Bob Egelko writes in the San Francisco Chronicle that, compared to earlier times, the Supreme Court “has fallen under the radar, at least as a political issue.” The article reports, “While its majority has shifted from Republican to Democratic appointees in the past decade, 85% of its rulings during that period have been unanimous — even on contentious issues like cash bail [see here], the employment-versus-contractor status of workers [see here] and Scott Peterson’s death sentence [see here] — compared with 36% during the same period for the U.S. Supreme Court, which has risen in public attention while falling in public esteem.”
It’s a detailed piece that includes interviews with Chief Justice Tani Cantil-Sakauye, former Chief Justice Ronald George, and former Justices Joseph Grodin, Kathryn Werdegar, and Mariano-Florentino Cuéllar.
Related:
“Unanimity at the California Supreme Court: it takes a village”
“Everyone gets along on the California Supreme Court”
Law reviews focus on the Supreme Court, with differing views about court consensus
“California Supreme Court consistently unanimous, even in contentious cases”