THE SUPREME COURT decided just 55 fully argued or “merits” cases in the term that ended on June 27th—the lowest total since the civil war, except for the covid-curtailed term of 2020. Yet the justices have been busier than ever. President Donald Trump’s use of the court’s emergency docket has forced the justices to review extraordinary assertions of executive power on a speeded-up timeline. Of the 15 emergency applications that have been resolved (four are pending), 12 have gone Mr Trump’s way.