Here's a look at the first cases Kavanaugh will hear:
• Tuesday will feature a 1984 federal law that has been before the Supreme Court often: the Armed Career Criminal Act, which sets a 15-year minimum sentence for crimes involving firearms if the offender has three prior serious or violent felony convictions. Questions arise continually regarding what crimes are "serious" or "violent."
• On Wednesday, the justices will consider another question they've heard before: which undocumented immigrants can be detained during deportation proceedings? The case involves an immigrant with a prior criminal record, but who no longer is in custody.