Legal News
Reports on lawmaking, constitutional issues, and court cases. The Daily Signal combines news reporting with conservative commentary and legal analysis.
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opinion
The Left Doesn’t Fear Amy Coney Barrett, It Fears the Constitution
Nothing threatens the progressive project more than the existence of a Supreme Court that adheres to the Constitution. It’s really that simple. That’s what the tantrum over Justice Amy Coney Barrett’s confirmation is all about. The notion that the same Democrats who shelved the judicial filibuster and now threaten to destroy the separation of powers… -
opinion
What Amy Coney Barrett Means to Conservative Women
If the last four years taught us anything, it’s that Americans love politics but they hate politicians. Thankfully, the country has a new, non-political figure to admire: Justice Amy Coney Barrett. Last night, Barrett was confirmed by the Senate and sworn in as an associate justice to the U.S. Supreme Court. The optics alone were… -
news
Reps. Ocasio-Cortez, Omar Call for Expanding Supreme Court After Justice Amy Coney Barrett Confirmed
Democratic Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, Ilhan Omar of Minnesota, and Rashida Tlaib of Michigan on Monday called to expand the Supreme Court after the Senate confirmed Justice Amy Coney Barrett to the high court. Their call for expanding the court came just minutes after the Senate confirmed Barrett in a 52-48 vote. “Expand the court,”… -
opinion
The Triumph of Justice Amy Coney Barrett
“There is a tendency in our profession,” Judge Amy Coney Barrett declared at the outset of her Senate confirmation hearing, “to treat the practice of law as all-consuming, while losing sight of everything else.” But, Barrett added in her Oct. 12 opening statement, “I never let the law define my identity or crowd out the… -
news
Amy Coney Barrett Joins Supreme Court After 52-48 Senate Vote
Amy Coney Barrett, fresh from a Senate confirmation vote, was sworn in Monday night as the Supreme Court’s newest justice at an outdoor ceremony at the White House. The Senate, in a roll call that began just before 8 p.m., voted 52-48, mostly along party lines, to confirm Barrett as President Donald Trump’s third nominee… -
opinion
How ‘Court Packing’ Would Damage Both the Judicial and Legislative Branches
The concept of “court packing” has received a lot of attention recently, and rightly so. That radical move—which Democrats rejected in the 1930s—would permanently damage the independence and impartiality of the judiciary. But it’s even worse than that. The steps necessary to achieve that goal would also permanently weaken the legislative branch. America’s Founders applied… -
opinion
Using COVID-19 to Attack Amy Coney Barrett’s Nomination Is Beyond Absurd
Olympus has spoken. Michael Gerson, a Washington Post columnist and former speechwriter for the George W. Bush administration, has proclaimed that President Donald Trump blinded pro-life supporters into trading mass death at the hands of COVID-19 in exchange for a false promise of lives saved from abortion. In an absurd column in this most absurd… -
opinion
For 29 Years, Justice Clarence Thomas Has Been the North Star for Originalism on the Supreme Court
With the expected confirmation of Amy Coney Barrett to the U.S. Supreme Court, some conservative commentators have heralded the coming of the “Thomas Court,” as in Justice Clarence Thomas. This term usually applies to either the chief justice or the justice who is the swing vote on 5-4 decisions, but Thomas has not played that… -
opinion
Venezuela’s Dictator Hugo Chavez Packed the Courts
Almost from the moment Republicans said they intended to fill the Supreme Court seat vacated by the death of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Democrats began to vow they would pack the court if Republicans went through with their plan. “If [Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell] holds a vote [on a Supreme Court nominee] in 2020,… -
news
Amy Coney Barrett Has More Support Than 2 Other Trump Supreme Court Nominees, Poll Shows
Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett has more support than either of President Donald Trump’s previous nominees, a poll released Wednesday found. A Morning Consult poll released Wednesday found that 51% of voters said the Senate should confirm Barrett, numbers which have risen 3 percentage points from last week. The poll surveyed 1,994 voters between Oct. 16… -
opinion
What to Expect Ahead of Amy Coney Barrett’s Confirmation Vote Next Week
Senate Republicans are looking to confirm Supreme Court nominee Judge Amy Coney Barrett next week, likely on Monday. The Senate Judiciary Committee is poised to vote on the nomination of Barrett, currently a judge on the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, on Thursday. >>> Who’s the real Amy Coney Barrett? Here’s what some of… -
news
Here’s How Many Times Democrats Interrupted Amy Coney Barrett During Her Confirmation Hearings
Democratic senators interrupted Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett 78 times during her confirmation hearings, according to the Republican National Committee. President Donald Trump’s Supreme Court nominee was interrupted 78 times throughout the hearings, RNC Chair Ronna McDaniel announced Friday morning. McDaniel claimed that these interruptions were met with “zero cries of sexism or ‘mansplaining’… -
news
‘Smart as a Whip’: American Bar Association Members Praise Amy Coney Barrett
A panel of American Bar Association leaders praised Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett Thursday morning, saying that Barrett is “well-qualified” to serve on the Supreme Court. American Bar Association Standing Committee Chair Randall Noel and ABA Lead Evaluator Pamela Roberts both spoke before the Senate Judiciary Committee Thursday and discussed why the ABA gave… -
opinion
Amy Coney Barrett Will Protect the Constitution
Modern debates over judicial nominees, to our great national shame, seem to feature more attacks on the person than sincere deliberation about his or her professional credentials. Missing is any reflection on the nominee’s judicial philosophy and demonstrated commitment to upholding the Constitution. Want better access to more videos from The Daily Signal? Subscribe to… -
news
6 Top Takeaways From Final Day of Barrett’s Supreme Court Confirmation Hearings
Members of the Senate Judiciary Committee debated when they would vote on the nomination of federal Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court and listened to testimony from witnesses on the fourth and final day of hearings to fill the vacancy left by the death of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. President Donald Trump nominated… -
opinion
What Will Happen If Liberals Pack the Supreme Court
Exponential growth. It’s why plagues are so dangerous and compound interest is so wonderful. It’s also why the Democrats’ flirting with court-packing could destroy the Supreme Court and, with it, America as we know it. The following is a reasonable scenario: Amy Coney Barrett is confirmed to the Supreme Court, which gives conservatives a 6-3… -
opinion
Problematic Women: Judge Amy Coney Barrett Maintains Poise Under Fire
Judge Amy Coney Barrett exhibited her profound understanding of the law as she testified this week before the Senate Judiciary Committee. Ellen Troxclair, author of the book “Step Up!: How to Advocate Like a Woman,” joins this episode of “Problematic Women” to discuss the Supreme Court confirmation hearings and why Barrett is qualified to sit… -
opinion
2 Female Senators Share Perspectives on the Amy Coney Barrett Hearings
The Senate Judiciary Committee has wrapped up its third and final day of confirmation hearings for Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett. On this episode, we have an interview from a new “minipodcast” from The Heritage Foundation called “Perspectives: Confirming Amy Coney Barrett.” Judge Amy Coney Barrett sat for another full day of questioning from… -
news
Sen. Mazie Hirono Asks Amy Coney Barrett If She Has Ever Committed Sexual Assault
Democratic Hawaii Sen. Mazie Hirono asked Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett Tuesday if she had ever committed sexual assault. “Since you became a legal adult, have you ever made unwanted requests for sexual favors or committed any verbal or physical harassment or assault of a sexual nature?” “No, Sen. Hirono,” Barrett responded. “Have you… -
opinion
Why Liberals Hate Amy Coney Barrett
This week, Democrats struggled to explain why Judge Amy Coney Barrett should not be confirmed to serve on the Supreme Court. They trotted out hackneyed arguments, suggesting that some political norm had been broken by a Republican president nominating a judge to be confirmed as a justice by a Republican Senate in an election year….