With Final Decisions Ahead, the Supreme Court Is Sharply Divided

A Supreme Court that has in recent days shown that it is sharply divided along ideological lines is poised to wrap up its work this week and to announce some of the biggest decisions of the term.

The justices pride themselves on reaching unanimous results, often publicizing their ability to find common ground in a surprisingly high number of cases. But in just the last week, seven of the nine decisions announced by the Supreme Court split the justices 6 to 3, with all Republican nominees in the majority and all Democratic nominees in dissent.

That familiar lineup is likely to hold in a number of the remaining eight rulings the court is set to issue on Monday and at least one other day this week, before the justices take their traditional summer break.

The divisive rulings illustrate how the court’s six Republican nominees are routinely controlling the outcome in decisions large and small this term, and moving the law steadily to the right.

There are blockbusters left to be decided: Can President Trump fire the leaders of independent agencies over policy differences and end the guarantee of birthright citizenship for babies born in the United States to illegal immigrants?

Another big decision will determine whether the president can oust Lisa D. Cook from the influential Federal Reserve Board over unsubstantiated mortgage fraud allegations, while also setting rules for voting systems and campaign financing.

The justices continue balancing ideological priorities against consensus, shaping the bench’s evolving role.

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