Summary: The Supreme Court is divided at the end of their latest term.
Though Chief Justice John Roberts has long-vowed to unify the partisan split Supreme Court, he and his eight colleagues met a record number of dissents as of late, with 2014 faring 40 percent worse from 2013’s high point of unanimous rulings.
Certainly many of the cases we’ve seen lately are historical landmarks, including the same-sex marriage, health care, housing regulations, and power plane emissions rulings, which give legacy to Roberts’ Court. We are seeing, in all these, fewer unanimous rulings.
The number of dissents by justices more than doubled from last term, without even agreement among dissenters, but with each disagreeing in his or her own way.
Justices Anthony Kennedy and Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and Chief Justice John Roberts, wrote the opinions that inspired the most dissent. Considering they wrote on same-sex marriage, and health care issues – highly partisan issues – this is not too much of a surprise.
In 2014 we’ve also seen longer time before oral argument and opinion, with the days extending to 150 in five lower profile cases. The stretch of time relates to how divisive the issue, among other factors.
Justice Kennedy has voices the most dissents in 2014’s October term, at 10.5, and Thomas voiced only one dissent.
News Source: Law360