This is a positive article about the soon-to-be-newlyminted United States Supreme Court. No, this is not written by a guest columnist and, yes, the present author still holds progressive views regarding criminal justice. Assuming the Supreme Court and other branches of government continue to function – even if in less than an optimal fashion – we, as lawyers, have to work with what we have. We have a conservative Supreme Court with, presumably, conservative principles, and that is with which we must work. One of the characteristics often seen in individual Supreme Court Justices is the tendency to rise above the politics that may have gained them their seat and to look at matters in a broader perspective. That is a natural and desirable result of a lifetime appointment. As commented upon previously in this Criminal Justice column, Supreme Court Justices become aware that what they write will be in the books forever, and their legacy will not be appreciated by future generations if petty politics rather than matters of principle guide those writings. There is no question but that the Supreme Court will be comprised of Justices who reflect conservative politics and also conservative principles. Those principles will have significance for criminal justice issues. Hence, this Criminal Justice column will look at some of those principles and how they might be applied, with jurisprudential integrity, to matters at hand.