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US prosecutors subpoena former court workers in abortion ruling leak probe
Developing story first seen 2 hours ago
US prosecutors have reportedly subpoenaed former Supreme Court workers as part of a criminal investigation into who leaked a draft of the 2022 ruling that overturned Roe v. Wade. The subpoenas mark a new development in an inquiry that has gained momentum roughly four years after the leak, raising questions about how the case will be pursued.
The inquiry is being led by Washington, DC, US attorney Jeanine Pirro, whose office is seeking information from people who worked at the court at the time. The Supreme Court previously investigated the leak internally, while the criminal probe’s next steps remain unclear. The investigation comes amid criticism of the Justice Department over concerns about political influence, and after Pirro’s office struggled to secure indictments in several high-profile cases.
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In short
- Prosecutors have subpoenaed former Supreme Court workers.
- The probe concerns the 2022 Dobbs draft leak.
- Investigators’ next steps remain unclear.
How this story developed
- 1 hour ago The Justice Department is pursuing a criminal investigation into who leaked a draft of the Supreme Court’s 2022 decision overturning Roe v. Wade.
- 1 hour ago US prosecutors have reportedly subpoenaed former Supreme Court workers as part of a criminal investigation into who leaked a draft of the 2022 ruling that overturned Roe v. Wade.
- 2 hours ago The Justice Department is pursuing a criminal investigation into who leaked a draft of the Supreme Court’s 2022 decision overturning Roe v. Wade.
Full account
US prosecutors are examining who leaked the Supreme Court’s draft decision that overturned the constitutional right to abortion, opening a criminal inquiry years after the court’s own investigation failed to identify a source. The draft of the decision in Dobbs v Jackson Women’s Health Organization was published in May 2022; the final ruling followed on 24 June.
The inquiry is being led by the Washington office of US Attorney Jeanine Pirro. Reports say prosecutors have issued grand jury subpoenas and are seeking information from people who worked at the court around the time of the leak. The investigation has been under way for at least a year, according to sources cited by Fox News. It is not clear who received subpoenas or what investigators will do next.
Chief Justice John Roberts ordered an internal investigation after the draft became public. The court’s marshal interviewed nearly 100 employees and carried out forensic analysis, but reported in January 2023 that investigators could not identify the person responsible on the evidence available. The new criminal inquiry therefore revisits a case that the court’s process left unresolved.
The reports place the probe in a politically sensitive context. One account notes scrutiny of the Justice Department over allegations that it has been used for political purposes, as well as difficulties faced by Pirro’s office in securing indictments in other prominent cases. Fox News also highlights comments by Justice Samuel Alito, who said he had a view about who leaked the draft but did not have enough evidence to name that person. He described the disclosure as a serious breach of trust and said it had exposed justices to threats.
Where outlets differ
From the full account, which is AI-written from the sources:
The first report presents the criminal inquiry as a recent escalation, roughly four years after the leak, and says its next steps are unclear. Fox News says the investigation has been under way for at least a year, and gives more detail about subpoenas and the court’s earlier inquiry.
The first report foregrounds concerns about political use of the Justice Department and the record of Pirro’s office in other high-profile cases. Fox News focuses more on the timeline of the leak investigation, the marshal’s findings and Alito’s public comments.
The reports attribute the initial disclosure of the criminal investigation to The New York Times. Fox News additionally cites sources briefed on the inquiry and says the Justice Department and US Attorney’s Office declined to comment.
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The case for
A criminal investigation can be justified because leaking a confidential draft from the Supreme Court may undermine the institution’s ability to deliberate privately and invite pressure on its justices. Subpoenas can be a legitimate way to establish what happened and whether a law was broken, provided investigators follow normal legal safeguards and pursue evidence impartially.
The case against
A renewed investigation years after the leak may raise concerns about proportionality, especially after the court conducted its own inquiry and the public does not yet know what new evidence prompted this step. Given broader worries about political influence and the prosecutor’s record in other high-profile cases, scrutiny of the investigation’s independence and methods is reasonable.
Explained simply
In 2022, a draft opinion from the US Supreme Court became public before the court had issued its final decision. The ruling later overturned Roe v. Wade, a 1973 decision that had recognised a constitutional right to abortion across the United States, leaving abortion laws largely to individual states.
The Supreme Court is the country’s highest court, and its employees can have access to confidential case documents. The court conducted an internal inquiry into the leak, while the criminal investigation is being led by the US attorney’s office for Washington, DC. Its outcome matters because it may clarify how the leak happened and how authorities handle the unauthorised release of court material.
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Originally published by Daily Mail as “Trump’s DOJ accelerates criminal probe into unprecedented Supreme Court abortion case leak”.