March 12, 2026
The polite but forceful back-and-forth exchange comes at a time where the conservative majority has received massive criticism on blocking lower court rulings, giving President Donald Trump’s agenda a broader reach.
The difference of opinions and alignment on some issues between Supreme Court liberal and conservative Justices Ketanji Brown Jackson and Brett Kavanaugh spilled over in a rare duo public appearance at an event geared toward lawyers and judges, NBC News reported.
The polite but forceful back-and-forth exchange between the judges that sit on the highest court in the nation comes at a time where the conservative majority has received massive criticism on blocking lower court rulings, giving President Donald Trump’s agenda a broader reach. As Jackson is known as an avid critic of the White House administration, even not appearing at the president’s recent State of the Union address, she suggested there would be a drop in emergency filings, which have increased, if the court stood more ground about granting them.
She said it’s “not serving the court or this country well.” “I just feel like this uptick in the court’s willingness to get involved … is a real unfortunate problem,” Jackson said during a conversation moderated by U.S. District Judge Paul Friedman.
For Kavanaugh, he feels the opposite — but also seemingly agreed that it’s not the plan he thought. The conservative justice defended the court, claiming the court is designed to act one way or another when the government or other litigants file emergency applications. He also argued the rulings aren’t in allegiance to Trump, highlighting how the Biden administration made similar requests — but at a lower rate. “We have to have the same position regardless of who is president,” Kavanaugh said.
The procedure is known as the “shadow docket” due to the fact that it is rare for the court to hear arguments and give rulings with minimal explanation. Decisions from the Supreme Court decisions give policies the green light to go into effect almost immediately, despite potentially being the early stages of legal challenges.
Before lower courts make definitive conclusions, some cases then return to the high court, resulting in final decisions on the merits.
Kavanaugh expressed that he feels the justices are being looped in more frequently due to gridlock actions of Congress leading to the president having to push more executive orders. He has made the argument both on the bench and in public appearances, according to The New York Times.
Seemingly agreeing with his liberal colleague, the conservative justice is worried about emergency cases soon short-circuiting lower court deliberations. “None of us enjoys this,” he said.
But he added that the justices have a duty to “grant or deny” all applications they receive.
Another point the two justices agreed on is concern surrounding violent threats against judges, particularly those who have ruled against President Trump. “There’s no easy answer, for sure,” Jackson said. “It’s unfortunate because it relates to a lack of understanding about judicial independence.”
With that, Kavanaugh looks at how Chief Justice John Roberts picks his battles, highlighting how he once rebuked a statement from Trump and followers after suggesting judges should be impeached for ruling against the administration. Roberts has said he “picked his spots” to push back against the criticism.
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