Major Controversies Surrounding Amy Coney Barrett: A Detailed Timeline

Public opinion and media debates around Amy Coney Barrett—discover key moments of controversy.

Amy Coney Barrett is an American jurist and Associate Justice of the Supreme Court, a position she has held since 2020. Nominated by President Donald Trump, she is the fifth woman to serve on the court. Prior to her Supreme Court appointment, she served as a U.S. circuit judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit from 2017 to 2020. Her career reflects a commitment to law and a conservative judicial philosophy.

Sections (4)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Controversies & Scandals

1973: Roe v. Wade Decision

In 1973, the Roe v. Wade decision was made.

1992: Planned Parenthood v. Casey

In 1992, Planned Parenthood v. Casey was decided.

1998: Co-authored law review article

In 1998, Amy Coney Barrett co-wrote a law review article with Professor John H. Garvey, arguing that Catholic judges should in some cases recuse themselves from death penalty cases due to moral objections. This article became a point of questioning during her 2017 Senate Judiciary Committee hearing.

2006: Anti-Abortion Ad Signature

In 2006, Justice Barrett signed an anti-abortion advertisement in a South Bend, Indiana newspaper.

2012: Letter Criticizing Obama Administration

In 2012, Justice Barrett signed a letter criticizing the Obama administration's approach to birth control coverage for employees of religious institutions.

2013: Signing of Anti-Roe v. Wade Ad

In 2013, Justice Barrett signed another ad against Roe v. Wade, which appeared in Notre Dame's student newspaper.

2013: Texas Law Review Article on Stare Decisis

In a 2013 article in the Texas Law Review, Justice Barrett identified cases she considered "superprecedents," excluding Roe v. Wade (1973) because it lacked widespread public and political support.

2016: Senate Refusal to Hold Hearings for Merrick Garland

In 2016, Senate Republicans refused to hold hearings for Merrick Garland during an election year, a decision that became controversial again when Amy Coney Barrett was nominated in 2020.

2016: Senate Refusal to Consider Merrick Garland

In 2016, the Senate Republican majority had refused to consider President Barack Obama's nomination of Merrick Garland, more than ten months before the end of his presidency.

September 6, 2017: Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing

On September 6, 2017, the Senate Judiciary Committee held a hearing on Amy Coney Barrett's nomination. During the hearing, Senator Dianne Feinstein questioned Barrett about her views on faith and judicial responsibility, particularly in relation to death penalty cases.

2017: Criticism of Affordable Care Act Ruling

In 2017, Justice Barrett wrote that Chief Justice Roberts "pushed the Affordable Care Act beyond its plausible meaning to save the statute."

March 2019: Dissent on felon firearm possession law

In March 2019, Barrett dissented when the court upheld the federal law prohibiting felons from possessing firearms. Barrett argued that denying guns to nonviolent felons does not promote the government's interest in preventing gun violence and violates the Second Amendment.

September 26, 2020: Nominated to the Supreme Court

On September 26, 2020, Amy Coney Barrett was nominated by President Trump to the U.S. Supreme Court, following the death of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. This nomination was controversial.

2020: Nomination support and opposition

In 2020, Barrett's nomination was generally supported by Republicans and opposed by Democrats, leading to political controversy over filling the Supreme Court vacancy during an election year.

June 2021: Fulton v. City of Philadelphia Ruling

In June 2021, Justice Barrett joined a unanimous Supreme Court decision in Fulton v. City of Philadelphia, ruling in favor of a Catholic social service agency. Also that month, she was among six justices who rejected the appeal of a Washington State florist who refused to provide floral arrangements for a same-sex couple.

September 2021: Texas abortion law

In September 2021, Barrett joined the majority, in a 5–4 vote, to reject a petition to temporarily block a Texas law banning abortion after six weeks of pregnancy.

November 2021: Mercy San Juan Medical Center Case

In November 2021, Justice Barrett voted with the majority in a 6–3 decision to reject an appeal from Mercy San Juan Medical Center, a hospital affiliated with the Roman Catholic Church, which had sought to deny a hysterectomy to a transgender patient on religious grounds.

January 2022: Supreme Court Vote on Execution

In January 2022, Justice Barrett dissented along with Breyer, Sotomayor, and Kagan in a 5–4 Supreme Court vote that allowed the execution of an inmate in Alabama to proceed.

June 2022: Overturning Roe v. Wade

In June 2022, Barrett joined with the majority in Dobbs v. Jackson, voting to completely overturn Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey.

November 2023: Washington's Ban on Conversion Therapy

In November 2023, Justice Barrett voted with the 6–3 majority to decline to hear an appeal of a decision that upheld Washington's ban on conversion therapy for minors, allowing the law to stand.