The Essence and Essential Values of Our Democracy: An Extraordinary Term for the Supreme Court

Abstract

The U.S. Supreme Court’s 2024–2025 Term was remarkable. It was an unusual “Tale of Two Terms.” The regular Term, starting in October 2024, proceeded as expected, with extensive briefing, oral arguments, and full opinions. For mental health professionals, several cases stood out: the Court upheld state laws restricting gender-transition care for minors, recognized parents’ rights to exclude their children from certain LGBTQ+ classroom materials, and ruled on cases involving disabilities, the death penalty, gun rights, and pornography. The American Psychological Association (APA) filed amicus briefs in the gender-transition and LGBTQ+ instruction cases. Meanwhile, a Second (“Shadow”) Term was dominated by a flood of emergency requests, many of them tied to Trump administration policies. These disputes, including issues related to federal grants, immigration, and executive power, were often decided without complete briefing or oral arguments. The Court generally did not provide full written opinions, leaving some ambiguities about the decisions. This article analyzes both Terms, examines public trust in the Court, and previews a consequential year ahead, with cases involving conversion therapy, transgender athletes, and pregnancy center regulations.

Continuing Education Information

1 CE Credit, Instructional Level: Intermediate

1 Contact Hour (New York Board of Psychology)

Disclosures: Author has no conflicts of interest to disclose. Generative AI was not used for the development or content of this presentation.

Learning Objectives:

1. Analyze key U.S. Supreme Court decisions from the 2024–2025 Term relevant to mental health professionals.
2. Distinguish between the Court’s regular Term and “shadow docket” decisions and their implications.
3. Evaluate how recent and upcoming Court cases may affect mental health practice and public trust in the Court.

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