Campaign
Supreme Court Ethics
Supreme Court Justices make decisions that impact millions of people every year—but they are not held to the same ethical standards as other federal judges.
Fair Courts
A strong democracy requires protecting everyone’s constitutional rights and ensuring our courts are fair and impartial.
Fair courts are one of the foundations of democracy. Yet today, Supreme Court judges are not held to a binding code of ethics, while many state-level judges are forced to raise money from special interests to sit on the bench, or are selected through an unfair process.
Common Cause advocates for transparency and fairness when it comes to picking judges and shaping our courts. Ensuring that judges are beholden only to the law and keeping courtrooms fair are keys to building a strong 21st-century democracy.
What We’re Doing
Take Action
Petition
Tell Congress: Wealthy donors shouldn’t control our Supreme Court
The Judicial Conference’s weakened disclosure rules are unacceptable and will make it easier for wealthy donors to secretly buy influence over the Supreme Court – at the expense of everyday Americans.
Congress must put a stop to this now by passing the Supreme Court Ethics, Recusal, and Transparency Act and creating the strongest possible Code of Conduct for our highest court.
Petition
Tell Congress: Hold SCOTUS Accountable
Congress must take bold action now to pass a strong, binding Supreme Court Code of Conduct and overrule the Court’s disastrous ruling on presidential immunity.
These crucial reforms would ensure that nobody – not presidents, nor judges – is above the law.
Petition
We need a REAL Supreme Court code of conduct
The Supreme Court’s weak, voluntary “code of conduct” falls short of what we need. We demand REAL, enforceable ethics standards now.
Congress must pass the Supreme Court Ethics, Recusal, and Transparency Act and create the strongest possible code of conduct for our highest court.
Your financial support helps us make an impact by holding power accountable and strengthening democracy.
Related Articles
Blog Post
From Roe To Dobbs: How The Supreme Court Became A Political Weapon
Blog Post
Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson’s Confirmation Hearing Shows Why She Should Be Confirmed to the Supreme Court
The Senate is considering the nomination of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson for a seat on the United States Supreme Court. If confirmed to the high court, she will succeed her mentor, Justice Stephen Breyer, who plans to retire when the Court rises for its summer recess.
Blog Post
REACTION: Democrat, Republican leaders criticize Supreme Court for partisan gerrymandering ruling
The Supreme Court decided it would let partisan gerrymandering go unchecked. But the courts aren’t the only path to fair districts. Leaders on both sides of the aisle are chiming in on the issue, and calling out the Supreme Court for its historically bad decision.
Related Resources
Fact Sheet
Moore v. Harper: Understanding the Impacts of the Decision
An explainer on the Moore v. Harper victory and what it means for our democracy and the impacts this decision has at the state level.
Letter
LETTERS: Justice Thomas’ Alleged Conflicts of Interest
Report
Supreme Conflict
Letter
Letter to the Clerk of the Supreme Court
Press
News Clip
USA Today/Gannett: GOP billionaire Harlan Crow purchased property from Justice Clarence Thomas, according to new report
"Americans expect and deserve a fair and impartial Supreme Court and we need transparency in order to identify potential conflicts and to restore public trust in our nation’s highest court,” Common Cause co-president Marilyn Carpinteyro said earlier this week, before the latest revelation. "The U.S. Supreme Court has repeatedly proven itself incapable of policing itself without a code of ethics."
Press Release
SCOTUS Filing: Proceedings in NC Redistricting Case Do Not Change Ability to Decide Moore v. Harper
The U.S. Supreme Court should reject the dangerous and fringe independent state legislature theory (ISLT) presented in Moore v. Harper regardless of the highly unusual decision by the North Carolina Supreme Court to rehear the remedial decision in Harper v. Hall, according to a new plaintiff’s letter responding to the high court.
News Clip
Newsweek: Clarence Thomas Failing to Note Wife Ginni’s $680k Side Income Resurfaces
Law professor Michele Goodwin shared the 2011 article from The Los Angeles Times on Twitter on Monday and tagged Common Cause, the watchdog group that initially reported on Thomas' failure to disclose his wife's income from the Heritage Foundation.
Retweeting Goodwin, Common Cause wrote: "We reviewed Justice Thomas' financial disclosure filings years ago and found that he failed to disclose his wife's income ($686,589) from the Heritage Foundation. We'll keep calling out Ginni Thomas until we have an ethical Supreme Court."
Retweeting Goodwin, Common Cause wrote: "We reviewed Justice Thomas' financial disclosure filings years ago and found that he failed to disclose his wife's income ($686,589) from the Heritage Foundation. We'll keep calling out Ginni Thomas until we have an ethical Supreme Court."
