Sotomayor Says She Hopes Court Reverses Presidential Immunity Ruling

Sonia Sotomayor said she hopes the Supreme Court will undo some of its recent decisions, singling out its 2024 ruling on presidential immunity. She spoke during an hourlong appearance at George Washington’s Mount Vernon estate in Virginia, at a conference on American democracy. The remarks were published on November 7, 2026.

The 2024 decision said the former president was shielded from prosecution for numerous actions undertaken as part of his official responsibilities. Sotomayor and the court’s two other liberal justices dissented. She said the immunity decision was among the opinions she hopes will be overturned in her lifetime.

Sotomayor initially described wanting the court to “take back some of the crazy things that it’s done,” then said she was joking before adding, “maybe not.” She also said she feels for teachers, particularly those teaching constitutional law, amid what she called systemic changes in the court’s jurisprudence.

She described the country as facing a difficult period for the rule of law and civic discourse. Sotomayor said lawmakers might need to help restore lost norms, without specifying what steps they should take. She expressed confidence the country would not fail as a democracy, even if recovery took longer than her lifetime.

Sotomayor did not comment directly on the midterm results. She called Tuesday’s voter turnout encouraging; turnout was near 49 percent, a level exceeded in modern midterms only in 2018.

Sotomayor Challenges Court’s Presidential Immunity Ruling

Justice Sonia Sotomayor is voicing a concern at the heart of the court’s recent direction: its 2024 decision restricting the ability to bring criminal charges against former President Donald Trump for numerous actions performed as part of his official responsibilities. At a Virginia event on American democracy, Sotomayor said she hopes that ruling will be overturned in her lifetime. The remarks were published on November 7, 2026.

Sotomayor and the court’s two other liberal justices dissented from the immunity decision. She said she hopes the court will take back some of its recent actions, briefly calling the remark a joke before adding, “maybe not.” Her bluntness underscores the stakes she sees in the court’s changing jurisprudence, including for teachers explaining constitutional law.

She described the country as in a rough period for the rule of law and civic discourse, and said lawmakers may have to help restore norms that have been lost. Sotomayor offered no specific proposals, but said she believes the country can recover and will not fail as a democracy.

Her remarks put the court’s immunity ruling in the spotlight as a decision she believes should not be beyond reversal. She also pointed to voter turnout near 49 percent in the midterms as an encouraging sign, though she declined to discuss the results directly.

Sotomayor Signals Opposition to Court’s Immunity Ruling

Justice Sonia Sotomayor used an appearance at a Virginia conference on American democracy to say she hopes the Supreme Court reverses decisions she disagrees with, including its 2024 presidential immunity ruling. The decision determined that the former president was legally protected from prosecution for numerous actions connected with his official responsibilities. The remarks were published on November 7, 2026.

Sotomayor and the court’s two other liberal justices dissented from the ruling. She said she hopes the court will “take back” some of its recent decisions, then softened the comment as a joke before adding, “maybe not.” Her remarks make clear that the ruling remains a target for its dissenters.

Sotomayor also described a difficult period for the rule of law and civic discourse, and said lawmakers might have a role in restoring norms. She did not identify specific legislative steps. She said she believes the country will recover and will not fail as a democracy.

She said she feels for teachers addressing constitutional law amid changes in the court’s jurisprudence. Sotomayor did not comment directly on midterm results, but called voter turnout near 49 percent encouraging. Her comments place the disagreement over presidential immunity in the broader context of competing views about the court’s decisions and the country’s civic life.