Curbing the Court: Why the Public Constrains Judicial Independence

Associate Professor of Political Science Brandon Bartels co-authored this examination of how political actors seek to limit the Supreme Court’s power when it suits their aims—particularly during times of sharp partisan polarization. Backed by a wealth of observational and experimental data, the authors present a new theory of how we perceive the Supreme Court. They give fresh insights into the vulnerability of judicial institutions in an increasingly contentious era of American politics.