Pending Supreme Court Cases Trump’s Nominee Gorsuch Could Affect

President Donald Trump’s nominee to the U.S. Supreme Court could have an immediate impact on cases already pending before the justices.

Trump last night nominated Neil Gorsuch, a judge on the Denver-based 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, to fill a seat on the U.S. Supreme Court that has been vacant for almost a year.

The nine-seat court has been operating with only eight justices since the death of conservative Antonin Scalia on Feb. 13, 2016, with four liberals and four conservatives. The court has ended up with 4-4 split decisions in several cases. The new justice could cast the deciding vote in some cases being considered by the justices in their term that ends in June.

Here is a look at some cases in which the new justice, if approved, could be pivotal.

Gloucester County School Board v. G.G.

A major transgender rights dispute over whether a public school district in Virginia can prevent a female-born transgender student who identifies as male from using the boys’ bathroom.

Trinity Lutheran Church v. Pauley

A religious rights case from Missouri in which a church contends the state violated the U.S. Constitution’s First Amendment guarantee of religious freedom by denying it funds for a playground project due to a state ban on aid to religious organizations.

Epic Systems Corp. v. Lewis

A significant case for business and labor on whether companies can head off costly class action lawsuits by forcing employees to give up their right to pursue work-related legal claims in court as a group.

Microsoft Corp. v. Baker

A class action case on Microsoft Corp.’s bid to fend off claims by Xbox 360 owners who contend that the videogame console has a design defect that causes game discs to be gouged.

(Reporting by Lawrence Hurley; Editing by Will Dunham)