Most people think political views impact Supreme Court decisions.

Majority of Americans Believe Supreme Court Rulings are Influenced by Politics, Not Law

A new poll conducted by ABC News and the Washington Post has found that a majority of Americans believe that the Supreme Court is making decisions based on personal political opinions rather than the law. The poll revealed that 51% of respondents think that the justices are influenced by politics, which is likely due to recent controversial decisions and perceived ethics violations by the court.

Shift in Public Perception

Before the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in June 2022, the public was evenly divided on whether justices made decisions due to political preferences or the rules of the law. However, now only 39% of all respondents believe decisions are based on law. The most drastic change came among independents, of which now only 35% believe justices rule on law over politics — a 12 percentage point decrease from February 2022. Among Democrats, independents, and liberals, faith in the court to follow the law dropped by double digits. Republicans and conservatives remain evenly split on their perception of the court.

Controversy Surrounding Clarence Thomas

The poll comes as the Supreme Court is under fire for the ethics standards of its justices, particularly Clarence Thomas, after it was revealed that he accepted gifts and lavish trips from GOP megadonor Harlan Crow. Top Democrats and even some Republicans are demanding several reforms to the top judicial system, anything from an “enforceable” code of ethics to more extreme calls for the Justice Department to investigate Thomas or for Thomas to resign from his position on the court altogether.

Senate Democrats’ Request Denied

Senate Democrats recently asked Chief Justice John Roberts to testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee over ethics reform inquiries, but Roberts declined. The Democrats also asked Crow to provide a full list of gifts given to Thomas, but Crow denied that request.

Poll Details

The poll was conducted for ABC News by Langer Research Associates from April 28 to May 3, with a sample of 1,006 adults. The margin of error was 3.5 percentage points.

What’s Next for the Supreme Court?

As the public’s faith in the Supreme Court continues to decline, it remains to be seen what reforms will be implemented to address the perceived ethics violations and political influence on the court’s decisions. Stay tuned for updates on this ongoing story.