History and Workings of the U.S. Supreme Court

Supreme Court Reflection 

Based on: Supreme Court Part 1 and Supreme Court Part 2 

Something I learned:

I really had no idea justices can take so much time when discussing and writing their options before they come to a final decision. It’s not just voting, they consider a bunch of different perspectives and arguments, correcting their opinions, and sometimes even change their minds. I also didn’t know law clerks help justices out, researching cases and making a draft of opinions seems to be the hard part in my opinion. I also didn’t know that out of about 7,000 cases within the year, only 100 will be taken, I seriously used to think they had to review every case given to them. 

Why the Supreme Court Matters:

The biggest takeaway, in my opinion, is that the Supreme Courts power mainly comes from public trust. Which is different from when something like Congress or the President, justices aren’t elected. I like how it’s about people trusting these people to be fair and stay in line with the Constitution. These decisions are what create legal rules that morph our countries laws and social normalities. 

Most Surprising Thing I’ve Learned:

I was surprised with how much the justices would use their voice to portray their arguments. It’s not just sitting and listening the whole time, they are asking questions to help one another think continuously throughout the case. The attorneys that are arguing within the case must be ready for anything.

My Perspective Change:

Before I had seen the video, I truly imagines the Supreme Court as an isolated institution that made non-negotiable legal rulings. Now I know that they are just a group of powerful people that are deeply involved in discussing and sculpting our country’s laws. I really appreciate how serious Justices take their jobs and understand the impact of the choices they’re making.