Story perspectives

Shadow Docket Delivers 20+ Trump Wins After Climate Halt

4/24/2026

Summary

Story summary

In 2016 the Supreme Court used its shadow docket to halt President Barack Obama’s Clean Power Plan.
Internal memos omitted any climate-change reference, while Chief Justice John G. Roberts cited industry-cost concerns.
Since then the shadow docket has delivered over 20 victories for U.S. President Donald Trump on immigration and employee-firing cases.
Environmental lawyers and former Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) officials called the Court’s shadow-docket use rushed and flawed.

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Story summary

In 2016 the Supreme Court used its shadow docket to halt President Barack Obama’s Clean Power Plan.
Internal memos omitted any climate-change reference, while Chief Justice John G. Roberts cited industry-cost concerns.
Since then the shadow docket has delivered over 20 victories for U.S. President Donald Trump on immigration and employee-firing cases.
Environmental lawyers and former Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) officials called the Court’s shadow-docket use rushed and flawed.