Public Opinion and the Roberts Court

Abstract

The Supreme Court theoretically acts as a counter-majoritarian institution considering its small and appointed membership. Despite this, it largely makes decisions that are in line with the opinions of Americans. This study examines the Roberts Court to determine the extent to which it references and reflects public opinion. The scholarship on previous courts shows that its decisions are generally consistent with public opinion. Although the Roberts Court is relatively new, this study aims to shed some light on whether the court continues to follow its tradition of agreeing with the mass or more narrow public opinion. Results were largely inconclusive, yet this examination shows that the Roberts Court does agree with public opinion about sixty-three percent of the time.