, Chief Justice William Rehnquist said he had an announcement about resignations at the Court. To a hushed, packed courtroom, he announced that the Court's librarian was retiring. For the 10th straight year, the same nine justices will sit on the Court, the second longest stretch in American history without a vacancy.

What can be expected in the new term?

The O'Connor Court

Again, the outcome of the most important cases this term is likely to turn on the vow of Justice Sandra Day O'Connor. Last year, she was in the majority in virtually every important case--such as those upholding affirmative action, allowing life sentences for shoplifting under California's three-strikes law, rejecting constitutional challenges to Interest on Lawyer Trust Account programs, prohibiting states from retroactively extending the statute of limitations for sex crimes, and permitting indefinite detention without due process of noncitizens facing deportation. O'Connor was the only justice in the majority in all these cases.

In the term that began in October 2002, the Court decided 84 cases, 15...