On the heels of the recent decision in Ruan v. United States, a Florida pharmacy is at the steps of the Supreme Court arguing that the DEA has unconstitutionally encroached on the practice of pharmacies dispensing opioid prescriptions. Should the Supreme Court take up this challenge it would be in a position to extend the Ruan decision to the practice of pharmacy and restrict the DEA’s powers to discipline pharmacists.

In Shinn v. Ramirez the Supreme Court led by Justice Thomas held that a state court defendant is barred from access to federal courts if his state court claim is procedurally barred even where his counsel is ineffective. A salty dissent pointed out that innocent people will be imprisoned or even executed for failure to have a competent lawyer. Habeas relief continues to erode.