The Workings of the U.S. Supreme Court

Although many people consider the Supreme Court the final arbiter of justice in the US, only some people understand how it operates. How much do we actually know about the court itself? We hear about landmark decisions and the judges' incredible authority. The videos helped me take a closer look at the Supreme Court and how it works on the inside. The Supreme Court has been around for almost 200 years and has been a vital component of the workings of the United States. 

One thing I learned about the Supreme Court is that they receive around 7,000 cases a year and only agree to hear about 100 of the cases brought to them. To decide if the Justices want to get a case to court, they will sit in a room with each other and go through the case; each Justice will say their opinion, and each Justice will only get to speak once until everyone has spoken then they will open up the room that they are confided into until they have come to a decision. All cases that go to the Supreme Court have to go through an appellate court, which is a three-judge panel. If the judges at the appellate court believe that the case is a Constitutional issue that still needs to be solved, they will send it to the Supreme Court for review. But it is surprising that out of all the cases that they review, they only decide on 100 of them. 

In my opinion, the most important takeaway is the Supreme Court's influence on how the Constitution is interpreted and how it affects American society. The parties involved in the case are not the only ones impacted by the Court's rulings; they also establish precedents that will shape the law for years or even decades. For example, Marbury v Madison is a landmark case that the Supreme Court ended up deciding and has set the standards for who is an appointed judge to this day.

The extent of secrecy surrounding the Supreme Court judges' discussions surprised me the most. The justices' deliberations and decision-making procedures are kept entirely confidential, unlike other parts of government where openness is frequently required. Because of this confidentiality, the justices are shielded from political and public pressure and can decide cases based only on their views of the law. Realizing how to cut off from outside influences their decision-making process was unexpected. 

Now, I grasp the importance and complexity of the Supreme Court's role, thanks to the videos. It prompted me to reconsider the Court's role as a legal institution and an advocate of the Constitution. The justices are not just interpreting the law, but also shaping the values that guide our nation. My respect for the weight of their decisions and the meticulous, often challenging process that underpins them has deepened as a result of this understanding.