Guns, Violence, Gorsuch in Spotlight in Supreme Court Dispute

The government wants violent criminals off the street. Defendants want laws that make clear what’s illegal.

Arguments at the U.S. Supreme Court in a consequential criminal case on Wednesday could give clues about which side will win the dispute implicating those arguably competing ends.

It could turn on a contentious 5-4 decision from last term in which Justice Neil M. Gorsuch cast the tie-breaking vote for an immigrant the government wanted to deport.

Gorsuch could again be the deciding vote here, but it’s unclear which way he and a majority of the court will go. A decision is expected by ...