Chief Justice John Roberts, a member of the Supreme Court's 6-3 conservative majority, has defended the court against misconceptions that the justices are "political actors" who make decisions based on policy, not law. Speaking at a conference for lawyers and judges in Hershey, Pa., Roberts stated that the court is required to make unpopular decisions and that there is not a better understanding of how the court operates. He also noted that while people have a right to criticize the court, there is a tendency to focus too much on politics, he said.