Supreme Court

Americans’ Trust in Legislative Branch at Record Low

Public places much more trust in the judicial and executive branches

September 10, 2009

A record-low 45% of Americans currently trust the legislative branch of government, far fewer than trust the judicial (76%) or executive (61%) branches. Three in four Americans (73%) trust the people of the country when it comes to making judgments under the democratic system.More ...

High Court to Start Term With Near Decade-High Approval

More consider the high court “about right” than “too liberal” or “too conservative”

September 9, 2009

As the U.S. Supreme Court reconvenes, 61% of Americans approve and 28% disapprove of the job it is doing -- among the court’s most positive ratings of the past decade. Half of Americans (50%) now say the court is about right, while 19% call it too conservative and 28% call it too liberal.More ...

In U.S., More Say Supreme Court Ideology Is "About Right"

September 9, 2009

Fifty-percent of Americans think the current Supreme Court is "about right,” rather than “too liberal” or “too conservative,” up from 43% at this time last year.

Support for Sotomayor Essentially Unchanged After Hearings

Slight majority, now 55%, have continuously favored her confirmation

July 20, 2009

Public support for U.S. Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor winning confirmation now stands at 55%, essentially unchanged compared to a week ago, before the start of her Senate confirmation hearings. At 36%, opposition to Sotomayor is on the high side for recent U.S. Supreme Court nominees.More ...

Support for Sotomayor Confirmation Holds Steady at 53%

Slight increase in unfavorable rating since late May

July 13, 2009

As Senate hearings on the confirmation of U.S. Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor get underway on Monday, a new Gallup Poll finds Americans, by 53% to 33%, favoring her confirmation. Since late May, opposition to Sotomayor’s confirmation has risen slightly, while support has held steady.More ...

Americans’ Confidence in Military Up, Banks Down

Surge in confidence around presidency reflects new administration

June 24, 2009

At 82%, public confidence in the U.S. military is up 11 points from a year ago, and is the highest since the start of the Iraq war in 2003. Confidence in the presidency is up even more sharply -- reflecting public support for President Obama. Confidence in banks is down sharply.More ...

Rating of Supreme Court Improves as Partisans Switch Sides

In a shift from last fall, most Democrats now approve; most Republicans disapprove

June 22, 2009

As the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2008-2009 term draws to a close, 59% of Americans approve of the job it is doing, up significantly from the prior two years. Democrats’ and Republicans’ views of the court have switched since last fall -- Democrats now view the court much more positively and Republicans much less so.More ...

Majority of Americans Favor Sotomayor Confirmation

Many more say her views are “mainstream” rather than “extreme”

June 2, 2009

A new USA Today/Gallup poll finds 54% of Americans in favor of the Senate’s confirming U.S. Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor. This level of support is similar to what Gallup has initially found for prior successful nominees.More ...

Positive Initial Reaction to Sotomayor Nomination

Americans believe intellect, experience most important in Obama’s choice

May 28, 2009

Americans’ initial reactions to the news of President Obama’s nomination of Judge Sonia Sotomayor to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court are decidedly more positive than negative, with 47% rating the nomination as “excellent” or “good,” 20% rating it “only fair,” and 13% rating it “poor.”More ...

No Clamor for High Court Appointee to Be Woman, Minority

As in 2005, majority of Americans say gender, race, and ethnicity of appointee don’t matter

May 13, 2009

Despite expectations that President Barack Obama will appoint a woman to the Supreme Court, 64% of Americans say it doesn’t matter to them whether the next justice is a woman, with even higher percentages saying the same about the appointment of a black or Hispanic.More ...

Supreme Court

Americans’ Trust in Legislative Branch at Record Low

Public places much more trust in the judicial and executive branches

High Court to Start Term With Near Decade-High Approval

More consider the high court “about right” than “too liberal” or “too conservative”

In U.S., More Say Supreme Court Ideology Is "About Right"

Support for Sotomayor Essentially Unchanged After Hearings

Slight majority, now 55%, have continuously favored her confirmation

Support for Sotomayor Confirmation Holds Steady at 53%

Slight increase in unfavorable rating since late May

Americans’ Confidence in Military Up, Banks Down

Surge in confidence around presidency reflects new administration

Rating of Supreme Court Improves as Partisans Switch Sides

In a shift from last fall, most Democrats now approve; most Republicans disapprove

Majority of Americans Favor Sotomayor Confirmation

Many more say her views are “mainstream” rather than “extreme”

Positive Initial Reaction to Sotomayor Nomination

Americans believe intellect, experience most important in Obama’s choice

No Clamor for High Court Appointee to Be Woman, Minority

As in 2005, majority of Americans say gender, race, and ethnicity of appointee don’t matter

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Supreme Court

Few Say Female Supreme Court Pick Is “Essential”

Public Gives Supreme Court Passing Grade

Trust in Government Remains Low

Gallup Glance

Trust in Government

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Supreme Court

Confidence in Institutions

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Support for the Death Penalty 30 Years After the Supreme Court Ruling