# Where people set limits on courts and protest

Canonical page: https://data.verasight.io/politics/where-adults-set-limits-on-courts-and-protest/
Published: 2026-05-12

> Featured topic in Politics.

About 62% say the president should not ignore court rulings, while opposition to disruptive campus protest tactics is higher than support.

## Overview: Institutional limits

Adults mostly reject the idea that the president should ignore court rulings when they believe doing so is in the national interest. About 62% say no.

The protest questions point in the same direction on disruptive tactics. Adults are more likely to oppose than support shouting over a megaphone to disrupt a speech or occupying campus space to block entry.

## Court rulings remain a clear limit

About 62% say the president should not be able to ignore court rulings if they believe doing so is in the nation's best interest.

About 21% say the president should be able to ignore court rulings, and 17% say they do not know.

## Disruptive speech tactics draw more opposition than support

For students shouting over a megaphone to disrupt a campus speech, 52% are at least slightly opposed.

About 22% are at least slightly supportive, while 26% are neither supportive nor opposed.

## Blocking entry is even less supported

Occupying an area of campus and preventing students who support Israel from entering draws stronger opposition: about 65% are at least slightly opposed.

Support is lower, at about 12% at least slightly supportive.

## Supporting evidence

### 62% say the president should not be able to ignore court rulings.

Question: Do you think that the president should be able to ignore court rulings if they believe doing so is in the nation’s best interest?

Note: Shows whether adults support presidential disregard of court rulings.

Topline:

- No: 62.1%
- Yes: 20.6%
- Don't know: 17.4%

### 52% oppose shouting over a megaphone to disrupt a speech.

Question: How much would you support or oppose students shouting over a megaphone to disrupt a speech in a campus auditorium to protest Israel?

Note: Shows support or opposition for disrupting a campus speech with a megaphone.

Topline:

- Strongly oppose: 26.9%
- Neither support nor oppose: 25.7%
- Oppose: 16.0%
- Slightly oppose: 9.3%
- Support: 7.4%
- Strongly support: 7.4%
- Slightly support: 7.3%

### 65% oppose occupying campus space and preventing entry.

Question: How much would you support or oppose students occupying an area of campus and preventing students who support Israel from entering it?

Note: Shows support or opposition for occupying campus space and blocking entry.

Topline:

- Strongly oppose: 40.1%
- Neither support nor oppose: 23.3%
- Oppose: 17.6%
- Slightly oppose: 7.3%
- Slightly support: 5.5%
- Support: 3.1%
- Strongly support: 3.0%

## Methodology

- Mode: Verasight panel recruited via random address-based sampling, random person-to-person text messaging, and dynamic online targeting
- Population: US adults age 18+
- Field dates: 2025-07-14 → 2025-07-24
- Base (unweighted): 1,000
- Margin of error: +/- 3.1%
- Module: EPOVB Conference Omnibus Survey #2025-059
- Sponsor: Verasight
- Weight variable: weight
- Weighting targets: age, race/ethnicity, sex, income, education, region, metropolitan status

## Sources

- [Do you think that the president should be able to ignore court rulings if they believe doing so is in the nation’s best interest?](https://verasight-epovb.tiiny.co#public-opinion-on-presidential-authority-over-court-rulings): verasight-epovb.tiiny.co: Shows whether adults support presidential disregard of court rulings.
- [How much would you support or oppose students shouting over a megaphone to disrupt a speech in a campus auditorium to protest Israel?](https://verasight-epovb.tiiny.co#wording-a-1): verasight-epovb.tiiny.co: Shows support or opposition for disrupting a campus speech with a megaphone.
- [How much would you support or oppose students occupying an area of campus and preventing students who support Israel from entering it?](https://verasight-epovb.tiiny.co#wording-b-1): verasight-epovb.tiiny.co: Shows support or opposition for occupying campus space and blocking entry.

## Citation

EPOVB Conference Omnibus Survey #2025-059, fielded July 14-24, 2025, N=1,000 US adults age 18+, +/- 3.1%.

Canonical question URL: [https://verasight-epovb.tiiny.co#public-opinion-on-presidential-authority-over-court-rulings](https://verasight-epovb.tiiny.co#public-opinion-on-presidential-authority-over-court-rulings)