I found learning about the Supreme Court to be an interesting experience, especially considering my previous lack of knowledge of the subject. The Comm3390 Supreme Court films on YouTube gave insightful insights into the inner workings of our nation's top court. I thought of the quote made by Justice David H. Souter, "You only start doing your work properly when you forget that you're here...and that takes a few years," which really captured the commitment and immersion needed to be an effective part of the Court. Chief Justice Roger Brooke Taney's historic decision in the Dred Scott case—which decided that Congress lacked the power to outlaw slavery—proved the Court's historical influence on American law, even if it weakened the Court's authority for several years. Revisiting the history that Dred Scott made in American history while studying the fundamentals of our Supreme Court system was an intriguing perspective.
One of the most surprising and important details I learned was the sheer volume of petitions and cases that the court handles. The thought of nine individuals having to thoroughly analyze, understand, conclude, and give equally fair opportunities for anything handed to them sounds extremely overwhelming. It is an incredible responsibility that these individuals have to take on. Hearing from the justices themselves really changed my perspective of the Supreme Court and what kind of people are making these life-changing decisions. Luckily I felt as though these Justices’ were up to the challenge knowing the conclusions they make have a huge impact on the lives of millions of people.
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