The Supreme Court justices who ended their last term by upholding President Barack Obama's health care overhaul are starting a new term today that could bring some additional controversial rulings on issues such as gay marriage and affirmative action.
Chief Justice John Roberts, who joined the court's liberals in sustaining the health care law, will be watched closely for additional signs that he is becoming less predictable ideologically.
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court won't hear a Michigan man's attempt to challenge the use of full body scanners at airports.
The high court on Monday refused to hear an appeal by Jonathan Corbett, who wanted to challenge the Transportation Security Administration's use of full body scanners and/or enhanced pat downs at airport security lines. Federal courts in Florida refused to hear his lawsuit, saying it could only be filed with the federal appeals court in Washington, D.C. The 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the dismissal, and the Supreme Court refused to reopen the case.
The TSA started allowing the use of the advanced imaging technology in October 2010.
And - the Supreme Court has turned away an appeal challenging a federal rule that bars development on 50 million acres of roadless areas in national forests.
The justices said Monday they will leave in place a federal appeals court decision that upheld the so-called roadless rule that took effect late in the presidency of Bill Clinton.
The state of Wyoming and the Colorado Mining Association said closing so much forest land to development has had serious consequences for residents of Western states and the logging, mining and drilling industries. (AP)
