Marquette Law School Supreme Court Poll July 5-12, 2022

(Percentages are rounded to whole numbers for reporting of results. Frequencies have been rounded to whole numbers but percentages are calculated based on non-integer weighted sample sizes.)

Results for survey items among all respondents are presented here (unless otherwise indicated). Please note that some questions are only asked of particular groups of respondents. In these instances, the row “NA’s” includes the number and percent of total respondents omitted from the question. These omitted cases are ignored when calculating the “Valid” and “Cumulative” percent columns.

B2: Supreme Court approval

Overall, how much do you approve or disapprove of the way the US Supreme Court is handling its job?
Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent
Strongly approve 156 16 16 16
Somewhat approve 225 22 22 38
Somewhat disapprove 254 25 25 63
Strongly disapprove 360 36 36 99
Skipped/Ref 7 1 1 100

B2: Supreme Court approval, 2-cat

Overall, how much do you approve or disapprove of the way the US Supreme Court is handling its job?
Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent
Approve 381 38 38 38
Disapprove 614 61 61 99
Skipped/Ref 7 1 1 100

B7: Confidence in SCOTUS

[The US Supreme Court] Here is a list of institutions in American society. How much confidence do you have in each one?
Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent
A great deal 90 9 9 9
Quite a lot 191 19 19 28
Some 276 28 28 56
Very little 279 28 28 83
None at all 165 16 16 100
99 1 0 0 100

C1: Justice nomination majority

What is your guess as to whether a majority of the current US Supreme Court Justices were appointed by Democratic or Republican presidents?
Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent
Definitely a majority appointed by Democratic presidents 35 3 3 3
Probably a majority appointed by Democratic presidents 170 17 17 20
Probably a majority appointed by Republican presidents 397 40 40 60
Definitely a majority appointed by Republican presidents 398 40 40 100
Skipped/Ref 2 0 0 100

C2A: Justice motivations, v1

In general, what most often motivates Supreme Court justices’ decisions?
Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent
Mainly politics 274 27 52 52
Mainly the law 251 25 48 100
(Missing) 478 48 NA NA

C2B: Justice motivations, v2

In general, do you think that the Supreme Court is mainly motivated by politics or mainly motivated by the law?
Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent
Mainly politics 292 29 61 61
Mainly the law 185 18 39 100
Web blank 1 0 0 100
(Missing) 525 52 NA NA

C3: Knowledge of abortion ruling

[A Supreme Court decision on abortion] Here are some recent topics in the news. How much have you heard or read about each of these?
Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent
A lot 816 81 81 81
A little 152 15 15 97
Nothing at all 30 3 3 100
Skipped/Ref 5 0 0 100

C5: Knowledge of 2nd Amendment ruling

[A Supreme Court decision on the right to possess a gun outside the home] Here are some recent topics in the news. How much have you heard or read about each of these?
Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent
A lot 474 47 47 47
A little 364 36 36 84
Nothing at all 165 16 16 100

D1: SCOTUS ideology

[The US Supreme Court] In general, would you describe each of the following as…?
Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent
Very conservative 342 34 34 34
Somewhat conservative 335 33 33 67
Moderate 215 21 21 89
Somewhat liberal 73 7 7 96
Very liberal 35 3 3 100
Skipped/Ref 4 0 0 100

D4: SCOTUS ideology trend

Over the past 15 years or so would you say the Supreme Court has generally become…?
Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent
Much more conservative 332 33 33 33
Somewhat more conservative 323 32 32 65
Hasn't changed much 208 21 21 86
Somewhat more liberal 89 9 9 95
Much more liberal 44 4 4 99
Skipped/Ref 6 1 1 100

D7: Increase # of justices

[Increase the number of justices on the US Supreme Court] How much do you favor or oppose the following proposals affecting the Supreme Court?
Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent
Strongly favor 168 17 17 17
Somewhat favor 322 32 32 49
Somewhat oppose 223 22 22 71
Strongly oppose 287 29 29 100
Skipped/Ref 2 0 0 100

D8: Should Court consider opinion

Should justices of the Supreme Court consider public opinion about a case when making decisions or should they ignore public opinion?
Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent
Should consider public opinion 541 54 54 54
Should ignore public opinion 461 46 46 100
Skipped/Ref 1 0 0 100

D9: Should Court follow precedent

Should justices of the Supreme Court follow previous decisions whenever possible or should the Court overturn previous decisions if a majority of the Court believes the case was wrongly decided?
Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent
Follow previous decisions 333 33 33 33
Overturn if a majority think it was wrongly decided 663 66 66 99
Skipped/Ref 7 1 1 100

J1: Overturned Roe

[Overturned Roe versus Wade, thus striking down the 1973 decision that made abortion legal in all 50 states.] Do you favor or oppose the following recent Supreme Court decisions, or haven’t you heard enough about this to have an opinion?
Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent
Heard nothing at all 21 2 2 2
Heard of but not enough for an opinion 99 10 10 12
Heard of and favor the decision 312 31 31 43
Heard of and oppose the decision 567 57 57 100
Skipped/Ref 4 0 0 100

J1: (those with opinions only)

[THOSE WITH OPINIONS ONLY] [Overturned Roe versus Wade, thus striking down the 1973 decision that made abortion legal in all 50 states.] Do you favor or oppose the following recent Supreme Court decisions, or haven’t you heard enough about this to have an opinion?
Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent
Heard of and favor the decision 312 31 36 36
Heard of and oppose the decision 567 57 64 100
(Missing) 123 12 NA NA

J2: Expanded 2nd Amendment