From Slate Magazine · Jay Willis · · 3m
SCOTUSblog's Transformation from Legal Hub to Conservative Platform
SCOTUSblog, once the Supreme Court's essential news source, now serves as a conservative platform after its founder's prison sentence.
In brief
SCOTUSblog, once the Supreme Court's essential news source, now serves as a conservative platform after its founder's prison sentence. SCOTUSblog shifted from independent Supreme Court coverage to a conservative platform following its founder's conviction for tax evasion and gambling debts. Originally reported by…
SCOTUSblog summit
SCOTUSblog hosted its annual Supreme Court summit in Washington this month, targeting legal professionals with billable-hour targets.
“On the Merits Inaugural Summit”
Big Business at SCOTUSblog
Boeing’s Brett Gerry and ExxonMobil’s Jeffrey Taylor described the Supreme Court as neutral decision-makers, rejecting pro- or anti-business labels.
“nine justices who have well-developed, well-thought-through approaches to deciding cases”
Suncor Energy Case
ExxonMobil seeks climate change liability protections in Suncor Energy v. Board of County Commissioners of Boulder County, hearing on Monday, Oct. 5.
“Suncor Energy v. Board of County Commissioners of Boulder County”
SCOTUSblog's decline
SCOTUSblog transformed from an indispensable Supreme Court resource to a platform for Fortune 500 companies to praise the justices.
“the transformation of SCOTUSblog from an indispensable Supreme Court resource to a platform for Fortune 500 companies to praise the justices’ balls-and-strikes bona fides”
Founding of SCOTUSblog
SCOTUSblog was founded in 2002 by Tom Goldstein and Amy Howe, a husband-and-wife team marketing their boutique law firm.
“SCOTUSblog was founded in 2002 by Tom Goldstein and Amy Howe”
Goldstein's early career
Goldstein, a mediocre college student, appeared before the justices 16 times by age 35 and was named one of GQ’s 50 most powerful people in Washington.
“At age 35, Goldstein had appeared before the justices 16 times”
Early SCOTUSblog coverage
SCOTUSblog provided in-depth coverage of Supreme Court cases from cert petition to opinion release, becoming a trusted resource for legal professionals.
“Early on, SCOTUSblog focused on providing in-depth, Goldstein & Howe, branded coverage of cases”
SCOTUSblog's influence
By 2016, SCOTUSblog was influential enough that President Barack Obama wrote a guest post vowing to nominate his replacement after Justice Antonin Scalia’s death.
“after the death of Justice Antonin Scalia, President Barack Obama wrote a guest post vowing to nominate his replacement”
Goldstein's legal troubles
Goldstein was convicted in 2025 of evading income taxes on gambling winnings and using law firm funds to pay gambling debts, serving a six-year prison sentence.
“federal prosecutors charged Goldstein, an avid poker player, with evading income taxes on his winnings and using law firm funds to pay off gambling debts”
SCOTUSblog sold to Dispatch
In April 2025, SCOTUSblog was sold to the Dispatch, a conservative outlet, which promised to maintain its brand as users have come to enjoy it.
“In April 2025, the site announced that it had been sold to the Dispatch”
Conservative contributors
SCOTUSblog now features Federalist Society co-founder Steven Calabresi and Brian Fitzpatrick, a former Scalia clerk.
“Federalist Society co-founder Steven Calabresi”
SCOTUSblog Plus
SCOTUSblog Plus, a premium subscription, debuted at $199 per year or $3,000 for a lifetime membership.
“SCOTUSblog Plus, which debuted at $199 per year or a cool $3,000 for a lifetime membership”
Conservative editorial focus
SCOTUSblog’s editor, Sarah Isgur, previously worked as a Trump Justice Department spokesperson and now defends the court against critics.
“Sarah Isgur, who worked as a Trump Justice Department spokesperson during family separation”
SCOTUSblog's new role
SCOTUSblog now serves as a conservative platform for legitimizing the Supreme Court’s conservative majority through celebrity-like treatment of justices.
“SCOTUSblog is Kleenex”
Consequence for legal journalism
SCOTUSblog’s shift undermines legal journalism, which is already in dire straits, by prioritizing conservative perspectives over independent analysis.
“the transformation of SCOTUSblog from an indispensable Supreme Court resource to a platform for Fortune 500 companies to praise the justices’ balls-and-strikes bona fides has grim implications for the future of legal journalism, a field that is already in dire straits”
At a glance
SCOTUSblog shifted from independent Supreme Court coverage to a conservative platform following its founder's conviction for tax evasion and gambling debts.
