Los Angeles, California – As the United States’ presidential primary season begins, the Supreme Court is set to consider several high-profile cases that could impact the election results. However, experts warn that this puts the court in a delicate position. With Republican frontrunner and former president Donald Trump facing multiple legal battles, the court may have to face the limits of its impartiality. Some justices may be forced to publicly assess the actions of the former president who appointed them to their roles. Trump, who appointed three justices during his term, is credited with giving the court its current conservative majority.
According to Michael Gerhardt, a professor of jurisprudence at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the Trump cases will test whether the court can set aside their political biases and preferences. One of the cases likely to go to the Supreme Court involves Trump’s claims of immunity for actions taken while in office. Federal prosecutors have accused Trump of conspiring to overturn the 2020 election results during his last days in office. If Trump loses in the appeals court, the case is expected to reach the Supreme Court.
Another case involves whether states have the authority to remove Trump from their primary ballots, citing the 14th Amendment’s “insurrection clause”. Trump’s lawyers argue that it is uncertain whether the law applies to the president’s office and have defended Trump’s actions as protected by free speech.
The Supreme Court is set to hear arguments in this case starting on February 8, ahead of the Maine and Colorado primaries on March 5. Some experts, such as Barbara Perry from the University of Virginia, anticipate that the conservative-leaning Supreme Court will likely rule in Trump’s favor.
The issue of judicial bias is a growing concern for the Supreme Court, as it faces credibility questions and a decline in public confidence. Experts like Perry and Mark Graber from the University of Maryland School of Law emphasize the dangers of the court being viewed as partisan in an election year.
Ultimately, the upcoming election is predicted to place scrutiny on all branches of the federal government, including the Supreme Court. As Gerhardt states, it is expected to be a challenging and turbulent road ahead for all institutions involved.