I just saw the Petitions to Watch on SCOTUSBLOG. 

Two cases of relevance to this blog (in my humble opinion anyway):

For the Con Law wonks:  Sun v. United States.  This case arises from the federal district court in the Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands.  A criminal defendant challenged his criminal conviction on the basis that the trial judge was not an Article III judge, ergo the judge did not have jurisdiction to hear the case.  The Ninth Circuit summarily affirmed the conviction, finding that the judge was an Article IV judge.

For the International Law wonks:  Bowoto v. Chevron.  The petition asks the court whether American companies can be liable under the Torture Victim Protection Act, 28 U.S.C. 1350 which provides:

An individual who, under actual or apparent authority, or color of law, of any foreign nation— (1) subjects an individual to torture shall, in a civil action, be liable for damages to that individual; or (2) subjects an individual to extrajudicial killing shall, in a civil action, be liable for damages to the individual’s legal representative, or to any person who may be a claimant in an action for wrongful death.

No surprise in this petition because the Ninth Circuit acknowledged the split of interpretation of the Death on the High Seas Act, see my earlier post here.  Stay tuned.