The Justice Department is actively pursuing a criminal investigation into the individual responsible for leaking the Supreme Court's draft decision in the Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization case, which ultimately overturned Roe v. Wade. The inquiry is being spearheaded by the US Attorney's office in Washington, DC.
Reports indicate that the office has recently issued grand jury subpoenas to individuals who worked at the Supreme Court at the time of the 2022 leak. This escalation marks a significant development in a years-long investigation that was initially conducted internally by the Supreme Court itself.
The New York Times first reported the acceleration of the probe. The effort is reportedly being led by US Attorney Jeanine Pirro. The specific next steps in the criminal investigation remain unclear, though its acceleration comes amid broader criticisms of the Justice Department regarding concerns of political "weaponization" during former President Trump's administration.
The leak of the draft opinion, which occurred approximately four years ago, was provided to a reporter and sent shockwaves through the legal and political communities. The subsequent internal investigation by the Supreme Court failed to publicly identify the leaker.