U.S. court, Kagan, to hear immigration, video cases

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Senate's approval of President Barack Obama's nomination of Elena Kagan to the U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday cleared the way for her to be sworn in as the 112th justice in the nation's history.

Kagan would join the eight other high court members when they return to the bench in early October for the new term, after their regular summer recess.

Following are some of the major cases the Supreme Court has agreed to hear and decide during its 2010-11 term:

* VIOLENT VIDEO GAMES

Whether a California law banning the sale and rental of violent video games to minors violated constitutional free-speech rights.

It will be the first time the high court has heard and decided a case involving government regulation of video games.

The Supreme Court will consider whether violent material in video games should be subject to the same legal standard courts have used to prohibit the sale of sexually explicit material to minors.

* ANTI-GAY PROTESTS AT MILITARY FUNERALS

Whether constitutional free-speech rights protected anti-gay protests by members of a Kansas church at funerals for U.S. military members killed in Iraq.

The protesters argued their message and picketing were constitutionally protected, even though they involved a private family funeral.

The church members have picketed at funerals of U.S. military members killed in Iraq or Afghanistan as part of their religious view that God is punishing America for its tolerance of gays and lesbians.

* BUSINESS IMMIGRATION LAW IN ARIZONA

Whether business, civil rights and immigration groups can succeed in their legal challenge to an Arizona law that punishes employers who knowingly hire illegal immigrants.

Supported by the Obama administration, the groups argued the 2007 state law infringed on federal immigration powers and should be struck down.

The law is different from the strict Arizona immigration law passed earlier this year that requires the police to determine the immigration status of any person suspected of being in the country illegally. A federal judge has blocked that provision from taking effect.

* DNA TEST OF DEATH ROW INMATE WHO SAYS HE IS INNOCENT

Whether a Texas death row inmate can use a civil rights law to require that the state test DNA evidence he says could prove his innocence in a triple murder.

Attorneys for death row inmate Henry Skinner argued that his rights under the civil rights law were violated by authorities' refusal to grant DNA testing after his conviction.

In the United States, post-conviction DNA testing has exonerated more than 250 people, including 17 prisoners who served time on death row, according to a group called the Innocence Project.

(Reporting by James Vicini in Washington; Editing by Jerry Norton)