How often does the Supreme Court overturn its own decisions?
Fewer than 1% of Supreme Court cases have overturned an older decision. More than half of these cases concerned economic activity or criminal procedure.
Numbers, Facts and Trends Shaping Your World
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Supreme Court
How Biden compares with other recent presidents in appointing federal judges
As Biden’s term draws to a close, here’s a look at the federal judges the 46th president appointed during his four years in the White House.
Most Americans favor maximum age limits for federal elected officials, Supreme Court justices
79% of Americans favor maximum age limits for elected officials in Washington, D.C. And 74% support such limits for Supreme Court justices.
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Supreme Court
Publications
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In Brief: Christian Legal Society v. Martinez
On April 19, 2010, the U.S. Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in Christian Legal Society v. Martinez, a case that will determine whether a public institution can refuse to officially recognize a religiously based organization that prevents those who do not share its religious and moral values from becoming voting members. The case arose […]
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In Brief: <em>Salazar v. Buono</em>
On Oct. 7, 2009, the U.S. Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in Salazar v. Buono, a case involving a constitutional challenge to the presence of an eight-foot-tall Christian cross in the Mojave National Preserve in San Bernardino County, Calif. The case arose when Frank Buono, a former assistant superintendent of the preserve, filed a […]
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The Constitutional Dimensions of the Same-Sex Marriage Debate
In this research package Public Opinion on Same-Sex Marriage Slideshow: Changing Attitudes on Gay Marriage Overview of Same-Sex Marriage in the U.S. Gay Marriage and the Law Religious Groups’ Official Positions on Gay Marriage Gay Marriage Around the World Graphic: State Policies on Same-Sex Marriage Q&A: Gay Marriage and the Free Exercise of Religion On […]
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In Brief: Pleasant Grove City v. Summum
On Nov. 12, 2008, the U.S. Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in Pleasant Grove City v. Summum, a case that could change how public parks display religious messages such as the Ten Commandments. The Pew Forum provides a brief overview of how the case progressed to the Supreme Court and how the two sides […]
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A Fluid Boundary: The Free Exercise Clause and the Legislative and Executive Branches
In an ongoing series of occasional reports, “Religion and the Courts: The Pillars of Church-State Law,” the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life explores the complex, fluid relationship between government and religion. Among the issues to be examined are religion in public schools, displays of religious symbols on public property, conflicts concerning the free […]
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On Ceremonial Occasions, May the Government Invoke a Deity?
School children utter the phrase “one nation under God” as part of the Pledge of Allegiance. The national motto, “In God We Trust,” appears on U.S. currency. Congress and many state legislatures start their sessions with prayers, and the U.S. Supreme Court opens oral arguments with the invocation “God save the United States and this […]
