What happened
The U.S. Supreme Court used a new order list to ask the solicitor general for the federal government's views in two pending petitions, send three cases back to lower courts and clear a long slate of certiorari, mandamus and rehearing requests.
In the most immediately consequential moves, the justices granted certiorari, vacated the judgments and remanded cases brought by Full Play Group and Hernan Lopez to the Second Circuit for further consideration in light of a pending motion to dismiss the indictment. The court took the same grant-vacate-remand route in Kira Zielinski's case, sending it back to the Eighth Circuit in light of the position the solicitor general took in a November 2025 brief.
The court also called for the solicitor general's views in two separate matters: Wells Pharma of Houston's dispute with Zyla Life Sciences and General Dynamics' petition involving Susan Scharpf. Such invitations often signal that the justices want the federal government's assessment before deciding whether to take up a case.
In another order involving government participation, the justices granted the solicitor general leave to participate as amicus curiae in oral argument in Havana Docks Corp.'s case against Royal Caribbean Cruises and allowed divided argument.
The court denied review in a broad group of petitions, including Hertz Corp.'s petition involving Wells Fargo Bank. Justice Brett Kavanaugh would have granted review in that case, according to the order list.
The order list also noted several recusals or nonparticipation entries. Justice Samuel Alito took no part in the court's denial of review in Atlas Turner, Chief Justice John Roberts took no part in Alaska's petition against the United States, Justice Elena Kagan took no part in Antwan Coplen's petition against the United States, and Justice Kavanaugh took no part in Aaron Thorpe's petition.
Because the order list does not include merits reasoning, the next step for any deeper appellate story is source acquisition: the petitions, lower-court decisions, solicitor-general filings and relevant pending motions will be needed before characterizing the legal issues driving the court's action.