Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, the most junior member of the U.S. Supreme Court, issued pointed criticisms of the Court’s conservative majority during a public interview Saturday, warning that recent rulings pose an “existential threat to the rule of law.”
Speaking at the Global Black Economic Forum during the ESSENCE Festival of Culture, Jackson reiterated concerns she raised in recent dissents, including her opposition to limits on nationwide injunctions imposed by the Court’s majority.
The remarks come on the heels of Trump v. Casa, a decision in which the Court ruled that lower federal courts cannot routinely block federal policies nationwide. In her dissent, Jackson argued the ruling would embolden executive overreach and undermine judicial checks on presidential power. “I have no doubt that executive lawlessness will flourish,” Jackson wrote, claiming the decision would render executive authority “completely uncontainable.”
For the second time in two weeks, a Supreme Court justice is using her opinion to scold Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson for not understanding what she is talking about.
Twist: This time, it's progressive Justice SONIA SOTOMAYOR doing it, patiently explaining that the Court can't… pic.twitter.com/3POzNEQXOU
— Charlie Kirk (@charliekirk11) July 8, 2025
Justice Amy Coney Barrett responded sharply to Jackson’s dissent, calling it inconsistent with two centuries of legal precedent. Barrett accused Jackson of favoring “an imperial Judiciary” while criticizing executive authority, concluding that Jackson should remember that all government officials — “judges too” — are bound by law.
Despite the public nature of the disagreement, Jackson declined to directly address the case during her interview with ABC News anchor Linsey Davis. Instead, she defended her right to speak publicly about the Court’s role in democracy. “As a democracy, the people are supposed to be the rulers,” Jackson stated. “The more that people are engaged with our institutions, the better.”
Jackson’s remarks come as she continues to emerge as one of the Court’s most vocal dissenters. According to recent data, Jackson issued over two dozen opinions this term, second only to Justice Clarence Thomas, and led in the number of dissents.
She also spoke more during oral arguments than any other justice, with one report counting more than 79,000 words spoken from the bench — an unusually high figure that reflects her active engagement but has drawn attention from legal analysts.
The Justice acknowledged the shift in judicial dynamics from her previous role as a district court judge. “It’s been a bit of an adjustment,” she said, referencing the need to share time with colleagues during oral arguments.