Barrett Says Security Tightened After Abortion Opinion Leak

US Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett said she hopes an opinion leak similar to the one prior to the 2022 decision ending abortion rights wouldn’t happen now, especially since the court has tightened its security practices.

Appearing at Notre Dame on Friday to promote her memoir, Barrett said the leak represented a “tearing down of the institution” and underscored the need to carefully guard its standing.

“I want people to have confidence in the court as an institution,” she said during a question-and-answer session.

Barrett reiterated that no leaker has been identified following an investigation into the unauthorized disclosure of the draft opinion in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization authored by Justice Samuel Alito.

She mentioned but didn’t elaborate on heightened security protocols. Barrett said she hoped such a breach would be difficult to pull off again.

Still, Barrett, who was appointed by President Donald Trump in 2020, said other steps are necessary as well.

“All of us could use reminders about not letting details slip to our spouses or our parents, or carelessly letting notes or things like that sit around,” she said. “And all of us could use reminders about how obligations of confidentiality extend beyond just the moment.”