Stop Supreme Court Leakers Act of 2025
The Stop Supreme Court Leakers Act of 2025 would create a new federal crime aimed at the unauthorized disclosure of confidential information by officers or employees of the Supreme Court. The bill adds a new section to Title 18, outlining what counts as confidential information (including internal notes, communications between justices and court staff, draft opinions before they’re released, and other information designated confidential by the Chief Justice, among other items) and prohibiting any such person from knowingly publishing or disclosing that information. Penalties begin with a general prohibition that can carry up to 10 years in prison and fines, with a special, fixed $10,000 fine specifically for leaks involving internal notes. The measure also expands criminal forfeiture to cover this new offense and adds the new section to the Title 18 table of contents. In short, the bill is designed to deter and punish leaks of sensitive Supreme Court information by Court staff and officers, particularly around internal deliberations and draft opinions, while authorizing the government to seize assets connected to a violation.
Key Points
- 1Creates new Sec. 1522, Obstruction of Supreme Court deliberations, in Chapter 73 of Title 18, United States Code.
- 2Defines confidential information to include internal notes, communications between the Chief Justice/associate justices and Court staff, communications about pending matters, draft/final opinions before public release, and certain personal information not publicly available, plus anything designated confidential by the Chief Justice.
- 3Prohibits Supreme Court officers or employees from knowingly publishing, divulging, or disclosing confidential information obtained through their duties.
- 4Criminal penalties: general violations carry up to 10 years in prison and fines; a special provision imposes a $10,000 fine for leaks involving internal notes (subsection (a)(1)).
- 5Criminal forfeiture: amends 18 U.S.C. 982(a)(2)(B) to include 1522 as an offense eligible for forfeiture of proceeds or property.
- 6Adds the new section to the Table of Contents for Chapter 73, and the bill has a short title: the Stop Supreme Court Leakers Act of 2025. Introduced in the Senate by Sen. Cassidy, with Senators Hyde-Smith and Blackburn as sponsors; referred to the Judiciary Committee.