Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor has attributed a recent surge in emergency appeals to the court to its own actions. During an April 9 event at the University of Alabama School of Law, she stated, 'We’ve done it to ourselves,' referring to the unprecedented volume of emergency motions the court has received. Over the past 15 months, the Trump administration filed about 30 such requests, succeeding in over 80 percent of them, according to reports.
Core Facts & Context
Sotomayor highlighted a disagreement among justices about whether federal policies paused by lower courts warrant Supreme Court review. She noted that some justices believe Congress and the public suffer irreparable harm when laws are ignored, altering the court’s traditional paradigm. The court’s 6-3 conservative majority, including three Trump appointees, has influenced recent rulings. In February, a majority including liberal justices blocked Trump’s tariffs, prompting his criticism of the court.
Divergent Perspectives
Sotomayor’s dissent in a 2023 case criticized the administration’s frequent use of emergency appeals, stating, 'Other litigants must follow the rules, but the administration has the Supreme Court on speed dial.' Her remarks underscore tensions over the court’s role in emergency filings, with some justices favoring broader intervention in lower court decisions.