We the People Sarah Isgur on Last Branch Standing
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Apr 30, 2026 
Sarah Isgur, SCOTUSblog senior editor, podcaster, and author of Last Branch Standing, offers a lively tour of the modern Supreme Court. She explores unanimity and coalition dynamics. She traces how Congress and the presidency shifted power and explains judicial styles, cliques, and the human side of justices.
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How The Court Became The Last Branch Standing
- The Court became the "last branch standing" because Congress and the presidency ceded roles, pushing disputes to the judiciary.
- Isgur points to failed legislation, executive actions (e.g., Obama's "pen and phone"), and congressional inactivity as drivers.
Unanimous Rulings Are Undercovered But Important
- Media focus on 'big' ideological 6-3 cases skews public perception; unanimous but consequential rulings get overlooked.
- Isgur gives a unanimous gun-manufacturer liability decision as an example that received little attention.
When Laws Produce Unwanted Results, Pressure Congress
- Don't reflexively blame the Supreme Court for outcomes rooted in statute; pressure Congress to change laws you dislike.
- Isgur highlights cases on mail-in ballots and asylum as statutory issues Congress could amend.
