(LibertySons.org) – On June 24, 2022, The US Supreme Court reinstituted the rights of states to make decisions about abortion laws in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization. The ruling essentially reversed the precedent of Roe v. Wade, which set the law at the federal level. In the 6-3 vote, the dissenting opinions included SCOTUS Justice Sonia Sotomayor, who recently lamented how the decision impacted her feelings about the Court.
Sotomayor felt "sense of despair" over Supreme Court’s direction https://t.co/TzQm2rXXpc pic.twitter.com/GyHRQ95Ukg
— The Hill (@thehill) January 5, 2023
On January 4, Sotomayor was speaking to legal educators at the Association of American Law Schools in San Diego. She never specifically mentioned Dobbs but gave an overall look at her opinions on the state of the judicial branch following that landmark decision. The Justice explained she was saddened after the last term and couldn’t believe how the term had gone. It left her wondering about future cases and if the Court was on the “right track.”
During arguments in Dobbs, Sotomayor pointed out the precedent in the matter. She noted for decades Justices upheld abortion rights, wondering what would happen to the court if they reversed the measure. The Justice showed concern that a decision to reverse Roe v Wade would create a black mark on the Court that it would struggle to shed. She felt it would paint the institution in a political light that would undermine its foundation.
Despite her feelings then and now, Sotomayor told the audience that she feels optimistic the situation will change in the future, which is a good thing since the Court will tackle some important cases this term. Two of the most impactful on the docket are a case addressing elections and one about constitutional rights.
Creative v Elenis confronts the issue of whether a Colorado law is constitutional because it is forcing an artist to provide services to same-sex couples despite her religious beliefs. Moore v Harper questions to what degree states have the right to regulate federal elections.
~Here’s to Our Liberty!
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