Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett has defended the 2022 decision overturning Roe v Wade in her new memoir, arguing that the ruling “respected the choice” of the American people. The book, titled Listening to the Law, is set for release on 9 September and earned Barrett a $2m advance, according to CNN, which obtained a copy.
Barrett writes that “the court’s role is to respect the choices that the people have agreed upon, not to tell them what they should agree to.” CNN framed this as reflecting her belief that the original Roe v Wade ruling had “usurped the will of the American people.” However, a May 2024 poll showed that over 60% of Americans believe abortion should be legal in all or most cases, a figure only slightly lower than in 2021 before the ruling.
The 2022 decision removed national abortion protections, leaving states to set their own laws. Since then, 19 states have enacted near-total bans or severe restrictions, according to the New York Times. Barrett’s confirmation in October 2020, just days before the presidential election, cemented a 6-3 conservative majority on the court, which has since issued landmark rulings expanding presidential power.
Barrett’s book also addresses religious bias and her decision-making process but avoids revealing details of court deliberations or naming her seven children for privacy. She refers to former President Donald Trump “only in passing” and states that the court has always been entangled with its times, adding that “the job of every justice is to do his or her best by the law.”
The memoir offers glimpses into court life, noting that staff celebrated with champagne after one of Barrett’s opinions was supported by colleagues. She dismisses the dissent from liberal justices in the abortion case, arguing that the “complicated moral debate” about abortion distinguishes it from other fundamental rights like marriage and contraception.
