The United States Supreme Court October session got underway this week and justices face a docket heavy on substance and hot button topics. The court will hear cases involving issues of privacy, illegal immigration, violence in video games, and this week it will examine the reach of the First Amendment. And while there is great excitement around the Court’s gender make-up, don’t expect much—at first—from the newest woman on the bench, Justice Elena Kagan. 

Kagan has recused herself from at least 25, or nearly half of the court’s accepted cases so far because of her previous involvement as a U.S. Solicitor General. 

To find out what else we might expect from the highest court in the land we speak with Steven Schwinn, an Associate Professor of Law at the John Marshall School of Law and Editor of The Constitutional Law Prof Blog.