[JURIST] The new term of the US Supreme Court [official website] begins Monday with new Chief Justice John Roberts [JURIST news archive] being sworn-in at the Court in a private investiture ceremony [US SC press release]. Roberts, who took the constitutional oath [JURIST report] during a White House ceremony last week, will preside over a number of high-profile, controversial cases dealing with abortion, assisted suicide and campaign financing. The Court will hear arguments in two cases Monday: IPB v. Alvarez [Duke Law backgrounder], dealing with worker compensation, and Wagnon v. Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation [Duke Law backgrounder], on state gasoline taxes. The composition of the Court will change further in the coming months with the retirement of Justice Sandra Day O'Connor. On Monday morning, President Bush nominated [JURIST report] White House Counsel Harriet Miers [official profile; Washington Post profile] as O'Connor's replacement. Reuters has more.