But she also said the justices already agree they should hold themselves to the highest ethical standards possible.

“I think that’s something that I can’t really speak for the court about or make any sort of guess,” she said.

Barrett spoke as part of a lecture series named for Stein that has also brought to the university Justices Elena Kagan, Sonia Sotomayor, Antonin Scalia, Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Chief Justice John Roberts. But security in and around the auditorium was notably tighter than for the other justices, following calls by activist groups to protest against Barrett’s appearance.