Justices turn away 'Let's Go Brandon' sweatshirts and a stack of gun appeals
The Court's first order list of the term, released Monday, denied review in a long list of cases. It turned away an appeal by two Michigan middle school students told to remove sweatshirts reading 'Let's Go Brandon,' leaving in place a ruling for the school district, without explanation. It declined Johnson v. Jacobson, a challenge to Minnesota's refusal to honor other states' concealed-carry permits, and many other Second Amendment petitions, including the government's own in U.S. v. Hembree; there were no new grants. It also turned away two challenges to COVID-19 vaccine mandates, sent two cases back to the Ninth Circuit in light of Louisiana v. Callais, denied three stay applications, and asked the Solicitor General's views in seven cases. Justice Sotomayor wrote a statement on the denial in Mulkey v. Alabama.
Denials set no precedent, but they leave lower-court rulings standing. For students, the sweatshirt case means school officials keep wide leeway over clothing they see as vulgar. For gun owners, the concealed-carry rules of each state remain a patchwork.
If you carry a concealed handgun and travel, your home permit may not be honored in Minnesota and some other states. Check before you go.
The pile of gun denials is the signal: the Court is not looking for a new Second Amendment case this fall. Watch the next conference lists for any grant on felon-in-possession laws.
DailyDrop U.S. No. 1 · October 5, 2026