A state assault weapons ban, grand jury secrecy, health care, religious job discrimination and immigrant sanctuary laws are among the issues and cases facing the U.S. Supreme Court justices during their private conference Friday, the first of the new year.

The justices are arriving soon at that point of no return, where the high court typically stops adding cases to the term's argument docket. Of course, the court can do what the court wants, adding cases when it so chooses. Will we see a special sitting in May in the Obamacare case that's arrived from the Fifth Circuit?

In the meantime, here are some of the petitions the justices are scheduled to review Friday at their private conference:

Second Amendment

>> Worman v. Healey: The case challenges the Massachusetts assault weapons ban. John Parker Sweeney, a Bradley Arant Boult Cummings partner in Washington, is lead counsel for the challengers, who include firearms owners, dealers and an advocacy organization. Julia Kobick of the Massachusetts attorney general's office is counsel of record for the state.