Justice Jackson on Supreme Court: 'Problematic' to Be Perceived as Political

Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson has expressed concerns about the perception of the court as political, stating that it undermines public trust. Jackson emphasized the importance of adhering to ethical standards and separating personal views from judicial rulings.

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Justice Jackson on Supreme Court: 'Problematic' to Be Perceived as Political

Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson has raised concerns about the public's perception of the court as political, acknowledging that such a perception damages the institution's credibility.

In an interview with late night host Stephen Colbert, Jackson discussed her views on the court's impartiality and the importance of ethical conduct among justices. She stated, "I think it's problematic for the court that that's a perception that the public has. Because we really rely on public trust in order to do our jobs."

Justice Jackson on Supreme Court: 'Problematic' to Be Perceived as Political

Jackson emphasized that justices must uphold integrity and avoid bias in their decisions. "I think I am doing my best to do what judges do, what Justice Breyer modeled for me when I was a law clerk for him. Having integrity, separating out my personal views, staying in my lane," she said.

Colbert inquired about how Jackson separates her personal beliefs from her judicial philosophy. She explained that legal training equips lawyers and law clerks to distinguish between their personal views and the objective application of the law. "You learn how to separate out your own views from that of the law and the things that you're working on," she said.

Justice Jackson on Supreme Court: 'Problematic' to Be Perceived as Political

Regarding whether she trusts all Supreme Court justices to adhere to this principle, Jackson replied, "Yes, I am." Her response elicited laughter from the audience, prompting Colbert to remark, "I don't know why that's a joke to you people. It's a simple question."

Jackson also discussed her concerns about the Trump immunity decision, which granted former presidents immunity from prosecution for official acts committed while in office. She expressed her disapproval of a system that appears to shield certain individuals from accountability.

She told CBS News' Norah O'Donnell, "I was concerned about a system that appeared to provide immunity for one individual under one set of circumstances, when we have a criminal justice system that had ordinarily treated everyone the same."

Jackson further advocated for an enforceable code of ethics for Supreme Court justices. "I follow the rules, whatever they are, with respect to ethical obligations. And it's important, in my view, to do so. It really boils down to impartiality. That's what the rules are about," she said.

Jackson's comments highlight the importance of public trust in the Supreme Court and underscore the need for justices to maintain ethical conduct and impartiality in their rulings.