{"id":2607303,"date":"2026-05-27T09:28:01","date_gmt":"2026-05-27T13:28:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/kbj-says-its-a-legitimate-question-whether-judges-should-defy-emergency-scotus-orders\/"},"modified":"2026-05-27T09:29:08","modified_gmt":"2026-05-27T13:29:08","slug":"kbj-says-its-a-legitimate-question-whether-judges-should-defy-emergency-scotus-orders","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/kbj-says-its-a-legitimate-question-whether-judges-should-defy-emergency-scotus-orders\/","title":{"rendered":"KBJ Questions Whether Judges Should Defy Emergency SCOTUS Orders"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">18<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fkbj-says-its-a-legitimate-question-whether-judges-should-defy-emergency-scotus-orders%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2607303&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson commented that it can seem \u201cmystifying\u201d for lower-court judges when emergency-docket decisions of just a few pages appear to conflict with longstanding Supreme court precedent, and she questioned what lower courts are supposed to do after the Supreme Court intervenes early in a case. her remarks came during an interview with U.S. District Judge Richard Gergel, who had described the issue as perplexing.<\/p>\n<p>the article then argues Jackson appeared similarly unaware of how the Supreme Court operates in a related Voting Rights Act dispute. In *Louisiana v. Callais*, the Court held that Section 2 of the VRA targets <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/4-devastating-consequences-of-the-democrat-for-the-people-act\/\" title=\"4 Devastating Consequences Of The Democrat \u2018For The People Act...\">intentional racial discrimination<\/a> and does not require states to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/vra-needs-aligning-with-a-constitutional-definition-of-equality\/\" title=\"VRA Needs Aligning With A Constitutional Definition Of Equality\">create majority-minority districts<\/a>; Louisiana\u2019s map with two majority-Black districts was found to be an unconstitutional racial gerrymander. Afterward, the Supreme Court issued an expedited order allowing the state to move toward new congressional maps during the election cycle rather than waiting the usual time frame. Jackson dissented from the later order, claiming it would create \u201cchaos\u201d in Louisiana, saying the Court was improperly influencing implementation of its decision. Justice Samuel Alito, joined by Justices Clarence Thomas and Neil Gorsuch, responded in a concurring opinion, calling Jackson\u2019s criticisms baseless and insulting and arguing that the expedited action followed the Court\u2019s existing rules and addressed a legitimate concern about timing and elections.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<div>\n<p>Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson said it\u2019s \u201cabsolutely a legitimate question\u201d as to whether lower court judges should defy the Supreme Court and its decades of precedent when it comes to emergency docket decisions. <\/p>\n<p>U.S. District Judge Richard Gergel of the District of South Carolina was interviewing Jackson at the American Law Institute earlier this month when he said:  \u201cI have found, as a district judge, it mystifying at times, where an emergency docket decision of maybe just two or three pages, appears to countermand longstanding Supreme Court precedent. Are we to apply the brief, the short stay decision, or denial of stay? Or are we to follow 50 years of precedent? It\u2019s a perplexing thing to do.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Jackson <a href=\"https:\/\/www.law.com\/nationallawjournal\/2026\/05\/19\/justice-jackson-district-judge-criticize-mystifying-emergency-docket\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">said<\/a> it is \u201cabsolutely a legitimate question and a legitimate concern.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI mean, what is a lower court judge to do after the Supreme Court has intervened early on to tell everyone who\u2019s likely to win the case?\u201d Jackson continued, later adding it\u2019s \u201cmystifying\u201d that the Supreme Court could stay a decision even after a <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >lower court judge \u201cmade findings<\/a> of fact\u201d or held hearings.<\/p>\n<p>Jackson\u2019s comments are especially insane given that there is nothing new about lower courts being bound by the Supreme Court\u2019s guidance (including an emergency order). But this wasn\u2019t the only time Jackson was seemingly unaware how the court she sits on works.<\/p>\n<p>The high court ruled 6-3 in <em>Louisiana v. Callais<\/em> that Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act is designed to enforce the Constitution\u2019s prohibition on intentional racial discrimination, but not force states to engage in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/student-group-sues-yale-for-discrimination-revives-trump-era-case\/\" title=\"Student Group Sues Yale for Discrimination, Revives Trump-Era Case\">race-based discrimination<\/a> by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/the-supreme-court-could-soon-hand-republicans-a-massive-redistricting-boost\/\" title=\"The ... Could Soon Hand Republicans a Massive Redistricting Boost\">creating majority-minority districts<\/a>. The court held that Louisiana\u2019s congressional map that had two majority-Black districts was an unconstitutional racial gerrymander. <\/p>\n<p>Shortly after, the Supreme Court released an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.supremecourt.gov\/opinions\/25pdf\/25a1197_097c.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">order<\/a> in an 8-1 decision that, as described by The Federalist\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2026\/05\/05\/alito-torches-jacksons-trivial-and-insulting-hot-take-on-supreme-courts-latest-callais-order\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Shawn Fleetwood<\/a>, would \u201cfast-track the transmission of its decision to the lower courts rather than wait 32 days, as per normal custom.\u201d The decision was made \u201cin accordance with existing SCOTUS rules,\u201d as Fleetwood pointed out. The decision allowed Louisiana to move toward new maps mid-election cycle rather than using the current, unconstitutional maps.<\/p>\n<p>Jackson issued a dissent claiming the court\u2019s 8-1 decision \u201chas spawned chaos in the State of Louisiana.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cNot content to have decided the law, [the Supreme Court] now takes steps to influence its implementation,\u201d Jackson wrote. \u201cThe Court unshackles itself from both constraints today and dives into the fray. And just like that, those principles give way to power. Because this abandon is unwarranted and unwise, respectfully, I dissent.\u201d <\/p>\n<p>Justice Samuel Alito, joined by Justices Clarence Thomas and Neil Gorsuch, wrote a concurring opinion that said Jackson\u2019s charges \u201ccannot go unanswered.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Alito said that Jackson\u2019s position \u201cwould require that the 2026 congressional elections in Louisiana be held under a map that has been held to be unconstitutional.\u201d Alito added Jackson\u2019s dissent offers one \u201ctrivial\u201d reason for her proposed course of action, and another that is \u201cbaseless and insulting.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Alito points out that Jackson, in her claim that the court was appearing \u201cpartial,\u201d failed to explain \u201cwhy [her] insistence on unthinking compliance with [Supreme Court] Rule 45.3\u2019s default rule does not create the appearance of partiality (by running out the clock) on behalf of those who may find it politically advantageous to have the election occur under the unconstitutional map.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe dissent goes on to claim that our decision represents an unprincipled use of power. \u2026 That is a groundless and utterly irresponsible charge,\u201d Alito wrote. \u201cWhat principle has the Court violated? The principle that Rule 45.3\u2019s 32-day default period should never be shortened even when there is good reason to do so? The principle that we should never take any action that might unjustifiably be criticized as partisan?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s hard to ignore that Jackson is treating standard functions of the court as possibly illegitimate whenever they happen to produce an outcome she dislikes. <\/p>\n<hr>\n<p>      Brianna Lyman is an elections correspondent at The Federalist. Brianna graduated from Fordham University with a degree in International Political Economy. Her work has been featured on Newsmax, Fox News, Fox Business and RealClearPolitics. Follow Brianna on X: @briannalyman2<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Supreme Court Justice Jackson questioned whether lower courts should defy precedent in emergency rulings<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":74,"featured_media":2607304,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Screenshot-2026-05-27-at-12.07.02-AM-scaled-e1779854927534-1024x577.png","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[62715,46920,56572],"class_list":["post-2607303","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-emergency-orders","tag-judicial-ethics","tag-separation-of-powers"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Screenshot-2026-05-27-at-12.07.02-AM-scaled-e1779854927534-1024x577.png","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2607303","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/74"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2607303"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2607303\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2607307,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2607303\/revisions\/2607307"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2607304"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2607303"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2607303"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2607303"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}