Who's afraid of judicial departmentalism

Jason Mazzone argues that Mississippi's SG missed the mark in the Dobbs argument. Asked whether overruling Roe/Casey invites challenges to Griswold, Lawrence, and Obergefell, the SG said those are different because they have clear lines. The correct answer, Jason argues, should have been:

Right now there is no groundswell to overrule those cases, but so what if there is and states ban contraception, same-sex sex, or same-sex marriage? "Legal challenges will then be filed, lower courts will hear the cases, and this Court might eventually be called weigh in. That's how our system works. Nobody thinks that just because the Supreme Court has said something others cannot make use of the legal system to advance a different position and seek to change minds."

Without using the term, Jason describes judicial departmentalism--SCOTUS adopts a constitutional position, states enact and attempt to enforce new laws that might disagree with and challenge that constitutional position, and new litigation resolves the issue, with the Court adhering to its jurisprudence or changing its mind.

But the Court cannot hear this and such an honest (if accurate) answer would have created more problems for the state. The Justices remain wrapped in the judicial supremacy of Cooper in which the Court gets the last word on the Constitution, the states fall in line, any departure is suspect, and anything that gives states new wiggle room is problematic. Justice Sotomayor was explicit about this position (citing Marbury for the proposition, although Marbury says nothing of the sort). Even those Justices inclined to declare Mississippi's law valid and perhaps overrule Roe/Casey would have pushed back against the idea of doing this again with contraception or same-sex marriage.

The same issue arose in the SB8 arguments. Roberts asked the Texas SG about an amicus brief that made, in sharper terms, Jason's point: The system is designed to allow states to enact laws that diverge from SCOTUS precedent, with future litigation resolving the dispute. The Texas AG ran from the idea, saying that everyone is bound to take and faithfully implement the Court's constitutional interpretation.