Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson Calls for Judicial Independence During Political Unrest
Introduction
Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson recently spoke about the importance of keeping the courts independent from political pressure during several events at Southern Methodist University.
Main Body
The debate over judicial independence has grown stronger after President Donald Trump publicly criticized court decisions regarding tariff policies and deportations to El Salvador. These tensions increased when the president suggested that district court judges should be removed from office for making rulings he disliked. However, Chief Justice John Roberts disagreed, stating that a legal disagreement is not a valid reason for impeachment. Furthermore, the judiciary has faced serious security threats, such as the 2022 attempt to kill Justice Brett Kavanaugh. Recent data shows that public trust in the court is falling. An NBC poll from March 2025 found that only 22 percent of registered voters have strong confidence in the Supreme Court. Additionally, Gallup data from October 2025 shows that 43 percent of people believe the Court is too conservative, and overall approval dropped from 54 percent to 42 percent. Moreover, a PRRI survey indicates that many people from both political parties support term limits, with 85 percent of Democrats and 67 percent of Republicans in favor. Although there is a 6-3 conservative majority and some justices have written very harsh disagreements—including a case where Justices Alito, Gorsuch, and Thomas called Justice Jackson's claims 'baseless'—the personal relationships between the judges remain stable. Justice Jackson and Justice Sotomayor both emphasized that the justices are friendly in private, meaning they keep their professional arguments separate from their personal lives.
Conclusion
Justice Jackson continues to stress that an independent judiciary is necessary to ensure that every citizen receives equal justice under the law.
Learning
🚀 The 'Professional Glue': Moving Beyond Basic Connectors
At an A2 level, you probably use and, but, because, and so. To reach B2, you need to move away from these simple links and use Formal Transition Markers. These words act like a bridge, making your writing feel like a serious academic argument rather than a simple list of facts.
🛠 The B2 Upgrade Path
Look at how this article connects ideas. Instead of saying "also," it uses high-level signals to guide the reader:
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Adding weight to an argument:
- A2: "Also, people are unhappy."
- B2 (from text): "Additionally..." / "Moreover..."
- Why it works: These words signal that the next piece of information is not just "another thing," but a stronger point that supports the previous one.
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Creating a logical pivot:
- A2: "But the Chief Justice said no."
- B2 (from text): "However..."
- Why it works: "However" creates a sophisticated pause. It tells the reader: "Stop. The direction of the story is changing now."
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Connecting a contrast:
- A2: "The judges fight, but they are friends."
- B2 (from text): "Although..."
- Why it works: Starting a sentence with "Although" allows you to balance two opposing ideas in one single, elegant breath. It proves you can handle complex sentence structures.
💡 Pro Tip for Fluency
Stop thinking in short sentences. Try to use the [Marker] + [Comma] + [Idea] pattern:
Incorrect: Moreover the weather is cold. B2 Correct: Moreover, the weather is cold.
When you use these markers, you stop sounding like a student and start sounding like an expert.