The latest Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research survey reveals that 70 percent of Americans think justices are more likely to shape the law to fit their ideologies rather than remaining fair and impartial. This survey comes as the Court prepares to issue decisions on several high-profile cases, including whether former President Donald Trump has immunity from prosecution in a criminal case regarding alleged efforts to overturn the 2020 election, and whether federal prosecutors can use a law that criminalizes impeding an official proceeding to indict hundreds of January 6 defendants. Confidence in the nation’s highest court is exceptionally low among Democrats, with 84 percent believing that justices issue political rulings, compared to just 13 percent who disagree. Among independents, 73 percent say justices rule based on ideology, while 25 percent believe the Court is impartial. Republicans are more evenly split, with 50 percent viewing the Court as fair and 48 percent seeing it as ideologically driven. The AP-NORC survey underscores a growing trend of Americans losing faith in government institutions. Josh Blackman, Professor of Law and Centennial Chair of Constitutional Law at South Texas College of Law Houston, attributes this trend to a change in focus from the Court’s decisions to the justices themselves. “I think the reporting of the Court in recent years has shifted from focusing on the decisions the Justices are writing to attacking the Justices [as] being illegitimate,” Blackman said in a written statement to SCNR. Democratic discontent with the Court may be expected, given that Trump appointed three justices during his term, shifting the Court’s balance to a 6-3 conservative majority. Since then, the Court has issued multiple decisions that have significantly impacted Democratic policy priorities, particularly regarding abortion and gun control. “It is not surprising that public confidence in the Court is dropping,” said Blackman. “Had President Hillary Clinton appointed three members to the Court, I suspect the numbers would be very different.” Over the past year, Democrat-aligned organizations have increased scrutiny of the court, advocating for new ethics rules, recusals, and even "packing the Court" by adding four more justices nominated by a Democratic president. “It’s very political. There’s no question about that,” Jeff Weddell, a 67-year-old automotive technology sales representative from Macomb County, Michigan, told the AP. “The court’s decision-making is so polluted,” Waddell, a political independent, added. “No matter what they say on President Trump’s immunity, this will be politically motivated.” The AP-NORC poll also indicates a decline in public confidence in the Court’s handling of specific issues. Roughly two-thirds of respondents have little to no confidence in the Supreme Court’s handling of abortion (67 percent), gun policy (67 percent), presidential power and immunity (66 percent), or cases concerning elections and voting (63 percent). On these issues, Republicans are significantly more likely than Democrats or independents to approve of the Court’s decision-making.A significant majority of Americans believe that Supreme Court justices tend to follow their ideological beliefs rather than maintaining neutrality in their interpretation of government authority, according to a new poll.
