When Will the Supreme Court Rule on Student Loan Forgiveness?

• The Supreme Court heard arguments in President Joe Biden’s federal student loan forgiveness program on Feb. 28.
• The court generally releases most of its opinions by the end of June.
• The Supreme Court isn’t bound by specific rules about when a decision needs to be made, although the court is typically in recess from late June until the first Monday in October.

The U.S. Supreme Court has heard oral arguments in the cases challenging President Joe Biden’s federal student loan forgiveness program, but millions of borrowers may have to wait months to learn if their debts will be erased.

Some justices in the court’s 6-3 conservative majority appeared skeptical of the Biden administration's arguments for the loan forgiveness program during the Feb. 28 oral arguments, BestColleges reported. The program could erase up to $20,000 in federal student loans for millions of borrowers across the country.

The Supreme Court’s opinions are typically handed down by the time the court recesses for summer, according to the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts. That recess usually stretches from late June or early July until the first Monday in October.

There aren’t any rules about when the court has to make decisions aside from that end-of-term deadline, according to the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts, but more “controversial” opinions tend to come toward the end of the term.

“Typically, decisions that are unanimous are released sooner than those that have concurring and dissenting opinions,” according to the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts. “While some unanimous decisions are handed down as early as December, some controversial opinions, even if heard in October, may not be handed down until the last day of the term.”

A majority of justices needs to agree to an opinion by signing onto it before it is publicly delivered, according to the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts.

“On days when the Court is hearing oral arguments, decisions may be handed down before the arguments are heard,” according to the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts. “During the months of May and June, the Court meets at 10 a.m. every Monday to release opinions. During the last week of the term, additional days may be designated as ‘opinion days.’”