Amicus With Dahlia Lithwick | Law, justice, and the courts Our All-Star SCOTUS End-of-Term Breakfast Table
13 snips
Jul 2, 2025 
Jamelle Bouie, an opinion columnist at The New York Times, Sherrilyn Ifill, a civil rights lawyer and founding director at Howard University, and Steve Vladeck, a Georgetown Law professor, join the discussion. They dive deep into the Supreme Court's recent term, unpacking the major rulings on reproductive rights and LGBTQ issues. The panel critiques the shadow docket's implications, explores the evolving judicial integrity, and highlights the importance of historical context in court decisions. Their insights reflect broader trends affecting marginalized voices and judicial activism.
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Shadow Docket's Power Play
- The Supreme Court increasingly uses the shadow docket to reshape power without thorough explanation.
- This tactic asserts judicial supremacy while avoiding full merits consideration, undermining district courts' authority.
Court's Hostility to District Courts
- The Court shows unprecedented hostility toward district courts, viewing them as overly powerful and undermining their role.
- This marks a shift from past decades, signaling a broader restructuring of judicial hierarchy.
Selective Historical Narratives
- The Court's conservative majority selectively uses history focusing on white lawmakers' perspectives.
- Justice Jackson broadens the historical view by including free Black Americans' political conventions to reveal a fuller constitutional understanding.
