Americans’ Confidence in Supreme Court Shows Signs of Improvement

Recent polling indicates a slight recovery in Americans’ confidence in the Supreme Court following a significant decline after the 2022 ruling that overturned Roe v. Wade. According to a survey conducted by the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research, approximately one-third of U.S. adults express “hardly any confidence at all” in the court, a notable decrease from 43% three years ago.

The latest data reveals that nearly half of Americans now have “only some confidence” in the court, an increase from 39% in July 2022. In contrast, only about one in five respondents report having “a great deal of confidence,” a figure that has remained relatively stable in recent years. This modest rise in confidence is primarily attributed to Republicans and independents.

Partisan Divisions Persist

Despite the overall improvement, public perception of the Supreme Court remains more negative than it was prior to the pivotal ruling on abortion rights. An AP-NORC poll from February 2022 showed that only around one-quarter of Americans had minimal confidence in the court’s justices. The stark partisan divide is evident, with the survey indicating that Republicans are more satisfied with the court’s conservative majority, which includes three justices appointed by former President Donald Trump.

Only 8% of Republicans now view the court unfavorably, a decrease from approximately one in five in July 2022. For independents, the rate of negative views dropped from 45% just after the Dobbs ruling to around 30% today. While Democratic views have shifted minimally, their low confidence in the justices has decreased from 64% in summer 2022 to 56% now.

The Supreme Court’s recent actions have aligned closely with Republican policy objectives, including the overturning of Roe, the abolition of affirmative action in college admissions, and the expansion of gun rights. A Marquette Law School poll conducted in July showed that many of these decisions are widely accepted. However, other polling, such as a recent Fox News survey, found that around 80% of registered voters believe partisanship influences the justices’ decisions.

Concerns Over Court’s Power

Growing apprehension about the court’s influence on federal governance is evident. The July AP-NORC poll indicates that approximately 40% of U.S. adults now believe the court holds “too much” power, an increase from around 30% in April. This shift has been particularly pronounced among Democrats, with concerns rising from about one-third to over half during the same timeframe.

Individuals like Debra A. Harris, a retired state government worker from Winter Haven, Florida, express deep dissatisfaction with the court’s recent decisions. Harris criticized the ideological leanings of the justices, particularly highlighting last year’s ruling on presidential immunity as an example of the court’s departure from impartiality.

In the view of George Millsaps, a 67-year-old military veteran from Floyd County, Virginia, the justices have failed to adequately challenge Trump on critical issues. Millsaps believes that the current court is “bowing down” to political pressures, reflecting a broader concern about judicial independence.

The AP-NORC poll, conducted from July 10-14, surveyed 1,437 adults, utilizing a representative sample from NORC’s probability-based AmeriSpeak Panel. The margin of sampling error for adults overall is plus or minus 3.6 percentage points.

As the Supreme Court continues to navigate contentious issues, public sentiment will likely evolve, reflecting the ongoing interactions between judicial decisions, political dynamics, and societal values.