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The Language Of The Roberts Court, Frank B. Cross
The Language Of The Roberts Court, Frank B. Cross
Frank B Cross
Abstract: It is widely recognized that it is the language of the Supreme Court’s opinion, not the outcome, that is legally most salient. Yet the language of opinions has seen little research. Linguistic analysis programs are now commonly used in other disciplines to compare language choices. We apply the leading program to evaluate Roberts Court opinions. We find significant differences, depending on whether the opinion is for the majority or separate, revealing the significance of compromise at the Court. In addition, we find some differences in language content, depending upon who authored the opinion.