Slate Daily Feed Amicus | This Will Be Trump’s Best Term at the Supreme Court Yet
Oct 4, 2025
Ian Millhiser, Senior Correspondent at Vox, dives into the Supreme Court's upcoming term with hosts, exploring significant cases that appear skewed in favor of the Trump administration. They discuss the troubling impact of the shadow docket on public perception and the legitimacy of the court. Key topics include the risks to voting rights, the implications of campaign finance cases, and challenges faced by transgender athletes. Millhiser raises concerns about how conservative shifts in case selection could further threaten democracy.
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Shadow Docket Is Reshaping The Court
- The Supreme Court now issues frequent emergency orders on the shadow docket, producing unreasoned, rushed rulings.
- Ian Millhiser warns this creates bad law, confusion for lower courts, and harms the Court's legitimacy.
Procedure Masks Substantive Shifts
- The Court increasingly uses procedural shortcuts and rushed orders to achieve preferred outcomes.
- This trend undermines deliberation, transparency, and public confidence in judicial decision-making.
Public Trust Is Eroding
- Public approval of the Court is declining as Americans perceive it as partisan and opaque.
- Millhiser argues partisan selection of justices and sloppy rulings drive that erosion of legitimacy.
