Chief Justice Defends Supreme Court's Legitimacy: 'Doesn't Change Because People Disagree'

Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts is defending the legitimacy of the court.

In an address to judges at the 10th Circuit Bench and Bar Conference in Colorado Springs, Colorado, 67-year-old Roberts shared his first public comments since the U.S. Supreme Court reversed Roe v. Wade last term.

He told the audience that criticism and disagreements are part of the job, but said those opinions are "not a basis for questioning the legitimacy of the court."

As reported by The Washington Post, Roberts continued by saying: "You don't want the political branches telling you what the law is. And you don't want public opinion to be the guide of what the appropriate decision is. Yes, all of our opinions are open to criticism. In fact, our members do a great job of criticizing some opinions from time to time."

Roberts said it is the Supreme Court's job to interpret the Constitution. "That role doesn't change simply because people disagree with this opinion or that opinion or with a particular mode of jurisprudence."

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Demonstrations at the high court necessitated the setting up of high barricades surrounding the building, which Roberts addressed. He called the daily experience of driving into work "gut wrenching," according to CNN. He also said the barriers are now down.

Roberts' house in Chevy Chase, Maryland was also targeted by protesters, who marched for days after the overturning of Roe. The justice and his colleagues eventually asked local governments to step in and remove the protesters.

Roberts also revealed in Colorado that for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic necessitated the shutdown and digital broadcast of court proceedings, the public will be invited back for in-person viewings of the arguments.

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Roberts said the past few years have been "difficult in many respects," but he and his colleagues are working to move beyond it.

"I think just moving forward from things that were unfortunate is the best way to respond," he said.

A Pew Research study released Sept. 1 shows the Supreme Court is currently at one of its lowest levels of approval ratings ever, with Democrats and independent voters leading the negative public opinion.

Roe v. Wade, the landmark Supreme Court decision of 1973 that granted women the right to an abortion in every state, was overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court on June 24.

The 6-to-3 ruling reversed nearly 50 years of precedent and completely changed the landscape of women's reproductive rights by giving individual states the power to decide whether to allow the procedure.

It is estimated that nearly half the country will enact near-total bans in the coming months. The decision will divide the country, with most blue states allowing abortion and most red states severely limiting it.

Chief Justice Roberts, appointed by President George W. Bush, concurred in the judgment only, and would have limited the decision to upholding the Mississippi law.