An Analysis of the Role Stare Decisis Plays in Supreme Court Jurisprudence
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Claremont Colleges Scholarship @ Claremont CMC Senior Theses CMC Student Scholarship 2020 Principle or Partisanship: An Analysis of the Role Stare Decisis Plays in Supreme Court Jurisprudence Clare Burgess Claremont University Consortium Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarship.claremont.edu/cmc_theses Part of the Supreme Court of the United States Commons Recommended Citation Burgess, Clare, "Principle or Partisanship: An Analysis of the Role Stare Decisis Plays in Supreme Court Jurisprudence" (2020). CMC Senior Theses. 2416. https://scholarship.claremont.edu/cmc_theses/2416 This Open Access Senior Thesis is brought to you by Scholarship@Claremont. It has been accepted for inclusion in this collection by an authorized administrator. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Claremont McKenna College Principle or Partisanship: An Analysis of the Role Stare Decisis Plays in Supreme Court Jurisprudence Submitted to Professor George Thomas and Professor Shanna Rose By Clare Burgess For Senior Thesis Spring 2020 11 May 2020 ABSTRACT In this thesis, I analyze the reasons that Supreme Court overturns precedent, and how, if at all, does the doctrine of stare decisis impact those decisions. The Supreme Court’s decisions are often politicized and viewed as a result of the Supreme Court Justices’ ideological views. Simply, they abide by precedents they agree with and abandon ones they do not. While the impact of ideology on Supreme Court decisions is unclear, I find that the doctrine of stare decisis plays an important role in their jurisprudence. In fact, the doctrine of stare decisis has increasingly dominated cases that reverse a prior Supreme Court decision. Modern iterations of the Supreme Court discuss stare decisis in more detail than their predecessors. The Supreme Court’s treatment of precedent varies over time; however, its general reverence for stare decisis will likely persist in the future. 2 TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ............................................................................................. 6 INTRODUCTION............................................................................................................. 7 CHAPTER 1 History of Stare Decisis ............................................................................. 9 CHAPTER 2 Theories of Stare Decisis ......................................................................... 12 Theories in Favor of Strong Horizontal Judicial Precedent ........................................ 12 Theories Against Strong Horizontal Judicial Precedent .............................................. 16 CHAPTER 3 Methodology............................................................................................. 21 CHAPTER 4 The Marshall – Vinson Courts (1810-1953) .......................................... 23 Abandoning Erroneous Decisions ................................................................................ 23 Obeying the Intention .................................................................................................... 26 Obeying Federalism ...................................................................................................... 28 Abandoning Nonaccepted Decisions ............................................................................ 29 Abandoning Decisions that Cause Social Detriment .................................................... 32 Obeying Congressional Power ..................................................................................... 33 Obeying Stability ........................................................................................................... 36 Conclusion .................................................................................................................... 38 CHAPTER 5 The Warren Court (1953-1969).............................................................. 40 3 Obeying Tradition ......................................................................................................... 41 Abandoning Eroded Decisions ..................................................................................... 44 Abandoning Poor Policy ............................................................................................... 48 Obeying Public Opinion ............................................................................................... 51 Conclusion .................................................................................................................... 52 Abandoning Poor Policy ............................................................................................... 53 Obeying Congressional Power ..................................................................................... 54 Abandoning Eroded Decisions ..................................................................................... 56 Obeying Tradition ......................................................................................................... 58 Abandoning Equal Treatment Between Constitutional and Statutory Cases ............... 59 Obeying Societal Change .............................................................................................. 60 Obeying Public Opinion ............................................................................................... 62 Abandoning Decisions that Could Cause Social Detriment ......................................... 63 Conclusion .................................................................................................................... 65 CHAPTER 7 Rehnquist Court (1986-2005) ................................................................. 67 Obeying Tradition ......................................................................................................... 67 Abandoning Eroded Decisions ..................................................................................... 69 Abandoning Equal Treatment Between Constitutional and Statutory Cases ............... 71 Obeying Congressional Power ..................................................................................... 74 4 Obeying Public Opinion ............................................................................................... 77 Obeying Reliance Interests ........................................................................................... 78 Obeying Societal Change .............................................................................................. 80 Conclusion .................................................................................................................... 81 CHAPTER 8 Roberts Court (2005-present)................................................................. 83 Obeying Settled Expectations ....................................................................................... 83 Abandoning Equal Treatment Between Constitutional and Statutory Cases ............... 86 Obeying Societal Changes: Technology ....................................................................... 87 Obeying Public Opinion ............................................................................................... 89 Obeying Tradition ......................................................................................................... 90 Abandoning Eroded Decisions ..................................................................................... 92 Abandoning Decisions that Cause Social Detriment .................................................... 92 Conclusion .................................................................................................................... 94 CONCLUSION ............................................................................................................... 95 BIBLIOGRAPHY ........................................................................................................... 97 5 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS First and foremost, I would like to thank my thesis readers, Professor Thomas and Professor Rose, for their guidance, expertise, and advice. Professor Thomas inspired my passion for constitutional law, and his encouragement of my academic pursuits have been crucial to my education over the last four years. My thesis would not have been completed without Professor Rose’s weekly meetings and her invaluable counsel throughout the year-long process. Her constant support and patience both as my professor and as my academic advisor have positively shaped my experience at Claremont McKenna College. I would also like to thank all of my friends, who have supported and challenged me intellectually. Taylor Hughes and Joel Krogstad have unceasingly supported my research and listened to my rough ideas about American constitutionalism for the last year. I want to thank the students and staff at the Salvatori Center, who have encouraged me and provided me with the sanctuary filled with endless snacks and coffee, which has been instrumental throughout this process. Lastly, I would like to thank my family. My sisters have always pushed me to fulfill my potential, and I would not be here without them. Casey, Sarah, and Julia, your friendship, humor, and championship have grounded me for the last 21 years. My parents, Jim and Elizabeth Burgess, have encouraged my educational pursuits more than I will ever know. They provided an environment that has allowed me to grow intellectually and to reach for opportunities beyond belief. Thank you for believing in me. 6 INTRODUCTION In 2016, Donald Trump won the presidential election in what