Barrett to Senate Judiciary Committee: "I have no agenda."

Judge Amy Coney Barrett
screen capture from C-Span

On Tuesday, Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett was asked by Sen. Dianne Feinstein to comment on whether she thought Roe v. Wade or Planned Parenthood of Southeastern Pennsylvania v. Casey was wrongfully decided. Barrett, like many nominees before her, declined to give a direct answer as to how she interpreted specific decisions. She did speak more about her philosophy as a judge, however.

“I can’t pre-commit or say, ‘Yes, I’m going in with some agenda,’ because I am not,” Judge Barrett said. “I don’t have any agenda. I have no agenda to try and overrule Casey. I have an agenda to stick to the rule of law and decide cases as they come.” 

“I will follow the law of stare decisis, applying it as the court is articulating it,” said Barrett. Stare decisis is the legal principle of deference to previous decisions made by the court. “Applying all the factors--reliance, workability, being undermined by latter facts and law, just all the standard factors.” 

She further promised that for any issue that comes to the court, even if it has to do with abortion, she would follow the law.

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