Supreme Earnings: Justices' Lucrative Book Deals and Teaching Gigs Unveiled

Financial reports for 2025 reveal that U.S. Supreme Court justices received over $2 million in book payments. Justices were involved in profitable teaching duties and received various gifts, including concert tickets. The reports highlight growing scrutiny over justices' outside income and compliance with disclosure requirements.

In 2025, U.S. Supreme Court justices collectively earned over $2 million from book deals, according to financial disclosures released on Monday. These reports also detailed lucrative teaching positions and exclusive concert tickets received by some members, such as the free tickets Conservative Justice Sonia Sotomayor gained from Bad Bunny's record label.

The disclosures, required for senior government officials, showed outside income, gifts, and investments for eight of the nine justices. Conservative Justice Samuel Alito received a 90-day extension to file his report. These filings have attracted increased attention following revelations of previous failures in reporting luxury trips and significant transactions.

Prominent figures in the report include Liberal Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, who received a $1.18 million book advance from Penguin Random House for her memoir, and Conservative Justice Amy Coney Barrett, who earned $849,071 in royalties for her book "Listening to the Law." Teaching income was also notable, with justices engaging in adjunct roles at prestigious universities.