shadow docket

American  

[shad-oh dok-it] / ˈʃæd oʊ ˌdɒk ɪt /

noun

1. a list of the cases resolved by the U.S. Supreme Court by unsigned procedural orders issued without full briefing, oral arguments, or lengthy written opinions.

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Etymology

Origin of shadow docket

Coined by U.S. legal scholar and University of Chicago law professor William P. Baude (born 1950) in 2015

Example Sentences

This second half of the term, there has been a pumping of the brakes on deciding big, existential questions over the shadow docket.

From Slate • Jun. 1, 2026

“The birth of the Supreme Court’s shadow docket has long been a mystery,” wrote reporters Jodi Kantor and Adam Liptak.

From Salon • Apr. 25, 2026

Speaking of the shadow docket, Alex Romero, Slate’s new jurisprudence intern, writes about Smith v.

From Slate • Apr. 23, 2026

Justice Elena Kagan wrote a forceful memorandum outlining why using the shadow docket was a bad idea.

From Salon • Apr. 22, 2026

The justices, in other words, will decide this case the proper way—with full briefing, oral arguments, deliberation, and an opinion—rather than over the shadow docket, with little or no explanation.

From Slate • Mar. 17, 2026