In a World of Polarized Legal Thinking, Justice Gorsuch Doesn't Just Follow the Party

"In our final episode, it's time to talk about Neil Gorsuch and the future of SCOTUS. Host Susan Matthews enlists Slate's jurisprudence team-Amicus co-hosts Dahlia Lithwick and Mark Joseph Stern-to discuss Gorsuch's key rulings to date, his unpredictability, and how this textualist will shape this court (and our country) for decades to come."

"Want more Slow Burn? Join Slate Plus to access every season of Slow Burn, including Becoming Justice Thomas. You'll also enjoy ad-free listening to all of your favorite Slate podcasts. Visit slate.com/slowburnplus to get access wherever you listen."

"Sources for this episode: Books: Gorsuch, Neil with Jane Nitze and David Feder. A Republic, If You Can Keep It, Crown Forum, 2019. Gorsuch, Neil and Janie Nitze. Over Ruled: The Human Toll of Too Much Law, Harper, 2024. Articles: Bouie, Jamelle. " John Roberts Believes in an America That Doesn't Exist," New York Times, May 6, 2026. Daley, David and Lisa Graves. " Does John Roberts' Whites-Only Childhood Home Explain the Supreme Court's Callais Ruling?," Slate, May 7, 2026. Hasen, Richard L. " The Supreme Court's Conservatives Just Issued the Worst Ruling in a Century," Slate, April 29, 2026. Hosie, Duncan. " Judicial Supremacy Has Arrived," the Atlantic, May 5, 2026. Stern, Mark Joseph. " Neil Gorsuch Just Handed Down a Historic Victory for LGBTQ Rights," Slate, June 15, 2020."

"Opinions: Haaland v. Brackeen, 599 U.S. 255 (2023). Kennedy v. Bremerton S"

Neil Gorsuch is presented as a key figure for the future of SCOTUS, with attention to his major rulings and his tendency toward unpredictability. His judicial approach is characterized as textualist, focusing on the meaning of legal text. The material connects his record to significant outcomes, including decisions affecting LGBTQ rights and other high-profile constitutional disputes. It also frames his influence as long-lasting, suggesting that his method will affect how the court interprets law and how national legal policy develops over time. The content emphasizes how his decisions can diverge from expectations, affecting broader conservative and national trajectories.

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