SCOTUS Intelligence Rankings

Ketanji Brown Jackson

Appointed by Joe Biden · 38 cases · 12 case wins

Acumen

7.97

Sharp

8.16

Technique

8.32

Comms

7.87

8.11

Avg Score

2.24

Avg Rank

220-44

H2H Record

83.3%

H2H Win %

Case Wins

Head-to-Head

Sotomayor

27-9

75.0%

Kagan

26-7

79.0%

Gorsuch

18-17

51.0%

Barrett

23-6

79.0%

Alito

33-3

92.0%

Thomas

36-1

97.0%

Roberts

25-0

100.0%

Kavanaugh

32-1

97.0%

Neil M. Gorsuch

Appointed by Donald Trump · 36 cases · 11 case wins

Acumen

7.86

Sharp

8.0

Technique

8.06

Comms

7.97

8.0

Avg Score

3.08

Avg Rank

185-70

H2H Record

72.5%

H2H Win %

Case Wins

Head-to-Head

Sotomayor

19-16

54.0%

Kavanaugh

25-8

76.0%

Jackson

17-18

49.0%

Kagan

20-13

61.0%

Barrett

18-9

67.0%

Alito

28-4

88.0%

Thomas

34-1

97.0%

Roberts

24-1

96.0%

Elena Kagan

Appointed by Barack Obama · 36 cases · 4 case wins

Acumen

7.53

Sharp

7.47

Technique

7.67

Comms

7.92

7.68

Avg Score

3.69

Avg Rank

163-89

H2H Record

64.7%

H2H Win %

Case Wins

Head-to-Head

Sotomayor

22-13

63.0%

Kavanaugh

23-11

68.0%

Jackson

7-26

21.0%

Gorsuch

13-20

39.0%

Barrett

21-7

75.0%

Alito

25-8

76.0%

Thomas

31-2

94.0%

Roberts

21-2

91.0%

Sonia Sotomayor

Appointed by Barack Obama · 38 cases · 7 case wins

Acumen

7.39

Sharp

7.32

Technique

7.63

Comms

7.45

7.47

Avg Score

3.79

Avg Rank

162-106

H2H Record

60.4%

H2H Win %

Case Wins

Head-to-Head

Kavanaugh

23-13

64.0%

Jackson

9-27

25.0%

Kagan

13-22

37.0%

Gorsuch

16-19

46.0%

Barrett

17-12

59.0%

Alito

27-9

75.0%

Thomas

34-3

92.0%

Roberts

23-1

96.0%

Amy Coney Barrett

Appointed by Donald Trump · 29 cases · 2 case wins

Acumen

7.24

Sharp

7.24

Technique

7.17

Comms

7.24

Avg Score

4.69

Avg Rank

113-105

H2H Record

51.8%

H2H Win %

Case Wins

Head-to-Head

Sotomayor

12-17

41.0%

Kavanaugh

18-11

62.0%

Jackson

6-23

21.0%

Kagan

7-21

25.0%

Gorsuch

9-18

33.0%

Alito

20-9

69.0%

Thomas

23-5

82.0%

Roberts

18-1

95.0%

Brett M. Kavanaugh

Appointed by Donald Trump · 36 cases · 1 case wins

Acumen

6.75

Sharp

6.75

Technique

6.94

Comms

7.31

6.97

Avg Score

5.0

Avg Rank

116-142

H2H Record

45.0%

H2H Win %

Case Wins

Head-to-Head

Sotomayor

13-23

36.0%

Kagan

11-23

32.0%

Gorsuch

8-25

24.0%

Barrett

11-18

38.0%

Alito

24-10

71.0%

Thomas

28-7

80.0%

Roberts

20-4

83.0%

Jackson

1-32

3.0%

Samuel A. Alito Jr.

Appointed by George W. Bush · 36 cases · 1 case wins

Acumen

6.58

Sharp

6.39

Technique

6.5

Comms

6.72

6.57

Avg Score

6.0

Avg Rank

80-179

H2H Record

30.9%

H2H Win %

Case Wins

Head-to-Head

Sotomayor

9-27

25.0%

Kavanaugh

10-24

29.0%

Jackson

3-33

8.0%

Kagan

8-25

24.0%

Gorsuch

4-28

12.0%

Barrett

9-20

31.0%

Thomas

20-14

59.0%

Roberts

17-8

68.0%

Clarence Thomas

Appointed by George H.W. Bush · 37 cases · 0 case wins

Acumen

6.19

Sharp

6.16

Technique

6.0

Comms

6.32

6.19

Avg Score

6.73

Avg Rank

47-213

H2H Record

18.1%

H2H Win %

Case Wins

Head-to-Head

Sotomayor

3-34

8.0%

Kavanaugh

7-28

20.0%

Jackson

1-36

3.0%

Kagan

2-31

6.0%

Gorsuch

1-34

3.0%

Barrett

5-23

18.0%

Alito

14-20

41.0%

Roberts

14-7

67.0%

John G. Roberts Jr.

Appointed by George W. Bush · 26 cases · 0 case wins

Acumen

5.85

Sharp

6.0

Technique

5.77

Comms

6.81

6.13

Avg Score

7.69

Avg Rank

24-162

H2H Record

12.9%

H2H Win %

Case Wins

Head-to-Head

Sotomayor

1-23

4.0%

Kavanaugh

4-20

17.0%

Jackson

0-25

0.0%

Kagan

2-21

9.0%

Gorsuch

1-24

4.0%

Barrett

1-18

5.0%

Alito

8-17

32.0%

Thomas

7-14

33.0%

	Jackson	Gorsuch	Kagan	Sotomayor	Barrett	Kavanaugh	Alito	Thomas	Roberts
Jackson	--	18-17	26-7	27-9	23-6	32-1	33-3	36-1	25-0
Gorsuch	17-18	--	20-13	19-16	18-9	25-8	28-4	34-1	24-1
Kagan	7-26	13-20	--	22-13	21-7	23-11	25-8	31-2	21-2
Sotomayor	9-27	16-19	13-22	--	17-12	23-13	27-9	34-3	23-1
Barrett	6-23	9-18	7-21	12-17	--	18-11	20-9	23-5	18-1
Kavanaugh	1-32	8-25	11-23	13-23	11-18	--	24-10	28-7	20-4
Alito	3-33	4-28	8-25	9-27	9-20	10-24	--	20-14	17-8
Thomas	1-36	1-34	2-31	3-34	5-23	7-28	14-20	--	14-7
Roberts	0-25	1-24	2-21	1-23	1-18	4-20	8-17	7-14	--

Legal Acumen

Command of doctrine, precedent, and statutory interpretation

1 Jackson

7.97

2 Gorsuch

7.86

3 Kagan

7.53

4 Sotomayor

7.39

5 Barrett

7.24

6 Kavanaugh

6.75

7 Alito

6.58

8 Thomas

6.19

9 Roberts

5.85

Intellectual Sharpness

Quality of reasoning, ability to spot logical flaws

1 Jackson

8.16

2 Gorsuch

8.0

3 Kagan

7.47

4 Sotomayor

7.32

5 Barrett

7.24

6 Kavanaugh

6.75

7 Alito

6.39

8 Thomas

6.16

9 Roberts

6.0

Questioning Technique

Ability to extract concessions, steer counsel, use hypotheticals

1 Jackson

8.32

2 Gorsuch

8.06

3 Kagan

7.67

4 Sotomayor

7.63

5 Barrett

7.17

6 Kavanaugh

6.94

7 Alito

6.5

8 Thomas

6.0

9 Roberts

5.77

Communication

Clarity, brevity, wit, making complex points accessible

1 Gorsuch

7.97

2 Kagan

7.92

3 Jackson

7.87

4 Sotomayor

7.45

5 Kavanaugh

7.31

6 Barrett

7.24

7 Roberts

6.81

8 Alito

6.72

9 Thomas

6.32

Hewitt v. United States

23-1002 · Whether the First Step Act's retroactive provision applies to defendants whose sentences were vacated after enactment for unrelated reasons

Best: Sotomayor

▶

Sotomayor

8.8

Kavanaugh

7.8

Jackson

7.8

Kagan

7.5

Gorsuch

7.3

Barrett

7.0

Alito

6.8

Thomas

5.8

Roberts

5.8

Cunningham v. Cornell University

23-1007 · Whether ERISA fiduciaries must plead and prove exemptions to prohibited transaction claims, or whether these are affirmative defenses.

Best: Jackson

▶

Jackson

8.5

Kavanaugh

8.3

Alito

7.8

Sotomayor

7.3

Kagan

7.3

Gorsuch

7.0

Thomas

6.5

Barrett

6.3

Ames v. Ohio Dept. of Youth Services

23-1039 · Whether background circumstances rule requiring higher burden for majority-group Title VII plaintiffs is lawful

Best: Gorsuch

▶

Gorsuch

9.0

Jackson

7.8

Kagan

7.8

Roberts

7.8

Barrett

7.3

Kavanaugh

6.8

Alito

6.3

Thomas

6.0

Sotomayor

5.8

Oklahoma v. EPA

23-1067 · EPA venue determination for state implementation plan disapprovals under Clean Air Act

Best: Sotomayor

▶

Sotomayor

8.5

Jackson

7.8

Gorsuch

7.3

Kagan

7.0

Thomas

6.0

Kavanaugh

5.5

Thompson v. United States

23-1095 · Whether Section 1014 prohibits only false statements or also misleading but not false statements

Best: Gorsuch

▶

Gorsuch

8.8

Jackson

8.0

Kagan

8.0

Sotomayor

7.0

Barrett

6.8

Kavanaugh

6.3

Alito

5.8

Thomas

5.5

Roberts

5.0

Free Speech Coalition v. Paxton

23-1122 · Whether strict scrutiny or rational basis review applies to Texas's age verification requirements for sexually explicit websites.

Best: Sotomayor

▶

Sotomayor

9.3

Jackson

8.5

Kavanaugh

8.0

Kagan

7.8

Barrett

7.5

Alito

7.3

Gorsuch

7.3

Thomas

6.8

Roberts

6.5

Smith & Wesson v. Estados Unidos Mexicanos

23-1141 · Whether gun manufacturers can be held liable under PLCAA's predicate exception for aiding and abetting illegal gun sales that harm Mexico.

Best: Jackson

▶

Jackson

8.5

Gorsuch

8.3

Barrett

7.8

Sotomayor

7.5

Thomas

7.3

Kagan

7.3

Roberts

7.3

Kavanaugh

7.0

Alito

6.5

FDA v. R.J. Reynolds Vapor Co.

23-1187 · Whether tobacco retailers can challenge FDA marketing denials and establish venue outside their home circuits.

Best: Jackson

▶

Jackson

9.3

Kagan

8.5

Barrett

8.3

Kavanaugh

7.8

Sotomayor

7.5

Gorsuch

7.5

Roberts

6.5

Thomas

6.0

Alito

5.5

CC/Devas v. Antrix Corp.

23-1201 · Whether the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act requires minimum contacts for personal jurisdiction over foreign states in arbitration enforcement proceedings.

Best: Gorsuch

▶

Gorsuch

8.5

Kagan

8.3

Jackson

7.5

Sotomayor

7.5

Thomas

6.5

Alito

6.3

McLaughlin Chiropractic v. McKesson

23-1226 · Whether the Hobbs Act precludes district courts from determining the validity of agency orders in enforcement proceedings.

Best: Sotomayor

▶

Sotomayor

8.5

Gorsuch

8.3

Jackson

7.5

Kagan

7.3

Kavanaugh

6.8

Thomas

6.5

Alito

6.0

EPA v. Calumet Shreveport Refining

23-1229 · EPA venue determination for challenges to small refinery exemption denials under the Clean Air Act

Best: Kagan

▶

Kagan

9.3

Sotomayor

8.3

Gorsuch

7.5

Jackson

7.3

Barrett

7.0

Kavanaugh

6.3

Alito

6.0

Thomas

5.3

Barnes v. Felix

23-1239 · Whether courts should apply the 'moment of threat' doctrine or totality of circumstances test when evaluating excessive force claims.

Best: Kavanaugh

▶

Kavanaugh

8.5

Jackson

8.5

Alito

8.0

Kagan

7.8

Sotomayor

7.5

Gorsuch

7.3

Barrett

7.0

Thomas

6.0

BLOM Bank v. Honickman

23-1259 · Whether Rule 60(b)(6) must consider Rule 15(a)'s liberal amendment policy when evaluating motions to reopen final judgments for repleading.

Best: Gorsuch

▶

Gorsuch

8.8

Jackson

7.8

Kagan

7.5

Barrett

7.3

Sotomayor

6.3

Kavanaugh

6.0

Thomas

5.3

Alito

4.5

Riley v. Bondi

23-1270 · Whether CAT (Convention Against Torture) orders affect the finality and appeal timing of expedited removal orders

Best: Sotomayor

▶

Sotomayor

8.8

Gorsuch

8.0

Jackson

7.3

Kagan

7.0

Alito

6.3

Barrett

6.0

Thomas

5.3

Kavanaugh

4.8

Roberts

4.5

Medina v. Planned Parenthood South Atlantic

23-1275 · Whether a Medicaid provision allowing beneficiaries to obtain services from any qualified provider creates a private right enforceable under Section 1983.

Best: Kagan

▶

Kagan

9.3

Jackson

8.3

Kavanaugh

8.0

Sotomayor

7.5

Barrett

7.3

Gorsuch

7.0

Thomas

6.0

Alito

6.0

NRC v. Texas

23-1300 · Whether the Nuclear Regulatory Commission has authority to license private interim storage of spent nuclear fuel at offsite facilities

Best: Gorsuch

▶

Gorsuch

9.0

Jackson

8.5

Kavanaugh

7.8

Sotomayor

7.5

Thomas

6.8

Kagan

6.8

Alito

6.3

Roberts

6.0

Perttu v. Richards

23-1324 · Whether exhaustion determinations under the Prison Litigation Reform Act require jury trials when factually intertwined with underlying civil rights claims.

Best: Gorsuch

▶

Gorsuch

8.8

Jackson

8.3

Kagan

8.0

Sotomayor

7.3

Barrett

7.0

Alito

6.5

Kavanaugh

6.0

Thomas

5.8

Rivers v. Guerrero

23-1345 · Whether amendments to habeas corpus petitions filed during appeal constitute 'second or successive' applications under AEDPA

Best: Jackson

▶

Jackson

8.3

Gorsuch

8.3

Sotomayor

7.5

Kavanaugh

7.3

Thomas

6.5

Alito

6.3

Barrett

5.5

Esteras v. United States

23-7483 · Whether supervised release revocation must exclude consideration of punishment factors under 18 U.S.C. § 3583(e)

Best: Jackson

▶

Jackson

8.8

Gorsuch

8.5

Alito

8.0

Kagan

7.8

Sotomayor

7.5

Kavanaugh

7.3

Barrett

7.0

Thomas

6.0

Roberts

6.3

Gutierrez v. Saenz

23-7809 · Standing requirements for challenging DNA testing procedures under Section 1983.

Best: Jackson

▶

Jackson

8.8

Kagan

8.3

Kavanaugh

7.8

Barrett

7.5

Gorsuch

7.0

Sotomayor

6.8

Alito

6.3

Thomas

5.8

Roberts

5.8

Waetzig v. Halliburton Energy Services

23-971 · Whether Rule 60(b) allows reopening of voluntary dismissals without prejudice under the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure

Best: Gorsuch

▶

Gorsuch

9.3

Jackson

8.3

Kagan

8.3

Sotomayor

7.5

Thomas

6.8

Roberts

6.5

Stanley v. City of Sanford

23-997 · Whether former employees who are no longer qualified individuals can bring ADA discrimination claims for retirement benefits

Best: Jackson

▶

Jackson

8.5

Alito

8.0

Kagan

7.8

Sotomayor

7.5

Roberts

7.0

Kavanaugh

6.3

Thomas

6.0

Louisiana v. Callais

24-109 · Louisiana congressional redistricting involving claims of racial gerrymandering and compliance with Voting Rights Act Section 2

Best: Sotomayor

▶

Sotomayor

8.5

Jackson

8.5

Alito

7.8

Kavanaugh

7.8

Barrett

7.2

Gorsuch

7.0

Kagan

7.0

Thomas

6.0

Roberts

6.0

Catholic Charities Bureau v. WLIRC

24-154 · Whether Wisconsin can exempt some religious organizations but not others from unemployment tax obligations based on their activities and methods.

Best: Barrett

▶

Barrett

8.8

Jackson

8.3

Gorsuch

8.0

Kavanaugh

7.8

Kagan

7.5

Sotomayor

7.3

Thomas

7.0

Alito

6.5

Roberts

6.3

Fuld v. Palestine Liberation Organization

24-20 · Whether the Fifth Amendment's Due Process Clause imposes personal jurisdiction limits on federal courts similar to Fourteenth Amendment constraints on state courts.

Best: Gorsuch

▶

Gorsuch

9.0

Kagan

8.5

Sotomayor

7.8

Barrett

7.5

Alito

7.3

Jackson

6.8

Kavanaugh

6.3

Thomas

5.8

A.J.T. v. Osseo Area Schools

24-249 · Whether schools must meet a heightened 'bad faith or gross misjudgment' standard for disability discrimination claims under ADA and Section 504.

Best: Barrett

▶

Barrett

8.5

Gorsuch

8.3

Jackson

8.0

Kavanaugh

7.5

Sotomayor

7.3

Roberts

7.3

Kagan

6.3

Alito

5.8

Parrish v. United States

24-275 · Whether a premature notice of appeal can 'ripen' into a timely filing when an appeal period is later reopened by district court.

Best: Jackson

▶

Jackson

8.5

Gorsuch

7.8

Sotomayor

7.3

Kavanaugh

7.0

Kagan

6.8

Thomas

6.3

Barrett

6.0

Roberts

5.8

Alito

5.0

Mahmoud v. Taylor

24-297 · Religious exercise rights of parents to opt children out of LGBTQ-inclusive school instruction.

Best: Alito

▶

Alito

8.8

Kagan

8.0

Sotomayor

7.0

Barrett

7.3

Gorsuch

6.8

Jackson

6.3

Kavanaugh

6.3

Thomas

5.8

Roberts

5.3

LabCorp v. Davis

24-304 · Class certification and Article III standing requirements in ADA accessibility lawsuit against Laboratory Corporation of America

Best: Kagan

▶

Kagan

8.8

Jackson

8.3

Sotomayor

7.8

Gorsuch

7.5

Barrett

7.5

Kavanaugh

7.3

Roberts

7.3

Alito

6.8

Thomas

6.3

Kennedy v. Braidwood Management

24-316 · Whether preventive services task force members are constitutionally appointed officers subject to adequate supervision

Best: Gorsuch

▶

Gorsuch

8.8

Jackson

8.0

Barrett

7.8

Kavanaugh

7.5

Kagan

7.3

Alito

7.0

Sotomayor

6.3

Thomas

6.0

Roberts

5.8

Soto v. United States

24-320 · Whether a veteran's claim for Combat-Related Special Compensation displaces the Barring Act's six-year statute of limitations.

Best: Jackson

▶

Jackson

8.5

Kagan

8.3

Sotomayor

7.8

Gorsuch

7.5

Kavanaugh

7.0

Thomas

6.8

Alito

6.3

Barrett

6.0

Roberts

6.0

FCC v. Consumers' Research

24-354 · Whether Congress unconstitutionally delegated legislative power to the FCC to set telecommunications fees without sufficient constraints.

Best: Gorsuch

▶

Gorsuch

9.3

Thomas

7.3

Alito

7.0

Barrett

6.8

Kavanaugh

6.5

Jackson

6.0

Sotomayor

5.5

Roberts

5.3

Kagan

3.3

Martin v. United States

24-362 · Whether the Federal Tort Claims Act waives sovereign immunity for intentional torts committed by federal law enforcement officers.

Best: Sotomayor

▶

Sotomayor

8.8

Gorsuch

8.5

Jackson

7.8

Thomas

7.3

Alito

7.0

Kagan

6.8

Kavanaugh

6.5

Roberts

6.0

OK Statewide Charter School Board v. Drummond

24-394 · Whether religiously-affiliated charter schools can be excluded from state charter school programs under the Establishment Clause or must be included under the Free Exercise Clause.

Best: Jackson

▶

Jackson

9.3

Kagan

8.3

Sotomayor

7.3

Roberts

7.3

Thomas

6.3

Alito

6.0

Gorsuch

6.0

Kavanaugh

5.3

Commissioner of Internal Revenue v. Zuch

24-416 · Whether Tax Court retains jurisdiction under Section 6330 when IRS no longer seeks to levy on taxpayer's property due to full payment.

Best: Jackson

▶

Jackson

8.8

Gorsuch

8.3

Thomas

7.3

Kavanaugh

6.5

Sotomayor

6.0

Alito

5.3

Roberts

4.0

TikTok v. Garland

24-656 · Whether a law requiring TikTok's divestiture from Chinese parent company ByteDance violates the First Amendment rights of TikTok and content creators.

Best: Gorsuch

▶

Gorsuch

9.5

Barrett

8.5

Jackson

8.0

Alito

7.5

Kagan

7.5

Kavanaugh

7.3

Sotomayor

6.5

Thomas

6.0

Roberts

5.8

Diamond Alternative Energy v. EPA

24-7 · Standing requirements for fuel producers challenging EPA waiver allowing California's vehicle emissions standards

Best: Jackson

▶

Jackson

8.5

Sotomayor

8.0

Kagan

7.8

Barrett

7.5

Kavanaugh

7.0

Alito

6.5

Thomas

6.0

Trump v. CASA, Inc.

24a884 · Challenge to executive order ending birthright citizenship and scope of universal injunctions

Best: Kagan

▶

Kagan

9.5

Jackson

8.5

Barrett

8.0

Sotomayor

7.0

Kavanaugh

6.8

Gorsuch

6.8

Roberts

6.3

Alito

5.5

Thomas

4.5