Big week looms for US high court (UPDATE)

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WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court is meeting Monday to issue opinions in some of the handful of cases that remain unresolved.

As the justices enter what is looking like their final week, President Barack Obama’s health care overhaul tops the list of undecided cases. The court also still has to decide cases on lying about military medals, juvenile sentencing and real estate kickbacks.

Monday is the court’s last scheduled meeting until the fall, but it is unlikely to be the final session. As the justices leave the bench, Marshal Pamela Talkin will announce the court’s next meeting.

Then, on the next-to-last day, Chief Justice John Roberts will say that its next meeting will be the last.

Such word could come Monday or, more likely, later in the week.

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The Supreme Court struck down key provisions of Arizona’s crackdown on immigrants Monday but said a much-debated portion on checking suspects’ status could go forward.

The court did not throw out the state provision requiring police to check the immigration status of someone they suspect is not in the United States legally. Even there, though, the justices said the provision could be subject to additional legal challenges.

The decision upholds the “show me your papers” requirement for the moment. But it takes the teeth out of it by prohibiting police officers from arresting people on minor immigration charges.

The court announced that Thursday would be the last day of rulings this term, which means the decision on President Barack Obama’s landmark health care overhaul probably will come that day.

Justice Anthony Kennedy wrote the opinion for the court that was unanimous on allowing the status check to go forward. The court was divided on striking down the other portions.

The court struck down these provisions: requiring all immigrants to obtain or carry immigration registration papers, making it a state criminal offense for an illegal immigrant to seek work or hold a job and allowing police to arrest suspected illegal immigrants without warrants.

The Obama administration sued to block the Arizona law soon after its enactment two years ago. Federal courts had refused to let the four key provisions take effect.

Five states — Alabama, Georgia, Indiana, South Carolina and Utah — have adopted variations on Arizona’s law. Parts of those laws also are on hold pending the outcome of the Supreme Court case.