First to Five
JusticeJohn G. Roberts, Jr.

John G. Roberts, Jr.

In October Term 2014, a single noisy term, Roberts voted with the majority in 64% of divided cases and 78% of all cases. The comparison is the other justices on that bench.

64% in the majority, divided cases this term, noisy
78% in the majority, all cases this term, noisy
7 majority opinions this term
+1.25 Martin-Quinn, this term relative to the docket

Ideology over time

-20+2+42005201020152017RobertsCONSERVATIVELIBERAL

Martin-Quinn score by term against the Court median. Negative is liberal. Scores are relative to the docket. Intervals are not in this file. A single term is noisy.

Download the rows (CSV)

Table
seriestermmartin_quinn
Roberts20051.513
Roberts20061.528
Roberts20071.509
Roberts20081.564
Roberts20091.485
Roberts20101.546
Roberts20111.416
Roberts20121.405
Roberts20131.245
Roberts20141.250
Roberts20170.429
Court median20050.189
Court median20060.413
Court median20070.317
Court median20080.565
Court median20090.572
Court median20100.679
Court median20110.436
Court median2012-0.373
Court median20130.465
Court median20140.470
Court median2017-0.590

Where Roberts came down, by issue

0%25%50%75%100%FederalismEconomic ActivityFirst AmendmentCivil RightsJudicial PowerCriminal Procedure

Share of votes coded liberal. The first-run issue table suppresses cells under 25 votes and does not publish a separate Court rate for this justice. Direction before 1946 is excluded.

Download the rows (CSV)

Table
issuejustice_liberalcourt_liberaln
Federalism0.703770
Economic Activity0.456770
First Amendment0.450770
Civil Rights0.395770
Judicial Power0.379770
Criminal Procedure0.301770

At oral argument stage 3

Words per argument, questions to each side, interruptions given and received, and whether the side questioned more went on to lose. Formats are never pooled.

Source: Oyez speaker turns

Writing style stage 2

Words per opinion, reading grade, citations per thousand words, and the share of case versus statutory citations.

Source: CourtListener opinion text

Reasoning profile stage 6

Which reasoning techniques appear, against the Court average over the same terms. Validation accuracy prints beside the chart.

Source: Taxonomy classifier over opinion text

Before the Court stage 8

Pre-appointment opinions, reversal record and panel agreement.

Source: CourtListener, labeled by coverage

IIIAn email address is all an alert needs

An email address is the only required field. There is no account.