The United States Supreme Court has entered its most consequential season.

From April through June, the justices release rulings that do more than interpret the law -- they shape the direction of the country. Cases argued in the quiet months of winter now emerge into public view, often carrying the full weight of the nation's deepest divisions.

Alexander Hamilton once described the court as the "least dangerous" branch, lacking power over "the sword or the purse." History has not been kind to that prediction. Through judicial review and lifetime appointments, the court has become one of the most influential forces in American life. Alexis de Tocqueville recognized this early, observing that nearly every political question in America eventually becomes a legal one.

From Dred Scott v. Sandford to the defining civil rights rulings of the 20th century, the court has not merely followed history; it has redirected it. This term will be no different. Immigration, free speech, religious liberty, executive authority and birthright citizenship all stand before the court, awaiting........

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