The U.S. Supreme Court’s upcoming term is poised to address several high-profile and politically charged cases, including a landmark climate change dispute and contentious issues involving gun rights, religious freedoms, immigration policies, and voting regulations.

With a 6-3 conservative majority, the court is expected to uphold and potentially expand rights for gun owners and religious groups. One case scheduled for November will consider whether a Catholic preschool in Colorado can exclude children of same-sex parents, a matter that could further solidify the court’s recent trend of favoring religious institutions. Previous rulings from the court have underscored this pattern; for example, the court struck down Colorado’s ban on conversion therapy, citing free speech protections for religious counselors. Legal experts see a likely favorable ruling for the Catholic Church, noting the state’s less successful record before the court in comparable cases.

Adding to these church-state issues, the court may weigh in on a dispute arising from Texas, where a coalition supported by the American Civil Liberties Union seeks to challenge a law requiring public schools to display the Ten Commandments. Despite a 1980 Supreme Court decision that invalidated a nearly identical Kentucky law, the conservative 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals recently upheld Texas’ statute. Observers note that the evolving interpretation of the First Amendment’s religion clauses could influence whether the Supreme Court takes up the matter this term.

Gun rights will again be in focus in December when the court hears combined cases from Illinois and Connecticut challenging bans on semiautomatic rifles, including AR-15 models. These cases represent some of the most significant Second Amendment questions since the court’s 2008 decision affirming an individual right to firearm possession. Central to the dispute is whether bans on specific types of rifles are constitutionally permissible. Legal analysts anticipate that the court may rule against such prohibitions, given the widespread ownership of these firearms. However, the cases also raise broader questions about how historical standards should shape modern gun regulations.

The court will also revisit immigration policies implemented during the Trump administration. Among the issues before the justices are whether the government can detain immigrants without timely bond hearings and whether it can deport individuals to third countries without assessing potential for persecution or torture. While these challenges may not reach the prominence of last term’s cases—such as those concerning tariffs and birthright citizenship—further disputes related to immigration and other Trump-era policies are expected to emerge as the term progresses.

Additionally, the court plans to address election-related cases later in the year, including enforcement of strict voting laws in Arizona and possible rapid decisions on disputes during the November midterm elections. Advocacy groups have anticipated an increase in emergency filings tied to voting rights and electoral controversies.

Experts project that the ongoing political climate and the Trump administration’s legacy will continue to shape the Supreme Court’s docket, with multiple high-stakes cases likely to command national attention throughout the term.