Supreme Court to Hear Criminal Justice Cases

Beginning of article

The Supreme Court began its new term on Oct. 5 with a variety of cases on its docket, including nine criminal justice cases, one civil rights case and two public employment cases. Below are a number of cases and the issues to be resolved.

Criminal Justice

City of Chicago v. Jesus Morales, et al. 97-1121 Street Gangs

1. The court will determine whether a loitering ordinance authorizing the arrest of persons who have disobeyed a police order to move on, given when a police officer has reasonable cause to believe that a group of loiterers contains a member of a criminal street gang, is impermissibly vague in violation of due process guarantees.

2. The court will determine whether an ordinance that requires a group of loiterers containing criminal street gang members to obey a police order to move on violates substantive due process guarantees.

United States v. Jacinto Rodriquez-Moreno 97-1139 Firearms

1. The court will …