Assistant Professor of Public Law/Am. Politics @bradleyu | Political Science Ph.D. @UWM | M.A. @UCF_SPSIA | Shadow Docket | she/her
Peoria, IL
Joined March 2010
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What do we call the Supreme Court deciding cases quickly, without full briefing or oral argument? I asked 1,455 Americans in a survey, and the results are pretty interesting. New piece over at "In the Interim" on @SCOTUSblog scotusblog.com/2026/08/what-…
Did you know that if a justice denies your emergency application in chambers, you can refile with a different justice of your choice? Which justice litigants choose to refile with tells a fascinating story. New piece over at "In the Interim" @SCOTUSblog scotusblog.com/2026/07/justi…
How often do courts actually cite Supreme Court emergency docket orders? Probably than you think. New piece over at In the Interim @SCOTUSblog
scotusblog.com/2026/05/how-o…
The New York Times asked why the justices "bypassed time-tested procedures" in 2016. They didn't. They used the same procedures they have for decades. New piece in @SCOTUSblog from my new monthly recurring series "In the Interim.”
scotusblog.com/2026/04/what-…
I’ve already received a few emails about the “Shadow Papers” piece from the NYT. I’m writing a follow up this weekend. Below you can read about memos from Justice Stevens published a few weeks ago on @SCOTUSblog
We treat emergency docket orders as data. But what if the public record doesn't reflect how the justices actually voted or why? My latest on
@SCOTUSblog scotusblog.com/2026/04/what-…
We treat emergency docket orders as data. But what if the public record doesn't reflect how the justices actually voted or why? My latest on
@SCOTUSblog scotusblog.com/2026/04/what-…
I did a thing…
Introducing the Interim Relief Docket Stat Pack
scotusblog.com/2026/01/intro…
"They're continuing this post-Dobbs federalism framework of returning any type of contested moral social issues back to the democratic process at the state level," Davis said.
US Supreme Court girds for culture wars with LGBT, guns and race cases reut.rs/47875r0 reut.rs/47875r0
This expansion in turn boosts Trump's power, Davis added, because if administration officials know they are "likely to receive a stay on the emergency docket they can implement controversial policies immediately and fight the legal battle with the policy already in effect."
US Supreme Court expands its 'emergency' docket - and Trump's power too reut.rs/4mQHrfd reut.rs/4mQHrfd
This expansion in turn boosts Trump's power, Davis added, b/c if admin officials know they are "likely to receive a stay on the emergency docket they can implement controversial policies immediately & fight the legal battle w/the policy already in effect." reuters.com/legal/government…
Dr. Taraleigh Davis retweeted
Is the emergency docket really for emergencies? Taraleigh Davis explores
scotusblog.com/2025/09/is-th…
My latest piece at @scotusblog.com is out! I’ve spent years tracking how long it takes the Court to decide on emergency applications so you don’t have to. Here’s what I found:
scotusblog.com/2025/09/is-th…
“Missives of the type written by Gorsuch and Burroughs are highly unusual, according to Taraleigh Davis, a Bradley University professor who has written about the shadow docket.”
reuters.com/legal/government…
Excited to share my first piece
For @SCOTUSblog What the emergency docket actually looks like scotusblog.com/2025/08/what-…
I’m really excited to share that last week I signed an advance contract with UVA Press for my book “In the Shadow of the Emergency Docket: Emergency Applications and the Evolution of Judicial Power” to appear in UVA Press’s book series Constitutionalism and Democracy!
Autocrats in their Reputation era: my new research shows they support independent courts when they fear karma's coming. Out now in @JLawCourts
#FirstView from @JLawAndCourts -
The “Case” for Independent Courts: The Insurance Theory of Judicialization in Autocracies - cup.org/4gsKGGW
- @tdunc17
Happy to share that my article on procedural legitimacy, the shadow docket, and support for the U.S. Supreme Court from APR is out!
journals.sagepub.com/eprint/… #shadowdocket #apr #courtlegitimacy
Is the Supreme Court in its Reputation Era?
Not quite. My recently accepted paper at APR shows that while the Court's use of the shadow docket negatively impacts specific support, it does not significantly affect overall diffuse support for the institution.
With a robust sample of nearly 4,000, the study provides timely, empirical evidence for ongoing debates about the Court's expedited procedures. It suggests that the Court has some control over public perceptions through its actions, particularly regarding specific support.