Supreme Court Justices Prepare for Lawmakers Amid Tensions
WHO:
Alternet - President Trump left the U.S. Supreme Court with a 6-3 GOP supermajority.
CNN - Justice Amy Coney Barrett and Justice Elena Kagan are involved in upcoming congressional hearings.
CNN - Gabe Roth leads Fix the Court, a group advocating for transparency in the judiciary.
CNN - Justice Clarence Thomas is a member of the court’s conservative wing.
WHAT:
Alternet - The Supreme Court's political divide has resulted in a doubling of ideologically split cases this term compared to the average rate since 2005.
CNN - The judiciary is seeking an increase of nearly $15 million to enhance the protection of justices and their families, including at their homes.
CNN - Security incidents involving judges classified as “significant concern” increased by 57% in 2025.
CNN - A YouGov poll released on July 7 found that 50 percent of respondents disapproved of the Supreme Court's handling of its job, with 45 percent stating recent decisions had given Trump too much power.
Alternet - The Supreme Court's political divide is at its widest point in decades, with ideologically split cases more than doubling this term compared to the average rate since 2005.
Alternet - The six conservative justices voted together against the three liberal justices in 22.7 percent of cases during the 2025-26 term.
Alternet - A YouGov poll found that 50 percent of respondents disapproved of the Supreme Court's handling of its job.
CNN - The judiciary has requested nearly $921 million for security, a $29 million increase over last year.
CNN - Security incidents involving judges classified as “significant concern” jumped 57% in 2025.
CNN - The judiciary is seeking $9.7 billion in discretionary funding, a 4.5% increase over last year.
CNN - Barrett has been involved in several security incidents, including a thwarted swatting attempt at her home in May.
WHERE:
CNN - The hearings will take place in Congress.
CNN - Barrett's home is located in Virginia, and her sister's home in South Carolina was targeted by a bomb threat.
WHEN:
CNN - The Supreme Court wrapped a divisive term recently.
CNN - The judiciary's budget request is for the year 2027.
CNN - A significant security incident involving Justice Kavanaugh occurred in 2022.
WHY:
CNN - The judiciary is requesting additional funding due to a wave of physical and cyber threats against justices.
Alternet - The Supreme Court's conflicts are intensifying due to a growing ideological divide.
CNN - The judiciary is requesting additional funding due to a wave of physical and cyber threats.
HOW:
CNN - The U.S. Marshals Service took on the responsibility of protecting the justices’ homes in 2022 following the leak of a draft opinion of the decision overturning Roe v. Wade.
CNN - The U.S. Marshals Service took on the responsibility of protecting the justices’ homes in 2022.
CNN - Barrett and Kagan will testify about security funding and other judiciary issues at the hearings.
(UPDATED July 13, 2026 17:37 UTC)
The Supreme Court is experiencing a significant increase in ideologically split cases this term, doubling the average rate seen since 2005. In response to a surge in security incidents involving judges, which rose by 57% in 2025, the judiciary is seeking nearly $15 million to enhance protections for justices and their families, including at their homes. The U.S. Marshals Service has been tasked with safeguarding justices' residences since 2022, following the leak of a draft opinion that overturned Roe v. Wade.
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(UPDATED July 13, 2026 16:53 UTC)
President Trump has left the U.S. Supreme Court with a 6-3 GOP supermajority, marking a significant political divide that has seen ideologically split cases more than double this term compared to averages since 2005. Justice Amy Coney Barrett and Justice Elena Kagan are set to testify in upcoming congressional hearings about security funding and other judiciary issues, as the judiciary seeks nearly $921 million for security due to a 57% increase in significant security incidents involving judges. Meanwhile, a recent YouGov poll revealed that half of respondents disapproved of the Supreme Court's handling of its responsibilities, reflecting growing concerns over the court's ideological conflicts.