Grasping how the nation’s highest court makes policy requires stepping into an exceptionally regulated and sometimes hidden routine.
- Professor of Legal Studies and Political Science, UMass Amherst
If a Supreme Court justice retires before the November midterms, this is how Trump and Senate Republicans can successfully confirm a successor.
There’s a recipe for autocracy: six steps tried and tested by some of the world’s most notorious leaders. How many has Donald Trump ticked off?
Several cases before the court will be pivotal in determining how much power Trump is able to accrue – and what he’ll be able to do with it.
Even when a prosecution fails to convict someone, the process of defending against charges can itself can be a form of punishment.
Research shows that Supreme Court justices affiliated with the group are more consistently conservative than other justices, meaning they seldom deviate from their voting behavior.
Contested nominations to the federal courts often involve ideological concerns. But a scholar of the courts says the contentious nomination of a former lawyer for Donald Trump was different.
What is the purpose of US District Courts
and Court of Appeals, and why do some courts have multiple judges and others have only one?
Instead of upholding Trump administration policies, federal judges − including Trump appointees − are blocking much of Trump’s second-term agenda. It’s what happens when a president overreaches.
President Donald Trump’s second term and the Supreme Court’s conservative activism have lit a fire in Republicans, who are targeting same-sex marriage as part of a broader attack on LGBTQ+ rights.
Can both sides legitimately say they won a Supreme Court victory?
A letter from the Trump administration warns educational institutions that they’ll lose federal funding if they don’t abandon so-called DEI programs. That could change education in the US.
Joe Biden’s imprint on the federal judiciary goes far beyond his naming of the first Black woman justice to the Supreme Court.
A leading expert in the selection of federal judges analyzes the Trump and Harris records regarding judicial nominations. There’s a big difference in their approaches.
Trump’s efforts may appear to play by the rules, but in reality they ignore key aspects of the rule of law because he does not act in good faith.
Presidents have historically criticized judicial decisions. But Trump is taking it a step further with potentially dangerous personal attacks on judges.
Unlike in most countries, US Supreme Court justices enjoy life tenure. Some legal scholars believe that centuries-old custom, meant to protect judicial independence, no longer serves the public.
There was little controversy when President Bill Clinton nominated Stephen Breyer to the bench in 1994. His tenure on the Supreme Court reflects those less partisan times.
Unlike in most countries, US Supreme Court justices enjoy life tenure. Some legal scholars believe that centuries-old custom, meant to protect judicial independence, no longer serves the public.
Unlike in most countries, US Supreme Court justices enjoy life tenure. Some legal scholars believe that centuries-old custom, meant to protect judicial independence, no longer serves the public.
Special interests use the court as a public policy battleground. Here’s a rundown of how that works and which groups are likely to appear before a conservative court with Amy Coney Barrett on it.
One striking feature of Brett Kavanaugh’s testimony was the number of times he interrupted. Data shows that hearing interruptions are becoming more common, particularly when the nominee is female.
Confirmation hearings are important to the health of American democracy – so bring on Merrick Garland’s.
Contact Paul for
- General
- Media request
- Speaking request
- Consulting / Advising
- Research collaboration
- Research supervision
- Location: Amherst, Massachusetts, U.S.
- Website
- Article Feed
- Joined
