S. 1143

119 S1143 IS: Stop Supreme Court Leakers Act of 2025
 U.S. Senate
 2025-03-26
 text/xml
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 Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.
 II  119th CONGRESS  1st Session  S. 1143  IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES   March 26, 2025   Mr. Cassidy  (for himself,  Mrs. Hyde-Smith , and  Mrs. Blackburn ) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the  Committee on the Judiciary    A BILL
To amend title 18, United States Code, to provide for penalties for the unauthorized disclosure of confidential information by officers or employees of the Supreme Court, and for other purposes.
1.
Short title
This Act may be cited as the   Stop Supreme Court Leakers Act of 2025  .
2.
Obstruction of Supreme Court deliberations
(a)
In general
 Chapter 73  of title 18, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new section:
1522.
Obstruction of Supreme Court deliberations
(a)
Definition
In this section, the term  confidential information  includes—
(1)
internal notes taken by an employee of the Supreme Court of the United States on cases heard by the Supreme Court;
(2)
any communication between the Chief Justice of the United States or an associate justice of the Supreme Court of the United States and an employee or officer of the Supreme Court;
(3)
a communication between officers and employees of the Supreme Court of the United States on a matter pending before the Supreme Court;
(4)
a draft opinion or a final opinion prior to the date on which such opinion is released to the public;
(5)
personal information of the Chief Justice of the United States or an associate justice of the Supreme Court of the United States that is not otherwise legally available to the public; and
(6)
any other information designated to be confidential by the Chief Justice of the United States prior to the date on which a violation of subsection (b) occurs.
(b)
Prohibition
It shall be unlawful for any person, while serving as an officer or employee of the Supreme Court, to knowingly publish, divulge, disclose, or make known in any manner or to any extent not authorized by law any confidential information coming to that officer or employee in the course of the employment or official duties of that officer or employee.
(c)
Criminal penalties
(1)
In general
Except as provided in paragraph (2), any individual who violates, or conspires to violate, subsection (b) shall be imprisoned not more than 10 years and fined under this title.
(2)
Internal notes
Any individual who violates, or conspires to violate, subsection (a) with confidential information described in subsection (a)(1) shall be fined $10,000.
 .
(b)
Criminal forfeiture
Section 982(a)(2)(B) of title 18, United States Code, is amended by striking  1029, or 1030  and inserting  1029, 1030, or 1522 .
(c)
Table of contents
The table of sections for  chapter 73  of title 18, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:
1522. Obstruction of Supreme Court deliberations.
  .