Supreme Court hears pivotal marijuana legalization case today

[gyroscope]

Source: SFGate

February 19, 2016

The Supreme Court of the United States — minus the late Justice Scalia — is set to take up the hot-button issue of marijuana legalization today in a highly watched case.

The SCOTUS is hearing a challenge to Colorado legalization from two neighboring states Nebraska and Oklahoma as plaintiffs. The states are arguing that because of legalization, marijuana is unlawfully crossing over their borders. The federal Controlled Substances Act should override state legalization, they argue, under the Supremacy Clause of the Constitution.

Justice Scalia’s death alters equation

But SCOTUS is unlikely to take up Nebraska and Oklahoma v. Colorado, watchers say, partially because the plaintiffs’ case is so weak, and partially because one likely supporter of the case, Justice Scalia, is dead.







Read more: http://blog.sfgate.com/smellthetruth/2016/02/19/supreme-court-hears-pivotal-marijuana-legalization-case-today/

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Excellent news!

[KamaAina]

1. Nebraska should be ashamed of itself

Because of loose alcohol regulation there, beer is illegally crossing over the border into the Pine Ridge reservation in South Dakota, which is dry.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10027272224

[Bohemianwriter]

2. Their "State's Rights" meme is just a sham....

[Helen Borg]

3. Let me see... 4-4?

[safeinOhio]

6. No, 5 to 3

[JudyM]

4. It is poetic that today is also Scalia's lying in state day at the courthouse.

[elleng]

5. Aside from being written in a confusing manner this is not true,

as the Court is CLOSED today due to ceremonies etc for Mr. Justice Scalia. 'The court was closed for official business on Friday, and the justices canceled a long-scheduled private conference at which they were to consider requests to hear appeals. The dynamic at such conferences will for now be different, and not only because Justice Scalia was a lively and gregarious presence.' http://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/20/us/politics/justice-antonin-scalia-to-be-honored-at-supreme-court.html?

What does this mean, 'Supreme Court hears pivotal marijuana legalization case,' when followed by this? 'The Supreme Court of the United States — minus the late Justice Scalia — is set to take up the hot-button issue?' Then THIS: 'But SCOTUS is unlikely to take up Nebraska and Oklahoma v. Colorado, watchers say.'

[On the Road]

7. In This Context,

I believe "hears" means "agrees to hear in the future." The Supreme Court get many appeals, but most of them are turned down. When they announce when an appeal is accepted, it is sometimes reported in the media this way. "Will hear" would be clearer.

[elleng]

8. Right, 'will hear' would be clearer,

and it's not 'clear' if they'd made the decision WHETHER to hear the case before Mr. Justice Scalia's death, so even less clarity.