DOJ says 'cake artistry' trumps anti-discrimination laws The Trump Justice Department has filed a "friend of the court brief" on behalf of a baker in Colorado who refused to make a wedding cake for a gay couple, arguing that he was exercising his right to free speech. It reads, in part, "Just as a painter does more than simply apply paint to a canvas, a baker of a custom wedding cake does more than simply mix together eggs, flour, and sugar: Both apply their artistic talents and viewpoints to the endeavor.” The ACLU calls that an argument for a Constitutional right to discriminate. Jess Bravin, who covers the Supreme Court for the Wall Street Journal , says the case weighs the power of religion, sexual orientation and basic civil rights.

SCOTUS Will Review Obama Immigration Plan The US Supreme Court is set to make a blockbuster ruling in the midst of this year's presidential campaign. It's agreed to rule on a challenge to President Obama's use of executive power to defer deportation of more than four million undocumented workers. Jess Bravin covers the court for the Wall Street Journal .

Supreme Court Rules on Hobby Lobby Case In a 5-4 decision, the Supreme Court sided today with employers who said the contraception mandate under Obamacare violated their religious beliefs. The courts ruled that “closely held” companies may now qualify for a religious exemption to the nation’s healthcare law. Jess Bravin is the Supreme Court correspondent for the Wall Street Journal.

Hobby Lobby Preview The Supreme Court will hear arguments tomorrow over whether Hobby Lobby has a right to restrict the kinds of contraception covered by the company’s health plan. As it stands, the restrictions violate rules set out by the Affordable Care Act. We preview the arguments and political significance of the case.

Gay Rights Victories from a Divided US Supreme Court Two different five-vote Supreme Court majorities made rulings today that advance the cause of same-sex marriage in the United States. The Defense of Marriage Act , which recognizes only heterosexual marriage, was held to be unconstitutional . Same-sex marriage is now legal again in California, because a lower-court ruling against that state's voter-passed ban will be allowed to stand. We hear the legal details and the emotional reaction from both sides, who agree on one thing: traditional marriage is changing fast.

Rough Justice for Terrorists at Guantanamo Bay In the aftermath of September 11, the Bush Administration began rounding up terrorist suspects and incarcerating them at Guantanamo Bay. Instead of trying them in civilian federal courts or military courts martial, officials established a parallel justice system, which is still operating. Wall Street Journal reporter Jess Bravin has been cited by the American Bar Association for enhancing understanding of "our most fundamental values and principles under law." Elsewhere he's described as "legitimately outraged" by what he uncovered during ten years of reporting on the trial of terrorist suspects at Guantanamo. That's the subject of The Terror Courts : Rough Justice at Guantanamo Bay.

Affirmative Action in College Admissions and the US Supreme Court In the Grutter case almost 10 years ago, a divided US Supreme Court rejected racial quotas in college admissions. But it said race could be one factor in the effort to diversify student bodies and make up for the history of racial discrimination. It was a divided decision, and the court said it would take up the issue again. Today, in the case of Abigail Fisher , a white student rejected by the University of Texas, it made good on its promise. We hear what the Court heard about race-based and race-neutral strategies.

Conservatives Justices Take Hard Line on Individual Mandate One major question raised by President Obama's Affordable Care Act is, just how much power does the so-called Commerce Clause give the federal government? Today, the US Supreme Court heard arguments about the so-called "mandate," which requires that Americans buy health insurance or pay a penalty. We hear what the justices wanted to know and what answers they got from the Obama Administration and its challengers. (Special thanks to Gideon Brower for production assistance.)