#2 The Workings of the U.S. Supreme Court

 

The Supreme Court has been the backbone of the American Justice System for nearly 200 years. Over this period, it has witnessed and influenced countless events, societal transformations, and legal developments.

As someone who pays little attention to governmental things, this video answered lingering questions and explained other information I had never heard before. One of the first points I'd like to touch on is that the Supreme Court is the highest in the Federal Judiciary system within the United States. This means the court has ultimate jurisdiction over all federal and state cases, stating that they are the primary interpreters of the Constitution. 

Citizens of the United States have not always been fans of the Supreme Court, however, that changed after the infamous "Marbury V. Madison" Case. This case established the idea of judicial review which was an addition to the system of "checks and balances," confirming the Supreme Court as a co-equal branch of the government. Checks and balances are the system the United States government uses to make sure one branch does not have more power over another. 

The Constitution, as a document, is understood by Supreme Court Justices as something that is constantly evolving, and because their job is to draw the lines of power, avoiding controversy is essentially impossible. 

Within a year, the Supreme Court receives about 7,000 cases but only accepts 100-150 of them. To approve a case, the court needs at least four of nine possible votes. The justices also work independently from one another and instead, have a team of law clerks for assistance. 

Learning more about the duties of a Justice, I also found it interesting that the average serving time is 16 years; however, many may and do serve longer. The longest time a judge had served was 36 years and that was William O. Douglas who was appointed in 1939 and retired in 1975 and the shortest being John Rutledge, who was appointed temporarily during the Senate's recess.

The video changed the way I thought of the Supreme Court because I got to hear first-hand experience of Justices. In the part 1 video, one Justice stated that it was originally very overwhelming taking on the position, but within about 3 years the feeling started to go away. Although being on the Supreme Court is something few people get to experience, I now have a greater understanding and appreciation of their work.