WASHINGTON () — While public trust in the U.S. Supreme Court has modestly improved following a sharp drop after its 2022 decision overturning Roe v. Wade, a growing share of Americans — particularly Democrats — now believe the court wields excessive influence, according to a new poll by The Associated Press–NORC Center for Public Affairs Research.
Roughly one-third of U.S. adults currently express “hardly any confidence” in the high court, a decrease from 43% in 2022. Meanwhile, about 50% say they have “only some confidence” in the justices — up from 39% shortly after the Dobbs ruling. Approximately 1 in 5 respondents continue to say they have “a great deal of confidence,” a figure that has remained largely consistent in recent years.
Partisan Confidence Gap Persists
The increase in public trust is primarily driven by Republicans and independents, while skepticism remains high among Democrats:
-
Only 8% of Republicans now report low confidence in the court, down from 20% in July 2022.
-
Among independents, the share with low confidence dropped from 45% to around 30%.
-
Democrats remain the most critical, with 56% expressing little confidence — slightly down from 64% in 2022.
Since the court’s conservative majority overturned Roe, it has delivered several decisions aligned with GOP priorities — including ending affirmative action in college admissions, expanding gun rights, scaling back environmental rules, and supporting claims of religious discrimination.
Concerns About the Court’s Expanding Power
A rising number of Americans now believe the Supreme Court holds too much power in the federal system. Four in ten expressed this view in July — a significant jump from just three in ten in April. This growing unease stems largely from Democrats, whose concern rose from one-third to more than half over the same period.
Liberal justices have issued strong dissents in recent rulings, warning that the court is eroding legal norms and consolidating power. Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson recently criticized the court for fostering a culture of “disdain” for lower courts and contributing to a decline in democratic institutions.
Public Voices Reflect the Divide
-
Debra A. Harris, 60, a retired state worker from Florida, said recent rulings have “disgusted” her and reflect a judicial agenda driven by Republican ideology — especially the 2023 decision on presidential immunity.
-
George Millsaps, a 67-year-old military veteran from Virginia, expressed frustration that the court did not push back against Trump-era policies on immigration and education, accusing the justices of “bowing down.”
-
In contrast, Katharine Stetson, 79, a constitutional conservative from Nevada, praised the court for limiting the power of “rogue” district judges and reestablishing order.
Poll Methodology
The NORC survey was conducted July 10–14, polling 1,437 adults drawn from NORC’s AmeriSpeak Panel — a nationally representative probability-based sample. The margin of error is ±3.6 percentage points.
Despite a modest rebound in public confidence, the Supreme Court continues to face intense scrutiny, with many Americans questioning its neutrality and the extent of its authority in shaping national policy.
0 Comments