What the Court Tells Reporters: A Discourse Analysis of Press Interviews With the Justices Since 2000

Authors

• Brown James, Lyon College

Abstract

The Supreme Court of the United States is among the most influential institutions in American life, yet it is also well known to be one of the most secluded and inaccessible. By and large, the justices only pass their thoughts and decision-making processes to the public via their official written opinions, and seldom grant interviews to reporters. General press coverage of the Court has been given considerable scholarly attention, but the limited interviews the justices grant to the press receive comparatively little attention. This article examines those interviews by analyzing 82 press interviews with active and retired justices from 2000 to 2025. It explains what the justices are asked about, what they are willing to answer, and how these exchanges shape the Court’s public-facing narrative and institutional legitimacy.

Recommended Citation

Brown James, What the Court Tells Reporters: A Discourse Analysis of Press Interviews With the Justices Since 2000, 48 UC Law SF Comm. & Ent. L.J. 119 (2026).
Available at: https://repository.uclawsf.edu/hastings_comm_ent_law_journal/vol48/iss2/2