The Shadow Docket

An acclaimed legal scholar explores the growing use of the Supreme Court’s secretive “shadow docket,” where many emergency rulings are made without public hearings or explanations, significantly impacting American law and civil rights. Since 2017, this behind-the-scenes activity has increased, raising concerns about transparency and the broader implications for democracy. In this accessible yet rigorous account, the author examines how these covert decisions shape legal and political landscapes, urging a return to greater openness in the Court's workings.