US Supreme Court to hear Trump's tax and financial records disputes in May

All high-profile disputes, including President Donald Trump's bid to shield tax and financial records, will be argued next month via teleconference, the US Supreme Court has reportedly announced. Courtroom arguments were previously postponed for April-May due to the coronavirus pandemic. Judiciary will record live audio of the arguments and is expected to hear at least 10 cases, all between May 4 and May 13. 

According to reports, the hearing will include the sensitive and complex U.S. presidential election system. The courtroom will debate whether presidential electors are required to nullify their pledge, if at all, in order to cast their Electoral College ballots for the candidate who won their state. Kathy Arberg, Public Information Officer for the U.S. Supreme Court, told a press conference that the justices will participate remotely, as the court will hear a handful of oral arguments virtually. The move is the first ever to continue the court’s business-as-usual despite the global health emergency. 

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Arguments released online

Earlier on March 16, the US Supreme Court reportedly announced that it was closing its door for the public until further notice out of “abundance of caution” due to the COVID-19. For the first time in 100 years, the court suspended all oral arguments scheduled for the month of March. It, however, notified that the judiciary would further examine options to have certain cases rescheduled in due course in light of the developing circumstances, media reports confirmed.

Since the last meeting held as of March 9, justices have done court sessions in private conferences by telephone, according to US media reports. As many as 7 cases were heard by the Supreme Court in the past month. While the justices customarily read a summary of the decision from the bench, arguments were released online. “The court usually winds up its work for the summer by the end of June and returns to the bench on the first Monday in October. Another 10 cases that were postponed because of the virus outbreak will be argued in the fall”, Stephen Vladeck, a University of Texas law professor who will argue one of the cases was quoted as saying.

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(With Agency Inputs)