Supreme Court

Line graph: Americans' approval or disapproval of U.S. Supreme Court (2001-2018 trend). High 62% (2000, 2001); low 42% (2005, 2016). 2020 reading is 58% approval.

Do you approve or disapprove of the way the Supreme Court is handling its job?

	Approve	Disapprove	No opinion
	%	%	%
2020 Jul 1-23	58	38	4
2019 Sep 3-15	54	42	4
2018 Sep 4-12	51	40	8
2018 Jul 1-11	53	41	7
2017 Sep 6-10	49	40	10
2016 Sep 7-11	45	47	8
2016 Jul 13-17	42	52	6
2015 Sep 9-13	45	50	5
2015 Jul 8-12	49	46	5
2014 Sep 4-7	44	48	8
2014 Jul 7-10	47	46	7
2013 Sep 5-8	46	45	9
2013 Jul 10-14	43	46	11
2012 Sep 6-9	49	40	11
2012 Jul 9-12	46	45	9
2011 Sep 8-11	46	40	14
2010 Sep 13-16	51	39	10
2009 Aug 31-Sep 2	61	28	11
2009 Jun 14-17	59	30	11
2008 Sep 8-11	50	39	11
2008 Jun 9-12	48	38	14
2007 Sep 14-16	51	39	10
2007 May 10-13	51	36	13
2006 Sep 7-10	60	32	8
2005 Sep 12-15	56	36	8
2005 Jun 24-26	42	48	10
2004 Sep 13-15	51	39	10
2003 Sep 8-10	52	38	10
2003 Jul 7-9	59	33	8
2002 Sep 5-8	60	29	11
2001 Sep 7-10	58	28	14
2001 Jun 11-17	62	25	13
2001 Jan 10-14	59	34	7
2000 Aug 29-Sep 5	62	29	9
Gallup

Now I am going to read you a list of institutions in American society. Please tell me how much confidence you, yourself, have in each one -- a great deal, quite a lot, some or very little? The Supreme Court

	Great deal	Quite a lot	Some	Very little	None (vol.)	No opinion	Great deal/Quite a lot
	%	%	%	%	%	%	%
2020	18	22	41	17	1	1	40
2019	18	20	40	20	1	1	38
2018	16	21	42	17	1	2	37
2017	18	22	40	16	1	2	40
2016	15	21	41	22	1	1	36
2015	14	18	42	23	2	2	32
2014	12	18	41	24	2	2	30
2013	13	21	42	21	2	2	34
2012	15	22	38	20	2	3	37
2011	17	20	41	18	2	2	37
2010	15	21	43	16	2	3	36
2009	15	24	41	17	1	3	39
2008	13	19	44	17	1	5	32
2007	14	20	41	21	2	2	34
2006	14	26	41	15	1	3	40
2005	16	25	38	18	1	2	41
2004	16	30	37	14	2	1	46
2003	20	27	38	12	1	2	47
2002	22	28	35	13	*	2	50
2001	22	28	31	13	3	3	50
2000	18	29	35	14	1	3	47
1999	20	29	35	13	1	2	49
1998	24	26	34	12	1	3	50
1997	25	25	32	14	2	2	50
1996	17	28	39	14	1	1	45
1995	20	24	39	14	1	1	44
1994	18	24	38	16	1	3	42
1993	18	25	37	15	2	3	43
1991 Oct	16	23	39	15	2	5	39
1991 Feb	21	27	36	10	1	5	48
1990	19	28	31	16	2	4	47
1989	21	25	33	17	2	2	46
1988	21	35	30	11	1	2	56
1987	13	39	36	8	*	4	52
1986	19	35	32	10	1	3	54
1985	18	38	30	9	1	5	56
1984	22	29	28	15	--	6	51
1983	14	28	34	16	1	7	42
1981	18	28	32	13	4	4	46
1979	18	27	31	19	1	4	45
1977	17	28	29	16	2	8	45
1975	22	27	28	16	1	6	49
1973	20	25	28	12	5	11	45
(vol.) = Volunteered response; * Less than 0.5%
Gallup

As you know, our federal government is made up of three branches: an executive branch, headed by the president; a judicial branch, headed by the U.S. Supreme Court; and a legislative branch, made up of the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives. How much trust and confidence do you have at this time in the judicial branch headed by the U.S. Supreme Court -- a great deal, a fair amount, not very much or none at all?

	Great deal	Fair amount	Not very much	None at all	No opinion
	%	%	%	%	%
2019 Sep 3-15	16	53	25	6	*
2018 Sep 4-12	18	50	22	9	1
2017 Sep 6-10	16	52	24	7	1
2016 Sep 7-11	12	49	28	9	1
2015 Sep 9-13	11	42	31	16	*
2014 Sep 4-7	10	51	30	9	1
2013 Sep 5-8	13	49	28	9	1
2012 Sep 6-9	14	53	27	4	2
2011 Sep 8-11	12	51	28	8	1
2010 Sep 13-16	14	52	28	5	2
2009 Aug 31-Sep 2	18	58	18	4	2
2008 Sep 8-11	14	55	23	6	3
2007 Sep 14-16	15	54	23	6	1
2006 Sep 7-10	15	54	21	7	3
2005 Sep 12-15	13	55	25	6	1
2004 Sep 13-15	14	51	27	6	2
2003 Sep 8-10	13	54	27	5	1
2002 Sep 5-8	17	58	18	5	2
2001 Sep 7-10	17	57	20	4	2
2000 Jul 6-9	23	52	18	6	1
1999 Feb 4-8	29	51	13	5	2
1998 Dec 28-29	27	51	16	4	2
1997 May 30-Jun 1	19	52	22	5	2
1976 Jun	16	47	26	6	4
1974 Apr	17	54	20	5	5
1972 May	17	49	24	7	4
* Less than 0.5%
Gallup

In general, do you think the current Supreme Court is too liberal, too conservative or just about right?

	Too liberal	Too conservative	About right	No opinion
	%	%	%	%
2019 Sep 3-15	17	33	47	3
2018 Jul 1-11	21	29	44	6
2017 Sep 6-10	23	30	43	4
2016 Sep 7-11	37	20	39	4
2015 Sep 9-13	37	20	40	3
2014 Sep 4-7	30	24	43	4
2013 Sep 5-8	30	23	41	6
2012 Sep 6-9	27	23	44	7
2011 Sep 8-11	31	20	42	7
2010 Jul 27-Aug 1	32	19	43	6
2009 Aug 31-Sep 2	28	19	50	3
2008 Sep 8-11	21	30	43	6
2007 Sep 14-16	21	32	43	5
2006 Sep 7-10	21	31	43	6
2005 Sep 12-15	25	25	45	5
2004 Sep 13-15	28	27	40	5
2003 Sep 8-10	31	25	39	5
2003 Jul 7-9 #	31	15	48	6
2001 Sep 7-10	22	25	46	7
2000 Aug 29-Sep 5 #	27	16	49	8
1995 Jul 7-9	31	20	41	8
1993 Jun 18-21 ^	22	24	45	9
1991 Jul 11-14 #	20	25	39	16
^ Asked of a half sample; # WORDING: In its recent rulings, do you think the Supreme Court has been too liberal, too conservative, or just about right?
Gallup

As you may know, [...] is a federal judge who has been nominated to serve on the Supreme Court. Would you like to see the Senate vote in favor of [...] serving on the Supreme Court, or not?

	Yes, vote in favor	No, not	No opinion
	%	%	%
Brett Kavanaugh
2018 Sep 24-30	46	45	9
2018 Sep 10-16	39	42	19
2018 Aug 20-26	40	36	24
2018 Jul 10-15	41	37	22
Neil Gorsuch
2017 Feb 1-2	45	32	23
Merrick Garland
2016 Mar 18-19	52	29	19
Elena Kagan
2010 Jul 27-Aug 1	46	36	18
2010 Jul 8-11	44	34	22
2010 May 24-25	46	32	22
Sonia Sotomayor
2009 Jul 17-19	55	36	9
2009 Jul 10-12	53	33	13
2009 May 29-31	54	28	19
Samuel Alito
2006 Jan 20-22	54	30	16
2006 Jan 6-8	49	30	21
2005 Dec 9-11	49	29	22
2005 Nov 7-10	50	25	25
Harriet Miers
2005 Oct 21-23	42	43	15
2005 Oct 13-16 ^	44	36	20
John Roberts
2005 Sep 16-18	60	26	14
2005 Sep 8-11	58	27	15
2005 Aug 28-30	52	26	22
2005 Aug 5-7	51	28	21
2005 Jul 22-24	59	22	19
Ruth Bader Ginsburg
1993 Jun 18-21	53	14	33
Clarence Thomas
1991 Oct 14	58	30	12
1991 Oct 10-13	53	30	17
1991 Sep 13-15	54	25	21
1991 Aug 8-11	56	23	21
1991 Jul 11-14	52	17	31
Robert Bork
1987 Sep 1-13	38	35	26
1987 Aug 24-Sep 2	31	25	44
^ Asked of a half sample
Gallup

Suppose a nominee for the U.S. Supreme Court is qualified and has no ethical problems. Do you think U.S. senators would be justified -- or unjustified -- in voting against that nominee if they disagree with the nominee's stance on current issues such as abortion, gun control or affirmative action?

	Justified	Unjustified	No opinion
	%	%	%
2018 Jul 2-8	49	46	5
2005 Jan 14-16	51	46	3
^ Asked of a half sample
Gallup

Do you approve or disapprove of the way John Roberts is handling his job as chief justice of the U.S. Supreme Court?

	Approve	Disapprove	No opinion
	%	%	%
2013 Sep 5-8	55	34	11
2010 Jul 27-Aug 1	48	27	25
Gallup

Over the past five years, do you think the Supreme Court has become more liberal, more conservative or stayed about the same?

	More liberal	More conservative	Stayed the same	No opinion
	%	%	%	%
2010 Jul 27-Aug 1	36	16	43	5
Gallup

Would you like to see President [Bush/Obama] nominate a new justice who would make the Supreme Court -- [ROTATED: more liberal than it currently is, more conservative than it currently is] -- or who would keep the court as it is now?

	More liberal	More conservative	Keep as now	No opinion
	%	%	%	%
President Obama
2010 May 3-6	27	42	24	6
2009 May 7-10	28	41	26	5
President Bush
2005 Sep 26-28	30	33	29	8
2005 Jun 16-19	30	41	24	5
Gallup

Which of the following best describes your view about whether the next Supreme Court justice is [RANDOM ORDER] -- do you think it is -- [RANDOM ORDER: essential that the next justice is (a woman/Hispanic/black), is it a good idea, but not essential, does it not matter to you, (or do you think it is) a bad idea]?

	Essential	Good idea	Doesn't matter	Bad idea	No opinion
	%	%	%	%	%
A woman
2010 May 3-6	4	20	72	3	1
2009 May 7-10	6	26	64	3	1
2005 Oct 28-30	14	33	50	2	1
2005 Sep 26-28 ^	14	29	55	1	1
Hispanic
2010 May 3-6	1	12	76	9	1
2009 May 7-10	1	21	68	8	1
2005 Sep 26-28	3	23	69	4	1
Black
2010 May 3-6	1	13	82	3	1
2009 May 7-10	1	21	74	3	1
2005 Sep 26-28	5	21	71	2	1
Someone with experience as a judge
2005 Oct 28-30	50	36	11	2	1
A conservative
2005 Oct 28-30	21	24	32	20	3
Someone who would overturn Roe v. Wade
2005 Oct 28-30	16	16	20	42	6
^ Asked of a half sample
Gallup

From what you know about [....] , do you think [he / she] would be too liberal, too conservative or just about right as a Supreme Court justice?

	Too liberal	Too conservative	About right	No opinion
	%	%	%	%
Sonia Sotomayor
2009 May 29-31 ^	28	3	48	20
Samuel Alito
2006 Jan 6-8 ^	6	29	49	15
John Roberts
2005 Aug 28-30	8	24	48	20
Ruth Bader Ginsburg
1993 Jun 18-21	14	4	47	35
Clarence Thomas
1991 Jul 11-14	7	20	46	27
^ Asked of a half sample
Gallup

Based on what you have heard or read about [her / him], do you think [...]'s views on important issues are in the mainstream or do you think they are too extreme?

	Mainstream	Too extreme	No opinion
	%	%	%
Sonia Sotomayor
2009 May 29-31 ^	49	30	21
Samuel Alito
2006 Jan 6-8 ^	52	30	19
2005 Nov 1	51	26	23
^ Asked of a half sample
Gallup

Suppose all or most of the Democrats in the Senate oppose Alito's nomination. Do you think they would be justified -- or not justified -- in using Senate procedures, such as the filibuster, to prevent an up-or-down vote on his nomination?

	Justified	Not justified	No opinion
	%	%	%
2006 Jan 20-22	38	48	15
Gallup

Just your best guess, if Alito were confirmed to the Supreme Court, do you think he would -- or would not -- vote to overturn the Roe v. Wade decision on abortion?

	Yes, would overturn	No, would not	No opinion
	%	%	%
2006 Jan 20-22	34	44	21
2005 Nov 1	38	38	24
Gallup

Regardless of how you think the Senate should vote, would you say you are pleased or disappointed with George W. Bush's choice of Harriet Miers as the nominee to the Supreme Court?

	Pleased	Disappointed	No opinion
	%	%	%
2005 Oct 21-23	40	50	10
Gallup

Based on what you have heard or read about Harriet Miers, do you think she is among the most qualified people who could serve on the Supreme Court, is she qualified to serve on the Supreme Court, but many others are more qualified, or is she not qualified to serve on the Supreme Court?

	Among most qualified	Qualified	Not qualified	No opinion
	%	%	%	%
2005 Oct 21-23	20	49	22	9
Gallup

Would you like to see President Bush -- [ROTATED: continue to support his nomination of Harriet Miers to the Supreme Court (or) withdraw his nomination of Harriet Miers to the Supreme Court]?

	Continue to support	Withdraw nomination	No opinion
	%	%	%
2005 Oct 13-16 ^	46	36	18
^ Asked of a half sample
Gallup

Do you think John Roberts should -- [ROTATED: answer questions from the senators about his views on specific issues such as abortion or affirmative action, (or should he) only answer questions from the senators about his general judicial philosophy]?

	Specific issues	General philosophy	No opinion
	%	%	%
2005 Aug 28-30^	55	42	3
^ Asked of a half sample
Gallup

When the U.S. Senate holds hearings on the John Roberts nomination, do you think Senators should insist that he explain his views on abortion before confirming him, or should he be allowed to refuse to answer questions about abortion?

	Insist he explain views	Allow to refuse to answer	No opinion
	%	%	%
2005 Jul 22-24	61	37	2
Gallup

If a nominee for the U.S. Supreme Court favors [keeping/overturning] the Roe v. Wade decision on abortion, in your view, should that alone disqualify that person from serving on the Supreme Court, or not?

	Yes, should disqualify	No, should not	No opinion
	%	%	%
Keeping Roe v. Wade
2005 Jul 22-24 ^	13	85	2
Overturning Roe v. Wade
2005 Jul 22-24 ^	25	72	3
^ Asked of a half sample
Gallup

As you may know, the U.S. Supreme Court will decide a case regarding whether a monument to the Ten Commandments can be displayed on the grounds of state government buildings in Texas and Kentucky. Do you think the U.S. Supreme Court should -- or should not -- allow the state governments to display that monument?

	Yes, should	No, should not	No opinion
	%	%	%
2005 Jun 24-26	75	23	2
2005 Feb 25-27 ^	76	21	3
^ Asked of a half sample
Gallup

Suppose President Bush decides to nominate the person who he thinks is the best choice for the U.S. Supreme Court, but almost all the Democrats in the Senate oppose the nominee because they disagree with that person on important issues. Should President Bush -- [ROTATED: still nominate the person he thinks is best for the job, (or should he) nominate another well qualified person whom the Democrats find acceptable]?

	Still nominate best person	Nominate another acceptable to Democrats	No opinion
	%	%	%
2005 Jun 16-19	46	51	3
Gallup

Suppose almost all the Democrats in the Senate oppose President Bush's nominee for the U.S. Supreme Court because they disagree with that person on important issues. Should the Democrats in the Senate -- [ROTATED: still vote to confirm the president's nominee unless they believe that the person is not qualified legally or ethically, (or should they) work to defeat the nomination to try to get the president to pick someone that is more acceptable to them]?

	Vote to confirm nominee	Work to defeat nomination	No opinion
	%	%	%
2005 Jun 16-19	40	53	7
Gallup

Supreme Court

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