U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson is offering a rare glimpse into how the nation’s highest court manages sharp ideological divisions.
She reveals that the justices have developed a professional culture that allows them to strongly disagree while maintaining mutual respect.
Speaking in a recent interview on CBS Mornings, Jackson explained that the court’s ability to function effectively rests on its commitment to focusing on the law rather than personal differences.
“The court is very good at compartmentalizing, meaning that we focus on our work,” she said. “We work very hard. We come up with our own individual opinions as to how we think about the law.”
A Culture of Professional Disagreement
Jackson described the court as an environment that inherently trains its members to examine legal questions from multiple perspectives — a process that naturally builds empathy and respect among colleagues who may hold sharply opposing views.
“We’re sort of always thinking about the law in different ways,” she said. “And so we have learned how to adapt to being in an environment with people who have very strongly held but different views.”
According to Jackson, this dynamic has produced what she calls “a model for learning how to disagree without being disagreeable,” a lesson she believes has broader relevance beyond the judiciary.
Tensions Still Exist
Appointed to the Supreme Court in 2022, Jackson is widely regarded as one of its more liberal voices. Her positions have at times contrasted with those of conservative justices, particularly those appointed during former President Donald Trump’s administration.
She acknowledged that disagreements can be intense, but stressed that the court’s deliberative process allows each justice time and space to fully articulate their views.
“We actually deliberate over a period of time where each of the justices decides how they feel about the issues and writes, and it takes a while to write,” she said.
Inspiring the Next Generation
Beyond her judicial duties, Jackson has continued to engage in public outreach and education. Earlier this year, a younger readers’ edition of her memoir, Lovely One, was released, aiming to inspire students and young leaders interested in law and public service.
Her reflections on professional civility come at a time when political polarization in the United States remains high, making her comments particularly resonant in discussions about leadership, governance, and democratic norms.
