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Abortion, guns, religion top a big Supreme Court term

  • By Mark Sherman/AP
The U.S. Supreme Court building on Capitol Hill in Washington.

 Patrick Semansky / AP Photo

The U.S. Supreme Court building on Capitol Hill in Washington.

(Washington)  —  The future of abortion rights is in the hands of a conservative Supreme Court that’s beginning a new term on Monday.

And there are major cases on gun rights and religion.

The court’s credibility with the public also could be on the line, especially if a divided court were to overrule the landmark Roe v. Wade decision from 1973 that established a woman’s right to an abortion nationwide.

The justices are returning to the courtroom after an 18-month absence caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

And the possible retirement of 83-year-old liberal Justice Stephen Breyer looms.

It’s also the first full term with the court in its current ideological alignment, with a six-justice conservative majority.

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