5-4 votes – Empirical SCOTUS

Changes Are Afoot: Evidence from 5-4 Decisions During the 2018 Term and What this Tells Us About the Supreme Court Moving Forward

Every year, SCOTUSBlog’s Stat Pack provides readers with an unparalleled look at the business of the Supreme Court across all of the merits cases it hears during a term. This year was no exception. The 2018 Term Stat Pack examines the details of the 67 cases the Court decided this term after oral argument as well…

The Most Powerful Justices Across Time

Article III of the U.S. Constitution both limits the reach of the Supreme Court and at the same time gives the Justices great power. As the only branch of the federal government with life tenure, the judicial branch maneuvers oftentimes outside of public spotlight and so judges are not subject to the same public pressures…

Quick Note: 5-4 Decisions and Equally Divided Votes Since 1946

This Term was nothing if not unique. The Justices had to sort through a majority of the decisions with one Justice missing. With a Court of eight, the Justices could not possibly come to 5-4 decisions. The Supreme Court was officially set at the size of nine members in 1869 and Congress has not changed…