**Supreme Court’s 2023 End-of-Year Report: 5 Key Takeaways**
The Supreme Court released its annual end-of-year report on Wednesday—a 13-page document that, unlike previous years, is filled with surprising revelations. Traditionally, the report provides a bland summary of the number of cases, outcomes, and basic statistics about the Court’s workload. However, Chief Justice John Roberts’ accompanying letter often addresses the pressing challenges facing the judiciary. Here are five noteworthy highlights from this year’s report:
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**1. Trump Is Making the Supreme Court Work More**
This term, the Supreme Court heard more cases than it has in any term over the last decade. According to the report, there were over 4,200 total case filings, representing a 9% increase from the previous year. This uptick reflects the increased legal challenges associated with former President Donald Trump.
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**2. Chief Justice Roberts Steered Clear of Trump**
While Chief Justice Roberts has previously used the end-of-year report to criticize threats facing the Court, this year he notably avoided directly addressing one of the most significant sources of those threats—Donald Trump. Trump has routinely attacked judges who ruled against him, prompting some to express concerns about their safety and to make lifestyle changes, including purchasing personal protection. Despite these tensions, Roberts chose to avoid direct commentary on Trump’s influence.
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**3. Emphasis on ‘Equal Rights’ for the Poor and the Rich**
Roberts used the report to reiterate the Court’s commitment to equal treatment under the law. He wrote, “Those of us in the Third Branch must continue to decide the cases before us according to our oath, doing equal right to the poor and to the rich, and performing all of our duties faithfully and impartially under the Constitution and laws of the United States.”
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**4. ‘Oblique’ References to Judicial Independence**
The Chief Justice made subtle but significant references to the importance of judicial independence. Citing history, Roberts noted the control King George III once had over the judiciary in England, a system corrected by the U.S. Constitution by granting life tenure and salary protections for federal judges. “This arrangement, now in place for 236 years, has served the country well,” he wrote, highlighting the judiciary’s crucial role as a check on the political branches.
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**5. Closer to the Founding Ideals**
Roberts concluded with a positive outlook, suggesting that, despite recent challenges—including those posed by Trump—the nation is moving closer to its founding ideals. He wrote, “These national accomplishments illustrate that the responsibilities for living up to the promises of the Declaration rest on all three branches of our government as well as on each successive generation of Americans.”
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The Supreme Court’s 2023 report not only details workload statistics but also reflects on the judiciary’s vital role in maintaining the balance and ideals of the American democratic system—now more important than ever.
https://www.rawstory.com/supreme-court-2674840520/
