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Supreme Court

The latest developments on the United States Supreme Court. Get senior correspondent Ian Millhiser’s analysis of what the Supreme Court is doing, delivered straight to your inbox with Scotus, Explained.

Politics
Yes, Merrick Garland can prosecute Mark Meadows (and Peter Navarro, and Dan Scavino)Yes, Merrick Garland can prosecute Mark Meadows (and Peter Navarro, and Dan Scavino)
Politics
Clarence Thomas’s long fight against fair and democratic electionsClarence Thomas’s long fight against fair and democratic elections
Politics

Like wife, like husband.

By Ian Millhiser
Politics
The Supreme Court rules that Joe Biden is commander-in-chief. Three justices dissent.The Supreme Court rules that Joe Biden is commander-in-chief. Three justices dissent.
Politics

The judiciary cannot be part of the chain of command.

By Ian Millhiser
Politics
The Supreme Court’s latest religion opinion should reassure liberalsThe Supreme Court’s latest religion opinion should reassure liberals
Politics

Ramirez v. Collier indicates that the Court retains some commitment to the rule of law.

By Ian Millhiser
Politics
What we actually learned from Ketanji Brown Jackson’s confirmation hearingWhat we actually learned from Ketanji Brown Jackson’s confirmation hearing
Politics

The spectacle and substance, briefly explained.

By Li Zhou
Politics
Black voters suffer another significant loss in the Supreme CourtBlack voters suffer another significant loss in the Supreme Court
Politics

The justices are concerned that Wisconsin’s legislative maps may give too much political power to Black people.

By Ian Millhiser
Politics
The GOP’s attacks on Ketanji Brown Jackson are nasty even by Republican standardsThe GOP’s attacks on Ketanji Brown Jackson are nasty even by Republican standards
Politics

Republicans turned the hearing into a blizzard of misleading attacks, many of which seem designed to appeal to QAnon supporters.

By Ian Millhiser
Why Ketanji Brown Jackson’s time as a public defender matters
Politics

A look at the Supreme Court nominee’s record defending indigent clients.

By Fabiola Cineas
Politics
Josh Hawley’s latest attack on Ketanji Brown Jackson is genuinely nauseatingJosh Hawley’s latest attack on Ketanji Brown Jackson is genuinely nauseating
Politics

Hawley’s going to a place that decent people have the good sense not to go.

By Ian Millhiser
Politics
The constitutional problem with Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” billThe constitutional problem with Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” bill
Politics

Florida Republicans are leveraging uncertainty to terrorize teachers and school administrators.

By Ian Millhiser
Politics
A new Supreme Court case allows the justices to fix one of their worst anti-worker decisionsA new Supreme Court case allows the justices to fix one of their worst anti-worker decisions
Politics

Circuit City v. Adams is one of the most indefensible decisions of the modern era. Its shadow hangs over the Court this month.

By Ian Millhiser
Politics
The needlessly complicated Supreme Court fight over whether Navy SEALs have to obey ordersThe needlessly complicated Supreme Court fight over whether Navy SEALs have to obey orders
Politics

Republican judges appear unwilling to acknowledge that they do not command the United States military.

By Ian Millhiser
Politics
A grand Supreme Court showdown over gerrymandering ends in a whimperA grand Supreme Court showdown over gerrymandering ends in a whimper
Politics

Republicans face a significant, but temporary, defeat in the Supreme Court.

By Ian Millhiser
Politics
The fate of American elections is in Amy Coney Barrett’s handsThe fate of American elections is in Amy Coney Barrett’s hands
Politics

A pair of cases on the Supreme Court’s “shadow docket” could eviscerate legal safeguards protecting free and fair elections.

By Ian Millhiser
Politics
The Supreme Court hands the CIA a victory in a horrid case about tortureThe Supreme Court hands the CIA a victory in a horrid case about torture
Politics

The CIA’s worst-kept secret will remain a “state secret.”

By Ian Millhiser
Politics
How a new Supreme Court case endangers the New Deal, the Great Society, and ObamacareHow a new Supreme Court case endangers the New Deal, the Great Society, and Obamacare
Politics

The Court’s Republican supermajority will hear a case about the Commerce Clause. God help us.

By Ian Millhiser
Politics
The Supreme Court could make it very easy for federal law enforcement to violate the ConstitutionThe Supreme Court could make it very easy for federal law enforcement to violate the Constitution
Politics

What’s the remedy if a federal official violates your constitutional rights? The answer may soon be nothing.

By Ian Millhiser
Climate
The Supreme Court appears eager to gut the EPA, but can’t figure out how to do itThe Supreme Court appears eager to gut the EPA, but can’t figure out how to do it
Climate

Turns out incoherent legal doctrines are hard to apply.

By Ian Millhiser
Politics
Biden picks Ketanji Brown Jackson as his Supreme Court nomineeBiden picks Ketanji Brown Jackson as his Supreme Court nominee
Politics

Jackson is a conventionally qualified judge with a strong background in criminal justice reform.

By Ian Millhiser
Climate
The absurd Supreme Court case that could gut the EPAThe absurd Supreme Court case that could gut the EPA
Climate

Nothing is at stake in West Virginia v. EPA — yet somehow everything is at stake.

By Ian Millhiser
Politics
The Supreme Court will hear a big case about whether religion is a license to discriminateThe Supreme Court will hear a big case about whether religion is a license to discriminate
Politics

This is unlikely to go well for LGBTQ people.

By Ian Millhiser
Politics
The Supreme Court is not being honest with youThe Supreme Court is not being honest with you
Politics

Justice Amy Coney Barrett appears to be quite unfamiliar with her own judicial record, and that of her colleagues.

By Ian Millhiser
Politics
A Trump judge’s new decision would undo more than 50 years of voting rights lawA Trump judge’s new decision would undo more than 50 years of voting rights law
Politics

Trump Judge Lee Rudofsky’s decision could completely neutralize the Voting Rights Act when the GOP controls the White House.

By Ian Millhiser
Politics
Why Democrats can’t get a fair shake in the Supreme Court, in one chartWhy Democrats can’t get a fair shake in the Supreme Court, in one chart
Politics

Republicans get their dream nominees, while Democrats struggle to confirm moderates.

By Ian Millhiser
Politics
Congress just passed an extremely important bill protecting victims of sexual misconductCongress just passed an extremely important bill protecting victims of sexual misconduct
Politics

The bill is a victory for workers, and a big loss for Republicans on the Supreme Court.

By Ian Millhiser
Politics
The Supreme Court’s newest attack on voting rights, explainedThe Supreme Court’s newest attack on voting rights, explained
Politics

The Court’s median justice just made it much harder to stop attacks on the right to vote.

By Ian Millhiser
Politics
A new Supreme Court case could make it nearly impossible to stop racial gerrymandersA new Supreme Court case could make it nearly impossible to stop racial gerrymanders
Politics

The Court takes up its first big redistricting case since Republicans gained a 6-3 supermajority. What could go wrong?

By Ian Millhiser
Politics
The Supreme Court is leading a Christian conservative revolutionThe Supreme Court is leading a Christian conservative revolution
Politics

It hasn’t slowed down on “religious liberty” since Amy Coney Barrett joined the Court.

By Ian Millhiser
Politics
The Supreme Court’s new death penalty order should make your skin crawlThe Supreme Court’s new death penalty order should make your skin crawl
Politics

The Court’s new death penalty order is almost too cruel to be believed.

By Ian Millhiser
Retiring Justice Stephen Breyer’s nearly 28 years on the Supreme Court, explained
Politics

Breyer’s best work was often the work you never knew about.

By Ian Millhiser
Explainers
Who is on Biden’s shortlist to replace retiring Justice Breyer?Who is on Biden’s shortlist to replace retiring Justice Breyer?
Explainers

Biden promised to nominate a Black woman to the Supreme Court. Now he has his chance.

By Ian Millhiser
Politics
Democrats have precedent for a speedy Supreme Court confirmationDemocrats have precedent for a speedy Supreme Court confirmation
Politics

What’s next in the Senate, now that Justice Stephen Breyer is stepping down.

By Li Zhou
Politics
Stephen Breyer’s retirement puts the spotlight on Joe Manchin — againStephen Breyer’s retirement puts the spotlight on Joe Manchin — again
Politics

The West Virginia senator has become even more important.

By Andrew Prokop
Politics
The Supreme Court will hear two cases that are likely to end affirmative actionThe Supreme Court will hear two cases that are likely to end affirmative action
Politics

The conservative Court adds more cases to its growing culture war docket.

By Ian Millhiser
Politics
The Supreme Court breaks with Trump on January 6The Supreme Court breaks with Trump on January 6
Politics

For once, the Supreme Court shows restraint.

By Ian Millhiser
Politics
It was a great day in the Supreme Court for the bribery of lawmakersIt was a great day in the Supreme Court for the bribery of lawmakers
Politics

A case, brought by Ted Cruz, could effectively wind up legalizing bribery.

By Ian Millhiser
Politics
The Christian right brings a Supreme Court case it actually deserves to winThe Christian right brings a Supreme Court case it actually deserves to win
Politics

The case presents a genuinely difficult free speech dispute.

By Ian Millhiser
Politics
The Supreme Court can’t get its story straight on vaccinesThe Supreme Court can’t get its story straight on vaccines
Politics

The Court is barely even pretending to be engaged in legal reasoning.

By Ian Millhiser
Politics
The Supreme Court takes up a case, brought by Ted Cruz, that could legalize briberyThe Supreme Court takes up a case, brought by Ted Cruz, that could legalize bribery
Politics

Ted Cruz wants the Court to kill an important anti-corruption law.

By Ian Millhiser
Politics
The Supreme Court appears ready to slash Biden’s vaccine mandate for workersThe Supreme Court appears ready to slash Biden’s vaccine mandate for workers
Politics

The Court’s Republican majority seems very concerned with reining in Biden’s power to fight a deadly pandemic.

By Ian Millhiser