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Samuel Alito

Supreme Court

The Divisions Among the Court's Originalists

Professor Joel Alicea on how to understand what may be the most important jurisprudential divisions on the Supreme Court.

Jonathan H. Adler |The Volokh Conspiracy | 6.9.2025 5:04 PM

The justices are seen in front of the U.S. Supreme Court | Illustration: Eddie Marshall | Fred Schilling, Collection of the Supreme Court of the United States | Midjourney

Supreme Court

Is the Supreme Court Really That Divided? The Facts Say No.

Unanimous rulings on discrimination, guns, and religion once again challenge the common media narrative that the Court is hopelessly polarized.

Billy Binion | 6.5.2025 5:21 PM

Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson | Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call/Newscom

Supreme Court

Ketanji Brown Jackson Joins Conservative Justices in Upending Hundreds of January 6 Cases

Her concurrence is a reminder that the application of criminal law should not be infected by personal animus toward any given defendant.

Billy Binion | 6.28.2024 5:10 PM

The U.S. Supreme Court is seen behind a row of handguns | Illustration: Lex Villena; Patricia Hofmeester

Supreme Court

The Supreme Court Isn't as Radical as You Think

There is a great deal of panic surrounding the "extreme" nature of the current Court. But that is often not based in reality.

Billy Binion | 6.25.2024 4:58 PM

A firearm, a jury box, and the Supreme Court | Illustration: Lex Villena; Adam Parent,  Martin33

Criminal Justice

The Supreme Court Again Strengthens the Right to a Jury Trial in Criminal Sentencing

Paul Erlinger was sentenced to 15 years in prison based largely on a determination made by a judge—not a jury.

Billy Binion | 6.21.2024 5:12 PM

Justice Samuel Alito is seen in front of a depiction of a recording | Illustration: Lex Villena; Eric Lee / Pool via CNP / SplashNews/Newscom; alexdndz

Supreme Court

The 'Bombshell' Secret Alito Recording Was Not a Bombshell

The justice's benign comments set off a lengthy news cycle and have been treated as a scandal by some in the media. Why?

Billy Binion | 6.14.2024 2:57 PM

Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito stands next to Clarence Thomas and others with the American flag in the background | Jacquelyn Martin - Pool via CNP / MEGA / Newscom/RSSIL/Newscom

Politics

Samuel Alito's 'Appeal to Heaven' Flag Got Retconned

This is becoming ridiculous.

Robby Soave | 5.30.2024 4:45 PM

Nikki Haley and Benjamin Netanyahu | Polaris/Newscom

Reason Roundup

War Hawk Autographs Bombs

Plus: SCOTUS wives, Elon Musk's business empire, Italian-style immigration policy, and more...

Liz Wolfe | 5.30.2024 9:30 AM

Justice Samuel Alito | Eric Lee - Pool via CNP/picture alliance / Consolidated News Photos/Newscom

Supreme Court

Samuel Alito Was Foolish To Sell His Bud Light Stock

The conservative culture war boycott against Bud Light was actually a great time to buy stock in a successful company, even if you don't like Bud Light.

Eric Boehm | 5.21.2024 3:00 PM

Upside down American flag at a protest | Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call/Newscom

Supreme Court

Mrs. Alito and the Bad Flag

Plus: Taiwan's TikTok strategy, Open AI resignations, nicotine freedom, and more...

Liz Wolfe | 5.17.2024 9:30 AM

Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito | Erin Schaff/UPI/Newscom

Congress

Congress Can Regulate the Supreme Court—But There Are Limits to That Power

Justice Alito was wrong to suggest Congress has no authority to regulate the Court. But that authority is itself subject to constraint.

Ilya Somin |The Volokh Conspiracy | 7.29.2023 6:09 PM

U.S. Supreme Court building |  DPST/Newscom

Supreme Court

Partisanship Is Muddling the Important Debate Over Supreme Court Ethics

Ethics allegations have been raised against Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito, Neil Gorsuch, and Sonia Sotomayor. Both sides have retreated into whataboutism.

Steven Greenhut | 7.21.2023 8:00 AM

Samuel Alito next to a cartoon of a theater on fire on a tan background | Illustration: Lex Villena; Maksim Pauliukevich

Free Speech

Yes, You Can Yell 'Fire' in a Crowded Theater

On Tuesday, Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito repeated the common myth that "shouting 'fire' in a crowded theater" is unprotected speech.

Emma Camp | 10.27.2022 2:57 PM

Sex police in a post-Roe world | Illustration: Lex Villena; Christopher Nuzzaco, Tom Dowd

Abortion

Get Ready for the Post-Roe Sex Police!

If life begins at conception, there are virtually no limits on government surveillance of women in a post-Roe world.

Nick Gillespie | 6.24.2022 5:55 PM

US Supreme Court James Madison | Illustration: Lex Villena; Fred Schilling, Collection of the Supreme Court of the United States

Abortion

Alito's Abortion Ruling Overturning Roe Is an Insult to the 9th Amendment

The Constitution protects many more rights than it mentions, as James Madison explained.

Damon Root | 6.24.2022 10:55 AM

Chicago Protest | Chris Riha/ZUMAPRESS/Newscom

Abortion

Is Abortion a Constitutional Right? Josh Blackman on Alito's Draft

The constitutional scholar on abortion, Sam Alito, and the future of federalism

Nick Gillespie | 5.9.2022 11:25 AM

Samuel-Alito-10-17-13-Flickr | Italy in US/Flickr

War on Drugs

Samuel Alito Thinks It's Obviously Absurd To Suggest That Drug Prohibition Violates the Constitution

The justice overlooks the long American tradition of pharmacological freedom and the dubious constitutional basis for federal bans.

Jacob Sullum | 5.6.2022 5:15 PM

sfphotosfive410023 | CHINE NOUVELLE/SIPA/Newscom

Reason Roundup

Alito's Draft Opinion That Would Overturn Roe Is a Disaster of Legal Reasoning

Plus: How abortion used to be less partisan, NFT sales have plummeted, and more...

Elizabeth Nolan Brown | 5.4.2022 9:53 AM

dreamstime_xl_111177227 | Photo 111177227 © Vladek | Dreamstime.com

Supreme Court

Don't Prosecute the Supreme Court Leaker

If the leaker's identity is ever revealed, he or she will face serious professional and reputational sanctions. There's no need to wish for criminal punishments too.

Eric Boehm | 5.3.2022 3:50 PM

zumaamericasthirtyfour382058 | Allison Bailey/ZUMAPRESS/Newscom

Abortion

The End of Roe? Everything You Need To Know About the Leaked Supreme Court Draft Opinion

Plus: Boston rebuked for rejecting Christian flag, Google will remove more personal information, and more...

Elizabeth Nolan Brown | 5.3.2022 9:30 AM

Andy-Beshear-Newscom | Bryan Woolston/Zuma Press/Newscom

Coronavirus

SCOTUS Declines To Let Kentucky Religious Schools Reopen Without Addressing the Constitutionality of Closing Them

The justices emphasized that K-12 schools are currently scheduled to reopen after winter break.

Jacob Sullum | 12.18.2020 12:20 PM

Sheldon-Whitehouse-11-11-20-Newscom | Walsh Susan/Pool/ABACA/Newscom

Supreme Court

Alito Rightly Slams Five Democratic Senators for 'Bullying' the Supreme Court

The senators warned that the Court might have to be "restructured" if it did not reach the conclusion they preferred in a Second Amendment case.

Jacob Sullum | 11.13.2020 3:40 PM

Samuel-Alito-Federalist-Society-speech-11-13-20 | Federalist Society

Coronavirus

Justice Samuel Alito Highlights the Legal Issues Raised by 'Previously Unimaginable' COVID-19 Restrictions

When "fundamental rights are restricted" during an emergency, he says, the courts "cannot close their eyes."

Jacob Sullum | 11.13.2020 2:15 PM

Gorsuch-CSPAN | C-SPAN

Supreme Court

A Leftist Makes the Case for Originalism

What’s worse for the left, a conservative originalist or a conservative living constitutionalist?

Damon Root | 5.6.2019 1:15 PM

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