The Aporia · Judge Sutton on "The Three Faces of American Constitutional Law"

Jeffrey Sutton, Chief Judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, gave the annual Sumner Canary Memorial Lecture at Case Western Reserve University School of Law, focusing on the role of state constitutional law in influencing federal constitutional law. He also discussed the Supreme Court's handling of cases related to President Trump's policies during his most recent term, noting that despite losing several times, it indicated independence from political influence rather than pure partisanship.

Written by AI on 2026-09-13, from this article's own text only (the story summary below draws on all the coverage).

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On Wednesday, Jeffrey Sutton, Chief Judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, gave the annual Sumner Canary Memorial Lecture at Case Western Reserve University School of Law in Cleveland, Ohio. The lecture titled "The Three Faces of American Constitutional Law" highlighted state constitutional law's influence on federal constitutional law and discussed the Supreme Court's decisions during Donald Trump’s presidency. Sutton noted that despite a conservative majority on the court, the administration lost several significant cases. He expressed pride in his profession due to this outcome, suggesting the court's independence from presidential directives, even under Republican control.

Written for “Constitutional Law Debate” on 2026-10-28, grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.

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Jonathan H. Adler

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Mostly law professors | Sometimes contrarian | Often libertarian | Always independent This past Wednesday, Jeffrey Sutton, Chief Judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, delivered the annual Sumner Canary Memorial Lecture at the Case Western Reserve University School of Law on "The Three Faces of American Constitutional Law."

framing: assertive · carried by 1 article(s) · first seen 2026-09-13

🔮 It "makes me proud to be a lawyer and proud to be a judge," Sutton said, because he can "guarantee" the administration would've won the cases it lost if those matters were put to the Republican-controlled Congress.

2026-09-13 · Reason

Judge Sutton on "The Three Faces of American Constitutional Law" · assertive framing

Sutton → deliver → Law

The lecture drew upon some of Judge Sutton's scholarship and writing on the significance of state constitutional law, and how that can influence federal constitutional law. asserted

that → draw → law

During his remarks, Judge Sutton also discussed the Supreme Court's most recent term, and its handling of challenges to Trump Administration policies. asserted

Sutton → discuss → policies

This portion of his remarks were covered by Bloomberg: asserted

portion → cover → Bloomberg

The US Supreme Court's record on cases involving Donald Trump shows the conservative supermajority isn't in lockstep with the Republican president, the Sixth Circuit's outgoing chief judge said. asserted

judge → involve → president

Sutton . . . called the court's last term "so remarkable" in the face of a president exercising a "fairly aggressive" amount of power. asserted

Sutton → call → power

He noted the administration lost several times at the court. asserted

administration → note → court

It "makes me proud to be a lawyer and proud to be a judge," Sutton said, because he can "guarantee" the administration would've won the cases it lost if those matters were put to the Republican-controlled Congress. asserted

matters → make → Congress

"The insight is, well, whatever these Republican appointees are doing, you can't call it pure politics, because if it was pure politics, they would act just like the Republican Congress," the judge said. asserted

judge → do → Congress

"There's something judges are doing, even in this moment where we're skeptical of the Supreme Court, skeptical of federal judges, maybe state judges. asserted

we → be → judges

They're still doing something that you have to call different from party and elected politics," Sutton added. asserted

Sutton → do → politics

As longtime readers know, I was a member of the CWRU law faculty for twenty-five years and, during much of that time (2008-2025), I curated the Canary lecture series. asserted

I → know → series

It is good to see the tradition continues. asserted

tradition → see → ?

Prior Canary lectures are indexed here. asserted

lectures → index → ?

Judge Sutton on "The Three Faces of American Constitutional Law"

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