Supremes Grant Cert in Immigration Gender Discrimination Case

The U.S. Supreme Court granted cert today in Flores-Villar v. United States Docket: 09-5801.  The question presented is:  Whether the Court’s decision in Nguyen v. Immigration and Naturalization Service (2001) permits gender discrimination that has no biological basis?

* Opinion below (9th Circuit) - 536 F.3d 990 (9th Cir. 2008) (opinion by Judge Rymer, joined by Judges Hall and Kleinfeld)  http://www.ca9.uscourts.gov/datastore/opinions/2008/08/06/0750445.pdf

* Petition for certiorari http://www.scotusblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/09-5801_pet.pdf

* Brief in opposition http://www.scotusblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/09-5801_bio.pdf

* Petitioner’s reply http://www.scotusblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/09-5801_reply.pdf

Professor Ruthann Robson has an analysis of the case on the Constitutional Law Professors Blog.  She raises the interesting question of how the newest Justice, Sonia Sotomayor, will approach the case.

KJ