Supreme Court Decisions 2013: 6 Major Cases Will Be Decided This Summer

With only a little over a week left in the current SCOTUS session, the justices have left 5 controversial cases on the docket. Today at 10, they are set to release some of these decisions. From gene patenting to affirmative action, these next few days are going to be interesting America. Hold your seats. 

1. Defense of Marriage Act (Windsor v. U.S.) 

New York state recognized Edie Windsor's marriage, but the federal government did not. She argues that her 5th amendment rights have been violated

2. Proposition 8 (Hollingsworth v. Perry)

Prop 8 was passed in California and then banned  later that year. Supporters say the state should honor the will of the people.

3. Affirmative Action (Fisher v. University of Texas at Austin) 

Fisher believes she was rejected for UT because of the university's AA preferences. 

4. Voting Rights (Shelby County v. Holder)

Shelby County believe that Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act is unconstitutional. Section 5 allows that requires mostly-Southern states to request Justice Department approval before changing voting statuses.

5. Gene Patenting (Association of Molecular Pathology vs. Myriad Genetics)

Myriad Genetics believes that only its company has the technology to properly administer the tests that reveal the BRCA1 and BRCA2 gene mutations. They are signals of breast cancer. 

6. Voter ID (Arizona v. The Inter Tribal Council of Arizona, Inc.)

Can the state of Arizona legally force those who are registering to vote to show evidence that they are eligible to vote?