Roberts Shaped 3 Landmark Supreme Court Rulings After Joining 96% of Majorities
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Jul 2
Roberts Shaped 3 Landmark Supreme Court Rulings After Joining 96% of Majorities
3 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Jul 2
Summary
John Roberts emerged from the term as the court’s dominant internal force, using his place in the majority in 96% of argued cases to control opinion assignments and steer the biggest decisions.
That leverage let the chief justice keep and mold three marquee rulings: one striking at Trump’s tariff program, one expanding presidential power to fire independent-agency leaders, and one reaffirming birthright citizenship.
The term left nearly every camp dissatisfied — Trump took notable losses, liberals decried the agency-power and Voting Rights Act decisions, and some conservatives bristled when Trump appointees sided with the three liberal justices.
For Roberts, the outcome marked a recovery of authority over a court that had recently seemed at risk of slipping from his grasp, reinforcing his standing as one of the era’s most influential chief justices.