On Thursday, September 19, 2024, Newsweek reported that a California federal judge has prohibited a resident from filing further lawsuits against U.S. Supreme Court justices without prior court approval. Judge Fernando L. Aenlle-Rocha, of the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, designated Joseph Scott Alter as a “vexatious litigant,” citing his history of submitting frivolous lawsuits against conservative justices, including Neil Gorsuch, Samuel Alito, and Amy Coney Barrett.
The ruling comes after Alter’s fourth attempt to seek declaratory and injunctive relief against several sitting justices, driven by grievances related to recent Supreme Court decisions. In his latest complaint, Alter argued that certain rulings infringed upon his civil rights. He specifically contested the Court’s decision in 303 Creative LLC v. Elenis (2023), alleging that it violated constitutional principles. In his filings, Alter sought a billion-dollar settlement, as well as judicial declarations and injunctions preventing further actions by the justices.
Judge Aenlle-Rocha pointed out that Alter’s ongoing dissatisfaction with earlier court rulings, particularly those dismissing his claims due to lack of subject matter jurisdiction, does not justify the continuation of such baseless lawsuits. The judge stated, “Plaintiff’s dissatisfaction and disagreement with prior courts’ rulings… does not constitute valid grounds to bring frivolous actions in federal court repeatedly.”
In his ruling, Aenlle-Rocha emphasized that Alter’s repeated misuse of the court system had placed an undue burden on the legal process, delaying other cases that require judicial attention. He concluded that Alter lacked valid grounds for his actions and was likely to continue abusing the court system unless protective measures were implemented. As a result, the court has mandated that Alter must obtain prior written authorization from either a district or magistrate judge before filing any future complaints against the Supreme Court justices.
Alter is required to file a written response, explaining why he should not be formally added to the California courts’ vexatious litigant list. This designation would impose additional restrictions on his ability to initiate lawsuits. Should Alter neglect to respond or if the court dismisses his arguments, he could face further limitations, including prefiling orders that would require judicial consent before any lawsuit he attempts to file can proceed.
While Alter’s lawsuits have attracted attention for their unconventional nature, they also highlight a growing discontent among the public regarding the Supreme Court. Recent polling data indicates a decline in public confidence in the institution, with a Gallup poll conducted in July 2024 revealing that only 40 percent of Americans expressed trust in the Supreme Court, while disapproval ratings reached a historic high of 58 percent. The poll also indicated a partisan divide in perceptions of the Court, with 66 percent of Republicans approving of the Court’s performance compared to just 15 percent of Democrats. Among independents, 44 percent expressed approval.
Source: Newsweek
