2015 term United States Supreme Court opinions of Clarence Thomas

Last updated
The 2015 term of the Supreme Court of the United States began October 5, 2015, and concluded October 2, 2016. This was the twenty-fifth term of Associate Justice Clarence Thomas's tenure on the Court. Clarence Thomas official SCOTUS portrait.jpg
Clarence Thomas 2015 term statistics
7
Majority or Plurality
16
Concurrence
0
Other
25
Dissent
1
Concurrence/dissentTotal = 49
Bench opinions = 39Opinions relating to orders = 10In-chambers opinions = 0
Unanimous opinions: 2 Most joined by: Alito (13 in full, 1 in part) Least joined by: Scalia, Ginsburg (4) [1]
TypeCaseCitationIssuesJoined byOther opinions
401



New Hampshire Right to Life v. Department of Health and Human Services577 U.S. ___ (2015)

Freedom of Information Act Scalia
Thomas dissented from the Court's denial of certiorari.
402



Friedman v. Highland Park577 U.S. ___ (2015)

Second Amendment   right to keep and bear arms   municipal ban on semiautomatic firearms and high-capacity magazines Scalia
Thomas dissented from the Court's denial of certiorari.
403



DIRECTV, Inc. v. Imburgia 577 U.S. ___ (2015)

Federal Arbitration Act
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Breyer
104



Montanile v. Board of Trustees of Nat. Elevator Industry Health Benefit Plan 577 U.S. ___ (2016)

Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974   equitable remedies for plan enforcementRoberts, Scalia, Kennedy, Breyer, Sotomayor, Kagan; Alito (in part)
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Ginsburg
205



Campbell-Ewald v. Gomez 577 U.S. ___ (2016)

Article III   Case or Controversy Clause   effect of unaccepted settlement offer or offer of judgment on mootness   Telephone Consumer Protection Act   liability of federal contractor
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Ginsburg
406



Montgomery v. Louisiana 577 U.S. ___ (2016)

Eighth Amendment   mandatory life imprisonment of minors   retroactivity of new constitutional rules
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Kennedy
107



Musacchio v. United States 577 U.S. ___ (2016)

challenge to sufficiency of evidence based on incorrect jury instructions   waiver of statute of limitations Unanimous
208



California Building Industry Assn. v. San Jose577 U.S. ___ (2016)

ordinance requiring new developments include low income housing   Fifth Amendment   Takings Clause
Thomas concurred in the Court's denial of certiorari.
209



Gobeille v. Liberty Mut. Ins. Co. 577 U.S. ___ (2016)

Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974   preemption of state law health care disclosure requirements
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Kennedy
410



American Freedom Defense Initiative v. King County577 U.S. ___ (2016)

First Amendment   free speech   public forum doctrine   advertising in public transit areasAlito
Thomas dissented from the Court's denial of certiorari.
411



Nebraska v. Colorado 577 U.S. ___ (2016)

discretion to decline original jurisdiction suits   Colorado Amendment 64 Alito
Thomas dissented from the Court's denial of leave to file complaint.
412



Tyson Foods, Inc. v. Bouaphakeo 577 U.S. ___ (2016)

Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938   certification of class action   compensibility for varying times spent donning and doffing protective gearAlito
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Kennedy
113



Nebraska v. Parker 577 U.S. ___ (2016)

Omaha Indian Reservation   diminishment of reservation boundariesUnanimous [2]
214



Luis v. United States 578 U.S. ___ (2016)

pretrial asset freezing   Sixth Amendment   right to counsel of one's choice
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Breyer
215



Evenwel v. Abbott 578 U.S. ___ (2016)

legislative redistricting based on total state population   Fourteenth Amendment   Equal Protection Clause   one person, one vote doctrine
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Ginsburg
416



Kakarala v. Wells Fargo Bank, N. A.578 U.S. ___ (2016)

federal court review of orders remanding cases to state court
Thomas dissented from the Court's denial of certiorari.
417



Welch v. United States 578 U.S. ___ (2016)

Armed Career Criminal Act   retroactive effect of court decision on collateral review
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Kennedy
218



Hughes v. Talen Energy Marketing, LLC 578 U.S. ___ (2016)

Federal Power Act   interstate wholesale electricity rates   federal preemption
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Ginsburg
419



Arrigoni Enterprises, LLC. v. Durham578 U.S. ___ (2016)

Fifth Amendment   Takings Clause   exhaustion of remedies under state proceduresKennedy
Thomas dissented from the Court's denial of certiorari.
420



Heffernan v. City of Paterson 578 U.S. ___ (2016)

First Amendment   free speech by government employees   demotion based on employer's factual mistake regarding engagement in protected activityAlito
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Breyer
421



Ocasio v. United States 578 U.S. ___ (2016)

Hobbs Act   conspiracy
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Alito
222



Spokeo, Inc. v. Robins 578 U.S. ___ (2016)

Fair Credit Reporting Act of 1970   Article III   injury-in-fact
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Alito
423



Husky Int'l Electronics, Inc. v. Ritz 578 U.S. ___ (2016)

bankruptcy law   Chapter 7   discharge exception for actual fraud
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Sotomayor
224



Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Inc. v. Manning 578 U.S. ___ (2016)

Securities Exchange Act of 1934   removal jurisdiction   federal question jurisdiction Sotomayor
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Kagan
425



United Student Aid Funds, Inc. v. Bible578 U.S. ___ (2016)

administrative law   deference to agency interpretation
Thomas dissented from the denial of certiorari.
226



CRST Van Expedited, Inc. v. EEOC 578 U.S. ___ (2016)

Title VII   award of attorney's fees to prevailing party
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Kennedy
227



Betterman v. Montana 578 U.S. ___ (2016)

Sixth Amendment   Speedy Trial Clause   postconviction delay in sentencingAlito
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Ginsburg
428



Foster v. Chatman 578 U.S. ___ (2016)

Fourteenth Amendment   Equal Protection Clause   racial discrimination in juror peremptory challenges   adequate and independent state ground
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Roberts
429



Green v. Brennan 578 U.S. ___ (2016)

Title VII   constructive discharge   statute of limitations
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Sotomayor
230



Adams v. Alabama578 U.S. ___ (2016)

Eighth Amendment   mandatory life imprisonment of minors   retroactivity of new constitutional rulesAlito
Thomas concurred in the Court's decision to grant certiorari, vacate the lower court's opinion, and remand.
431



Lynch v. Arizona 578 U.S. ___ (2016)

Fourteenth Amendment   Due Process Clause   death penalty   right to inform jury at sentencing of parole ineligibilityAlito
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per curiam
232



Ross v. Blake 578 U.S. ___ (2016)

Prison Litigation Reform Act of 1995   exhaustion of remedies
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Kagan
433



Williams v. Pennsylvania 579 U.S. ___ (2016)

Fourteenth Amendment   Due Process Clause   judicial recusal due to prior involvement as prosecutor
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Kennedy
434



Dietz v. Bouldin 579 U.S. ___ (2016)

district court recall of jury in civil case after dischargeKennedy
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Sotomayor
235



Puerto Rico v. Sanchez Valle 579 U.S. ___ (2016)

Double Jeopardy Clause   sovereignty of Puerto Rico
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Kagan
136



Puerto Rico v. Franklin Cal. Tax-Free Trust 579 U.S. ___ (2016)

bankruptcy law   preemption of municipal bankruptcy laws   Puerto Rican government-debt crisis Roberts, Kennedy, Breyer, Kagan
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Sotomayor
237



United States v. Bryant 579 U.S. ___ (2016)

federal crime of domestic violence in Indian lands   tribal court conviction as predicate offense   Indian Civil Rights Act of 1968   Sixth Amendment   Assistance of Counsel Clause   Fifth Amendment   Due Process Clause
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Ginsburg
138



Kingdomware Technologies, Inc. v. United States 579 U.S. ___ (2016)

Veterans Benefits, Health Care, and Information Technology Act of 2006   Department of Defense contracting with veteran-owned small businessesUnanimous [2]
139



Universal Health Services, Inc. v. United States ex rel. Escobar 579 U.S. ___ (2016)

False Claims Act   implied false certification theory   failure to disclose noncompliance with legal requirementsUnanimous [2]
440



Encino Motorcars, LLC v. Navarro 579 U.S. ___ (2016)

Fair Labor Standards Act   overtime exemption for automobile service advisorsAlito
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Kennedy
141



Utah v. Strieff 579 U.S. ___ (2016)

Fourth Amendment   exclusionary rule   attenuation doctrine Roberts, Kennedy, Breyer, Alito
242



Cuozzo Speed Technologies, LLC v. Lee 579 U.S. ___ (2016)

Leahy-Smith America Invents Act   appealability of decision to conduct inter partes review
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Breyer
443



Taylor v. United States 579 U.S. ___ (2016)

Hobbs Act   robbery of drug dealers as satisfaction of commerce requirement
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Alito
444



Fisher v. University of Tex. at Austin 579 U.S. ___ (2016)

Fourteenth Amendment   Equal Protection Clause   affirmative action   race-conscious college admissions program
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Kennedy
345



Birchfield v. North Dakota 579 U.S. ___ (2016)

Fourth Amendment   search incident to arrest   drunk driving   implied consent to breathalyzer or blood alcohol content tests
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Alito
246



Mathis v. United States 579 U.S. ___ (2016)

Armed Career Criminal Act   sentence enhancement for prior convictions
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Kagan
447



Whole Woman's Health v. Hellerstedt 579 U.S. ___ (2016)

Fourteenth Amendment   abortion   regulation of abortion providers   Texas Senate Bill 5   res judicata
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Breyer
448



Voisine v. United States 579 U.S. ___ (2016)

federal criminal law   prohibition on firearm ownership for misdemeanor domestic violence conviction   Second Amendment Sotomayor (in part)
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Kagan
449



Delaware Strong Families v. Denn579 U.S. ___ (2016)

First Amendment   campaign finance reform   mandated disclosure of anonymous donors
Thomas dissented from the Court's denial of certiorari.

Notes

  1. All but eight of Thomas's opinions were issued after Justice Scalia's death.
  2. 1 2 3 This opinion was handed down after the death of Justice Scalia, and so was unanimous as to the eight justices remaining on the Court.

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