Justices Forced to Explain Shadow Docket Rulings Under New Bill

Senate Democrats are pushing new legislation to make US Supreme Court decisions on emergency requests that come to the court through its so-called shadow docket more transparent.

Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) planned to introduce a bill on Wednesday supported by Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and 10 other colleagues that would force the court to provide a written explanation for shadow docket decisions and disclose how each justice voted.

The bill doesn’t have a Republican co-sponsor and is unlikely to pass the Republican-controlled House, but its introduction marks Democrat’s latest attempt to overhaul how the court operates. Senate Democrats ...