The financial disclosures of Supreme Court justices have revealed significant outside income and gifts, including concert tickets and book deals. One justice accepted over $4,300 in concert tickets from a Puerto Rican record label during a private trip to Puerto Rico last year. The disclosures, which cover activity in 2025, show that several justices collected millions in book deals and other outside income. The financial disclosures were released for eight of the nine justices, with one justice receiving a 90-day extension to file.
Justice Sonia Sotomayor received concert tickets valued at $4,333 from a record label that represents several artists, including global music star Bad Bunny. The tickets were for a concert that took place during her private trip to Puerto Rico in August 2025. The disclosure did not identify which concert she attended, but the record label was holding a residency with over 30 shows in San Juan during that period. This gift is one of several examples of outside income and gifts received by Supreme Court justices.
Four justices earned over $2 million combined in book payments during the year. Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson received a $1.18 million book advance from a publisher for her memoir, which was published in 2024. Another justice received a painting valued at $2,500 from Chicago artists, which is displayed in her Supreme Court chambers. These payments and gifts are part of a larger pattern of outside income and gifts received by Supreme Court justices.
Several justices also received royalties from book sales, including Justice Sotomayor, who disclosed $88,100 in royalties from a publisher. Another justice earned $849,071 in royalties tied to her 2025 book, while a third justice disclosed $300,361 in book royalties. These royalties are in addition to income from teaching positions, which several justices also received. For example, two justices each earned $33,285 for teaching at a law school, while the Chief Justice earned $25,000 for teaching a two-week course in Ireland.
The financial disclosures of Supreme Court justices have come under increasing public scrutiny in recent years. Revelations that some justices failed to disclose luxury travel and certain real estate transactions have prompted calls for greater transparency and stricter oversight of the Supreme Court. The disclosures are an important part of ensuring that justices are held to high ethical standards and that the public has confidence in the integrity of the Supreme Court.
