Supreme Court's Recent Term: Increased Secrecy and Power Shifts
WHO:
CNN - President Donald Trump, Chief Justice John Roberts, Justices Amy Coney Barrett, Brett Kavanaugh, Elena Kagan, Ketanji Brown Jackson, Samuel Alito, Nancy Mace, JD Vance, Erwin Chemerinsky, Stephen Vladeck, Donald Ayer, Rep. Jamie Raskin.
WHAT:
CNN - The Supreme Court's decision in Trump v. Slaughter overturned the Humphrey’s Executor Rule, granting Trump the power to fire officials at federal agencies that Congress attempted to protect.
CNN - The Supreme Court allowed Louisiana to immediately redraw its electoral map, impacting the 2026 midterms, which includes removing one of the two majority-Black voting districts.
Alternet - The Supreme Court's shadow docket saw 63 orders issued, surpassing the 56 orders on the merits docket for the first time in modern history.
Alternet - The Trump administration filed 32 petitions to the emergency docket in 2025 alone, significantly more than previous administrations.
CNN - President Trump stated on social media, “The Republican Party was treated very fairly by the United States Supreme Court.”
CNN - Trump described the court's decision in Trump v. Slaughter as “the biggest and most consequential decision issued by the court, by far.”
CNN - The Supreme Court issued 63 orders on the shadow docket, surpassing the 56 orders on the merits docket for the first time.
Alternet - The Supreme Court allowed Louisiana to immediately redraw its electoral map, impacting the 2026 midterms.
Alternet - The Supreme Court's decision on June 23, 2025, allowed the deportation of eight men to South Sudan after a lower court had ruled they should have due process.
CNN - The Supreme Court issued opinions in 58 merits cases during its recent term.
CNN - The Supreme Court handed down 6-3 decisions in 13 cases this term, more than double the count from the previous year.
CNN - The court allowed President Trump to fire officials at federal agencies that Congress attempted to protect.
CNN - The court allowed the administration to end temporary humanitarian relief for over 1 million people.
CNN - The court's decision in Trump v. Slaughter was described by Trump as “the biggest and most consequential decision issued by the court, by far.”
Alternet - The Supreme Court decided more cases by secret ballot than by open court for the first time, with 63 orders on the shadow docket compared to 56 on the merits docket.
Alternet - The Trump administration filed 32 petitions to the emergency docket in 2025 alone.
WHERE:
CNN - The decisions affected regions including Southern states like Louisiana and Alabama.
Alternet - The Supreme Court's decisions impacted American citizens and immigration policies.
WHEN:
CNN - The Supreme Court's term ended in October.
Alternet - The Supreme Court's shadow docket was notably referenced in a decision on June 23, 2025.
WHY:
Alternet - Ruth Ben-Ghiat described the Supreme Court as a “partner in corruption” for Trump, stating it reshapes the U.S. into an authoritarian state where people must “fear and obey” Trump.
Alternet - Ruth Ben-Ghiat described the Supreme Court as a “partner in corruption” for President Trump, stating it reshapes the U.S. into an authoritarian state where people must “fear and obey” Trump.
CNN - The court's decisions reflect a shift in power dynamics favoring Trump’s administration and policies.
Alternet - The increased use of the shadow docket has been attributed to the Trump administration's numerous losses in lower courts.
HOW:
Alternet - The Supreme Court's increased use of the shadow docket has been attributed to the Trump administration's numerous losses in lower courts, allowing for expedited decisions with limited arguments and no requirement for justifications.
CNN - The Supreme Court's decisions were made with a 6-3 conservative majority.
Alternet - The shadow docket allows for expedited decisions with limited arguments and no requirement for justifications.
(UPDATED July 2, 2026 21:22 UTC)
In a significant ruling, the Supreme Court's decision in Trump v. Slaughter has overturned the Humphrey’s Executor Rule, giving Trump the authority to fire officials at federal agencies that Congress sought to protect. Additionally, the Court has allowed Louisiana to immediately redraw its electoral map, which will affect the upcoming 2026 midterms by removing one of the two majority-Black voting districts. This ruling comes amid a notable trend, as the Supreme Court's shadow docket has seen a record number of orders issued, reflecting the Trump administration's increased reliance on this expedited process following numerous losses in lower courts.
--
(UPDATED July 2, 2026 15:45 UTC)
President Trump took to social media to express his belief that the Republican Party was treated fairly by the United States Supreme Court, calling the court's decision in Trump v. Slaughter the biggest and most consequential ruling issued by the court. In a significant move, the Supreme Court has allowed Louisiana to immediately redraw its electoral map, which will have implications for the upcoming 2026 midterms, while also issuing a record 63 orders on the shadow docket. Meanwhile, Ruth Ben-Ghiat has criticized the Supreme Court, labeling it a "partner in corruption" for Trump, suggesting that it is reshaping the U.S. into an authoritarian state where citizens must "fear and obey" him.
--
(UPDATED July 2, 2026 10:01 UTC)
The Supreme Court recently issued opinions in 58 merits cases during its term, with a notable 6-3 conservative majority deciding 13 cases, more than double the count from the previous year. Among the significant rulings, the court permitted President Trump to fire officials at federal agencies that Congress sought to protect and allowed the administration to end temporary humanitarian relief for over 1 million people, with Trump calling the decision in Trump v. Slaughter “the biggest and most consequential decision issued by the court, by far.” This term also marked a shift in the court's decision-making process, as it decided more cases by secret ballot than by open court for the first time, reflecting a growing reliance on the shadow docket amid the Trump administration's challenges in lower courts.