The U.S. Supreme Court is expected to wrap up its term this week with rulings on seven different cases, highlighted by a First Amendment test on whether states can prevent certain violent video games from being sold to minors.
Unlike the last few years, the end of the Court's term is not filled with anticipation about a vacancy on the bench, as no Justice is expected to suddenly announce his or her retirement this week.
President Obama has already had the chance to fill two Supreme Court vacancies, only the third and fourth spots on the bench filled by a Democratic President since 1967.
The video game case will certainly get the most attention this week, whether it is issued today or later in the week.
The case centers on a law in California, that attempts to limit the sale of violent video games to minors. In the past, lower courts have rejected state efforts to regulate the sale of video games by age, leaving some experts to wonder if that will change this week.
Other remaining cases include one on campaign finance, focusing on an Arizona law that gives extra money to candidates who take public financing if their outside groups pour in large sums of money into their race.
But this year, there is no gigantic, historic case for the final week of the Supreme Court term.
A year ago, the end of the term brought a major ruling on a Second Amendment case; two years ago it was a huge decision on affirmative action dealing with firefight promotions in Connecticut.
In 2011, it's violent video games, not exactly a case that may cause the brick and mortar of the Supreme Court to sway when the decision is handed down.
Next year, it could be much different, especially if the High Court is dealing with various legal challenges to the Obama health reform law.
On the health reform challenges, we are still waiting for that case to make it to the Justices, as decisions are pending from three judge panels on both the 4th and 11th Circuits.
It may well be that the health case does not officially get scheduled for argument by the Court until after the 2011-2012 term begins on the First Monday in October.
As for cases the Court will hear, one very interesting matter could be added to the docket today, on whether police need a search warrant before attaching a GPS device on a vehicle to help track a suspect; another would deal with federal regulation of indecent programming on television.
So, while this term may end quietly, next year - a Presidential election year - could be a Constitutional Blockbuster.
