Published on: Saturday, December 10, 2022

From state courts up to the top of the federal system, Americans' confidence in the judicial system is falling fast. That was the grim takeaway from a recent survey by the National Center for State Courts (article available here).

The 2022 annual "State of the State Courts" survey released Wednesday also indicated public skepticism that state courts are living up to the promise of "equal justice to all," with responses showing a significant gulf between white people and people of color. 

According to the survey, the percentage of respondents expressing confidence in the federal court system dropped from 60% in 2021 to 57% this year, while confidence in state courts took a dive from 64% to 60%.

Looking at race and the Supreme Court, the poll found a 9-point dip in confidence among white voters. But for Black respondents, the drop-off was a 19 points.