The Supreme Court

 

Until this point, I can’t say that I have ever made the effort to teach myself about the workings of the Supreme Court, and I can’t say any of my teachers did either. Like many other Americans I assume, what I knew is that the Supreme Court is responsible for upholding the Constitution and essentially ensuring American citizens equal justice under the law, however, what I lacked was the understanding of the intricacies of this process. After viewing this Supreme Court Video, detailing the process of how cases are brought to the court, as well as how decisions are reached and the individual responsibilities of the justices, I’m amazed at the procedures and operations that have been preserved for so long. One part of this process that I didn't know about was that each of the nine justices decides on each case individually before counseling and reaching a consensus. The video tells us that the court receives more than 100 cases per week, most of which are petitions for certiorari, which are written arguments intended to persuade the Supreme Court that a lower court arrived at an incorrect ruling. My key takeaway from this video is that every single petition for certiorari, regardless of the status of whomever it’s submitted by, gets the same individual consideration. I find this not only extremely impressive but as an American citizen, comforting and encouraging. In my eyes, the opportunity for every citizen to have a direct line of communication with the institution that holds such power is fundamentally American. The purpose of the Supreme Court is to uphold the Constitution, and with that, the ideals that our country was founded on. Careful procedures of the court like this one are what help us be sure that it does not stray from its purpose, and in turn that we don’t stray from our fundamental American principles. 

It seems common for Americans to have some mistrust in governmental policies and politicians who take part in creating/carrying them out. Whether you like it or not, our world is so mediated that we are constantly presented with information and opinions from others. On one hand, this is an advantage, and on the other hand, it is not. Sometimes, having the most information possible is beneficial for reaching our own conclusions. Sometimes, however, misinformation, differing opinions, and other factors cloud our own views and judgments. Bias seems to be something that not only affects us but is not controlled for in systems and policies. Something admirable about the Supreme Court is that it is independent of the other branches of government and is truly for the people. The video states that “their legitimacy is in the constitution, but their power rests on public faith”. I love this quote because it illustrates the relationship between the Supreme Court and the people. We can be certain in our trust for the court because our faith and confidence are what has given it the power it has. It illustrates that “We the People” isn’t just a phrase, but truly a depiction of our country, then and today.