SCOTUS Smacks Down Texas' Attempt To Slow Roll Immigration Case

In a small-bore procedural move with big-time 2016 implications, the Supreme Court Tuesday kept a major immigration case on track to be potentially decided before the November elections.

The states suing President Obama over his immigration executive actions had asked the court for a 30-day extension on their deadline to file briefs in the case, which the administration appealed to the high court last month. Had the court granted the full 30-day extension, it would have been much less likely the case would have been heard in time for an end-of-the-term decision next year.

Instead, the court gave the states only an additional eight days to file their briefs replying to the administration's petition, according to SCOTUSblog. The move means the case could be heard in the spring -- as the administration had hoped -- with a decision by the summer, ahead of the 2016 election. While the court has yet to accept the case, it is widely anticipated that it will grant review.