Assessing the Influence of Supreme Court’s Shadow Docket in the Judicial Hierarchy

The Supreme Court’s increased use of the “shadow docket” and the salience of the issues handled on the shadow docket have raised normative concerns over its use. Critics argue that the Supreme Court should not make law without following established procedures of a full briefing, oral arguments, and deliberation. Those seeking to defend the Court point out that decisions made on the shadow docket do not create binding precedent and only resolve the issue before the Court. We examine whether shadow docket decisions are used as precedent by lower courts. We come to two general conclusions. First, shadow docket cases are invoked as precedent much less frequently than merits docket cases. Second, shadow docket cases receive more engagement from the lower courts when the Supreme Court provides a justification for its shadow docket decision and when the Supreme Court grants relief and thereby changes the status quo. Our results help evaluate and provide responses to the normative criticisms of the Court’s reliance on the shadow docket to create law.