The US Supreme Court is set to hand down the final four decisions of its 2025-26 term on Tuesday (June 30), with rulings expected on some of the country’s most politically charged legal battles.
The pending cases cover President , , campaign finance rules ahead of the 2026 midterm elections, and parents’ rights in cases involving transgender minors.
Here’s a look at the four major cases.
1. Birthright citizenship: Can Trump redefine who is a US citizen?
Quick answers to key questions
What legal arguments are being made against Trump’s executive order on birthright citizenship?⌵
The plaintiffs argue that Trump’s executive order unlawfully strips US-born children of citizenship and access to benefits, violating the Citizenship Clause of the 14th Amendment.
Why are states enacting laws to ban transgender girls from competing in girls’ sports?⌵
States like Idaho and West Virginia are enacting these laws based on the belief that they should protect the integrity of women’s sports and maintain fairness in competitive events.
How could the Supreme Court’s ruling on campaign finance affect future elections?⌵
If the Supreme Court strikes down current federal limits on coordinated campaign spending, political parties could significantly increase financial support for their candidates, impacting election dynamics.
What rights do parents have concerning transgender minors’ health care decisions under the current laws?⌵
The Supreme Court case will determine whether parents can challenge laws that allow shelters to withhold information from them regarding their children’s gender-affirming treatment.
Should the Supreme Court establish a nationwide standard for transgender athletes’ participation in sports?⌵
This decision could shape national policies on transgender rights and fairness in sports, highlighting the ongoing debate about states’ rights versus federal oversight.
The most closely watched case challenges President seeking to end automatic US citizenship for children born to undocumented immigrants and certain temporary visa holders.
Trump argues that the current interpretation of birthright citizenship encourages illegal immigration and so-called “birth tourism.”
The order is being challenged by three foreign nationals who say it violates the Citizenship Clause of the 14th Amendment, which states:
“All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States.”
The plaintiffs argue the order unlawfully strips their US-born children of citizenship and access to benefits such as Social Security, Medicaid and government assistance.
2. Transgender athletes: Can states ban trans girls from girls’ sports?
The Supreme Court is also expected to rule on challenges to laws in Idaho and West Virginia that .
The Idaho law applies to public schools and colleges, while the West Virginia law requires transgender girls to compete on boys’ or co-ed teams.
Around half of US states have enacted similar restrictions.
During oral arguments, several conservative justices suggested states should have the authority to set their own rules rather than having a nationwide constitutional standard imposed by the court.
The rulings are expected to become a landmark precedent in the national debate over transgender rights and women’s sports.
3. Campaign finance: Could parties spend more to help candidates?
Another major case concerns federal limits on coordinated between political parties and individual candidates.
Current law restricts how much official party committees—including the Republican National Committee (RNC) and Democratic National Committee (DNC)—can spend in coordination with candidates.
Republican groups argue those restrictions violate First Amendment free speech protections.
If the Supreme Court strikes down the limits, national party organizations could spend substantially more money directly supporting candidates ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.
The decision could reshape campaign fundraising and political advertising in future federal elections.
4. Parents’ rights and transgender minors
The fourth case examines whether parents can challenge Washington state laws that protect runaway transgender minors seeking gender-affirming care.
The parents argue the laws allow shelters to withhold information from families when minors seek gender-affirming treatment or reproductive healthcare.
Washington says shelters may delay notifying parents if workers believe disclosure could expose children to abuse or neglect.
The Supreme Court is not yet deciding whether the laws themselves are constitutional.
Instead, it will determine whether the parents have legal standing to bring the lawsuit after lower courts ruled they had not demonstrated sufficient harm.
The case is the first before the Supreme Court to directly address parents’ rights in relation to a child’s gender identity transition.
Why the rulings matter
The four decisions are expected to have far-reaching implications across several areas:
Immigration: The birthright citizenship ruling could redefine who automatically becomes a US citizen at birth.
Transgender rights: The sports and parental rights cases could shape national policy on transgender participation and healthcare for minors.
Elections: The campaign finance decision could alter how political parties fund candidates ahead of the 2026 midterms.
Federal vs state authority: Several of the cases test the balance between constitutional protections and states’ power to enact their own laws.
With these rulings, the Supreme Court will conclude its 2025-26 term, bringing decisions that are likely to influence US politics, elections and constitutional law well beyond this year.
