A recent Rasmussen poll found that fewer voters than ever before have a favorable view of the U.S. Supreme Court. In a telephone survey of likely voters, only 28% gave the court a good or excellent rating.
What accounts for this historically low rating? A recent article entitled “An Empirical Study of Supreme Court Justice Pre-Appointment Experience” may shed light on one possible factor.
In it, the author examines the background experiences of the Roberts Court. He found that the current justices have spent more pre-appointment time in legal academia, appellate judging, and living in Washington D.C. than any previous court, as well as the most time in elite undergraduate and law school settings. He also found that the justices have spent less time in the private practice of law, in trial judging, and as elected politicians. He argues that all of this translates into a lack of “practical wisdom” on their part.
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