Supreme Court saves some best cases for last

WASHINGTON -- The Supreme Court has had divisive rulings this year on the environment, police power and whistleblowers, and the justices are not even through with their hardest cases.

The high court is on a tight deadline to finish before July, when justices begin a three-month break.

As usual, justices have left some of the most significant cases to the end. There are 10 rulings left, on issues from a president's wartime powers, capital punishment, Texas' political boundaries and the insanity defense.

The big test, however, is still ahead.

The most significant case of the year challenges the president's power to order military trials for suspected foreign terrorists held at the Navy prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. John Roberts cannot participate because he served on an appeals court panel that backed the Bush administration in the case last year.

Two election cases are still to be decided.

Justices have been asked to throw out all or part of a Texas congressional map promoted by former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, R-Texas. They also will decide how far states can go to limit spending and donations to political campaigns.

Samuel Alito is expected to break a tie in the one death penalty case still undecided, a constitutional test of Kansas' death penalty law. The case was argued the first time before Sandra Day O'Connor's departure. A new argument session was held after Alito's arrival.

It is tough to tell the court's direction so early in the tenures of Roberts and Alito, most court-watchers say.

Justices have lined up some significant cases for next fall, on abortion, public school affirmative action and the environment.

"Justices are willing to test the new lineup right away. Next year is where the rubber is going to hit the road," said John Yoo, a University of California, Berkeley, law professor.