Shadow Docket Sunlight Act of 2025

Key Points

• Would require the Supreme Court to publish written reasons when it grants, denies, or pauses certain early-stage court orders in appeal cases.
• Would also require the Court to say, in writing, how each participating justice voted on those emergency-type decisions.
• For these decisions, the Court’s written explanation must address key questions like: likely to win, risk of serious harm, fairness to both sides, and the public interest.
• Does not apply to routine scheduling or administrative orders, or to decisions on whether to take a case, unless they involve pausing or granting that early relief.
• The Federal Judicial Center would report to Congress every two years on whether the Court is following these transparency requirements and suggest fixes if needed.