The Supreme Court used to be one of the areas of government that was the least impacted by the nation's extreme polarization, frequently finding common ground, but recent SCOTUS rulings have magnified our divisions.
On the left, there have been renewed calls by some to expand the court following recent rulings that are viewed as conservative. And many on the right disagree.
Related: How Supreme Court Ideology Has Shifted Over Time
However, there are aspects of the Supreme Court that most Americans still agree upon. Here are a few examples of data and stories to support that:
- Public trust in the judicial system is at a historic low. In 2024, Gallup reported that only 35% of Americans express confidence in the nation’s courts—the lowest level ever recorded.
- Skepticism of the Supreme Court crosses party lines. A 2024 Gallup poll found that 21% of Republicans, 32% of Independents, and 36% of Democrats say they don’t have much trust in SCOTUS.
- Pew reported that only 18% of Americans believe the justices set aside political beliefs when deciding cases. Meanwhile, 55% rate the Court's impartiality as “only fair” or “poor.”
- Also noted by Pew Research data, half of Americans (48%) say the Court is conservative, 42% see it as moderate, and just 7% consider it liberal.
- 83% of Americans agree that religious beliefs should not influence judicial decisions. This includes 76% of Republicans and 89% of Democrats—a rare moment of bipartisan consensus reported by Pew in 2022.
- Support for term limits is growing. A 2024 Annenberg Public Policy Center poll found that 68% of Americans support term limits, and a Fox News poll reported even stronger support at 78% for 18-year terms.
- Bipartisan support for term limits is clear. According to a 2024 Marquette Law School poll, 94% of Democrats, 86% of Independents, and 70% of Republicans support fixed terms for justices.
- Americans want a Code of Ethics. That same Marquette poll found 90% of Americans support a binding ethics code for Supreme Court justices—including 88% of Republicans and 93% of Democrats.
- A 2021 Ipsos poll reported that 71% of Democrats and 60% of Republicans support age or term limits for justices.
- Similarly, 2022 data from Data for Progress shows 59% of Democrats, 57% of Independents, and 47% of Republicans want SCOTUS to adopt a Code of Ethics.
See more examples of common ground on issues where you might not expect to find it:
- Democrats and Republicans Actually Agree on Many Policing Reforms
- Here's Where Democrats and Republicans Agree on Abortion
- Here’s Where Democrats and Republicans Agree on Crime
- Unexpected Overlaps: Republican Voters Believe Humans Contribute to Climate Change, Support Limiting Emissions
- Republicans and Democrats Actually Agree on These Gun Restriction Policies
- Democrats and Republicans Actually Agree on These Immigration Views and Policies
- Democrats and Republicans Actually Both Support These Free Speech Positions
Clare Ashcraft is the Bridging Intern at AllSides. She has a Center bias.
This piece was reviewed by Managing Editor Henry A. Brechter (Center bias), Julie Mastrine, Director of Marketing and Media Bias Ratings (Lean Right), and Andrew Weinzierl, Director of Research & Data Journalism (Lean Left).
