Justice Amy Coney Barrett, at 52 years old, holds the position of the youngest member of the Supreme Court and is part of its conservative supermajority as the junior member. Despite having completed only her third full term last week, she has already established herself as a significant presence on the court.
Her admirers praise her opinions for their intellectual seriousness, independence, caution, and a refreshing dose of common sense. In the recently ended term, she stood out by delivering a series of concurring opinions that scrutinized and refined the majority’s methods and decisions.
Justice Barrett notably penned dissents, often in collaboration with liberal justices, challenging rulings that restricted prosecutors’ tools in cases related to the January 6th mob and thwarted a Biden administration initiative to address air pollution. In March, she aligned with the court’s liberal wing in a decision that criticized the majority for a broad ruling that reinstated former President Donald J. Trump on the Colorado ballot.
Despite these instances, it’s important to note that Justice Barrett’s inclination towards liberal outcomes in the last term does not categorize her as a liberal. Irv Gornstein, the executive director of Georgetown University’s Supreme Court Institute, emphasizes this point.
