A Vintage Warning: Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas's 2015 Warning on Judicial Activism Revisited In a 2015 speech that has resonated with law students and scholars alike, Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas sounded a cautionary note on the dangers of judicial activism. As the nation grapples with increasingly divisive issues and a growing sense of unease about the role of the judiciary in shaping the country's laws, Justice Thomas's words from nearly a decade ago take on new relevance. In his speech, Thomas argued that judges must be mindful of their role as interpreters of the law, rather than lawmakers in their own right, and cautioned against the dangers of allowing personal biases and policy preferences to influence judicial decisions. With the Supreme Court's recent rulings on issues like abortion and climate change, this timely reminder of the importance of judicial restraint is sure to spark debate and reflection among those who follow the Court's decisions.
Reposting an item from 2015, which I've used often in my Amicus Brief Clinic, and which some of my students say they found enlightening.
