The ability to engage and disagree with one another in a civil manner is at the top of mind for Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett.
Speaking in front of a crowd at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California, Monday night, Barrett affirmed numerous times the need for civility and respect for the rule of law in order to maintain the republic, saying she is a “passionate defender of the First Amendment.”
“One way to foster free speech is to foster civil discourse in which people are able to express their views in a way that is not threatening or hostile to another side,” Barrett said.
Barrett, who was appointed to the Supreme Court by former President Donald Trump, noted that while the issues before the court are heated topics, her interactions with the other justices have proven to be an example for society.
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“The court truly is very collegial,” Barrett said. “I have been honored to be a part of the institution. I have been really grateful for the tremendous collegiality and respect that members of the court show for one another. I think Americans would all be better off if we all showed that level of respect, even for those with whom we disagree.”
The justice discussed her book project that she hopes will give people greater understanding of how the Supreme Court functions because she sees a hunger for it.
Barrett acknowledged that many desire to have cameras in the Supreme Court, calling it a “uniquely tricky issue.”
“If what we want is to allow the American people to see what is happening in the court, in many ways the audio really gives that window, whereas the camera would risk, I think, changing the nature of the proceedings,” Barrett said. “That’s not to say that maybe the trade-off is worth it, but I don’t think that piece of the trade-off gets focused on as much.”
As the youngest current member of the Supreme Court and the only justice to have grade-school children, Barrett said her days start early in the morning with work and exercise before getting her children off to school and then end with homework, sports practices, and dinner once back home from work.
“I often pray that my time will be multiplied like the loaves and fishes,” Barrett said referencing one of Jesus’s miracles written about in the Bible. “It’s a very full life, but our kids have been troopers in the move, and they’ve adjusted really well. I have the good fortune of having a wonderful husband who does more than his share of his work at home. He’s been doing all of the cooking, and that’s great. We have a very full life but wouldn’t trade it.”
Barrett said her family is looking forward to the summer break to get a respite.
Looking ahead, Barrett said she hopes she is able to one day reflect on her career and see that the Supreme Court did not change all that much, specifically praising its historical ability to maintain respect among the branches of government.
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The justice also said she hoped her life would inspire others to take studying law and civic education seriously, saying, “Lawyers have a real opportunity to show how one can disagree and debate with another person without having it devolve into being ugly.”
“We, as a country, have to maintain respect for the rule of law and not become cynical and think that there is nothing to the rule of law,” Barrett said.
