US Supreme Court meets for first time since Justice Scalia's death

The Supreme Court is meeting for the first time since the death of Justice Antonin Scalia, as speculation grows over a potential successor.

President Barack Obama has vowed to nominate a candidate to take the conservative justice's seat, but Senate Republicans, supported by their party's presidential contenders, have pledged to block anyone Obama puts forward.

Republicans have said the choice should await the next president. Eight justices are expected to take the bench Monday morning and resume the court's work. Scalia died on February 13 and was buried on Saturday.

Scalia served as a justice for nearly 30 years. His chair, draped in black wool crepe, will remain in its usual place to the right of Chief Justice John Roberts until next month. In late March, the justices plan to switch seats in line with their seniority on the court. Justice Anthony Kennedy is now the longest-serving member, with 28 years of experience.

Arguments in two cases are scheduled for Monday. One involves a dispute over preferences given to military veterans seeking Veterans Administration contracts. The other concerns whether evidence of a crime should be thrown out of court because the police did something wrong or illegal that led to the discovery of the evidence.

One of the term's biggest cases, a challenge to Texas' strict regulation of abortion clinics, awaits the court next week.