Clarence Thomas

Thomas drew close attention ahead of the Supreme Court's October 2026 hearing in Suncor Energy v. Boulder, a major climate case about whether local governments can bring state-law claims against fossil fuel companies. His earlier preemption reasoning in an April 2026 ruling was seen by lawyers on both sides as relevant to how the case might be decided.

Reuters reported that Clarence Thomas reached a major tenure milestone, becoming the second-longest-serving justice in U.S. Supreme Court history. The report noted that he has been on the Court since 1991 and remains a defining conservative voice on issues such as gun rights, abortion, and affirmative action.

The Supreme Court ruled 6-3 that a lawsuit by a U.S. Army veteran injured in a Taliban suicide bombing in Afghanistan could proceed. Thomas wrote the majority opinion, rejecting a broad battlefield preemption theory that would have shielded military contractors from state-law claims tied to combat activities.

A new book and related coverage revisited Clarence Thomas's earlier views on press-freedom precedent, highlighting that he once supported legal protections he later criticized. The reporting focused on how his current skepticism toward longstanding First Amendment doctrine contrasts with opinions he expressed in earlier years.

Clarence Thomas criticized a lower federal court for disregarding precedent in a dissenting opinion. The remarks drew attention because they came from a justice who has itself been central to major precedent changes on the Supreme Court, including the Court's abortion ruling reversal.

The U.S. Judicial Conference declined to refer Clarence Thomas for a Justice Department ethics investigation after Democratic lawmakers requested scrutiny over allegations of undisclosed gifts and travel from a wealthy benefactor. The decision followed disclosure amendments and raised no referral for further federal action.