The History and Workings of the Supreme Court 

The current members of the Supreme Court

Before taking this class, I knew fairly little about the Supreme Court and its workings.  However, these videos have given me a new perspective on the Supreme Court and its justices.  I was surprised to learn that there have been just over 100 Supreme Court justices throughout American history, which seems extremely low.  After all, that’s less than half of the amount of representatives in the House of Representatives currently serving.  It does seem to make the court more sacred though, because so few people have carried the responsibility of its immense power.  

The most important thing I took away from this video is that the Fourteenth Amendment is often referred to as the “Second Bill of Rights.“  This is due to the fact that, similarly to how the Bill of Rights protects individuals from the excesses of federal power, the Fourteenth Amendment protects individuals from the excesses of state power.  Through the Equal Protection and Due Process clauses, the right to equality under the law is protected.  Before this class, I knew that the Fourteenth Amendment was one of the “Reparation Amendments“ added to the Constitution after the Civil War, but didn’t understand its impact beyond making African Americans citizens.  The Fourteenth Amendment didn’t just grant a huge group of people their rights, but protects the rights of all Americans to this day.  

Protester holding a sign with a quote from the 14th Amendment

I was surprised to learn that lawyers only have half an hour to deliver oral arguments in the Supreme Court.  I had always envisioned the arguments in such significant cases to be days long and very drawn out.  It was also interesting to me how the lawyers can’t follow a set script for their case, as the justices are constantly asking them questions.  The lawyers have to adapt the frame of their arguments as they go depending on the questions they receive, which means they are thinking on their feet for the full thirty minutes.  It sounds so stressful, especially considering how high the stakes are for not only their client, but often the nation itself.  

Illustration of the oral arguments of Dobbs v. Jackson

I had always thought of the Supreme Court as an old empty chamber where people would present long, dull arguments for days on end to a group of elders.  As something necessary and respected, but not really relevant to my daily life.  This video has painted the court in a completely different light, as something bustling with clerks doing key research and reporters seeking answers to pass on to the American people.  It no longer seems dull and empty, but full of life and importance.