Trump Riot Appeal Bid, Biden Vaccine Add to Seismic Court Term

The Supreme Court starts 2022 with a special session on Joe Biden’s vaccine mandate, joining a blockbuster docket that could also see affirmative action and Donald Trump’s Capitol riot dispute with congressional investigators go before the justices.

The court with its fortified conservative majority has a small window in January to add new cases to its argument calendar. Already, expected rulings on abortion, gun rights, and religious freedom highlight how closely the court’s work this term has become bound to disputes dividing the nation. And questions swirling about the court’s independence from politics has upped the tension.

“This is almost ...