Blog Post #3: The Powers and Abilities of the U.S. Supreme Court

After watching the videos about the Supreme Court, I know that there is a lot more that goes into being a Supreme Court Justice than meets the eye. I thought that it was interesting how the Supreme Court is one of, if not, the only court systems in the world that has the power to keep other government branches in check. The justices also have to keep the faith of the people in their positions, so they can make the right decisions when it comes to make cases and verdicts.

Based on the accounts that some of the justices said, they practice hospitality and respect towards one another in their offices. They also have to take on the cases that are appealed to the Supreme Court and make decisions that align with the Constitution and Amendments. Lawyers need to be well-trained in the law and governing in order to make a fair verdict on the decisions of the case, otherwise, the decisions made within the courtroom would not be sound. As some of the judges were interviewed on their experiences, many mentioned how nervous they were at first to enter the courtroom, but became used to the team that they worked with. The use of having 9 judges in the courtroom leads to varied opinions on different aspects of a specific case, as well as how to best decide the outcome. I can understand how the judges have to be so precise and why they face so much pressure. Having to take on roles where you decide verdicts that are based on the founding laws within the country are important, and that is a lot of pressure to have to deal with. Fortunately for the judges, they are on a team with one another to work through the issues they face with having to interpret the Constitution and the laws that govern our lives.

As for something I did not know, I did not know that only 100 cases that are appealed are actually seen and tried in the court. I am surprised that it was so few that actually made it to the Supreme Court. I know that the justices are very busy, so in retrospect, I would know that they would have to skip over some cases that come their way. An important takeaway I got from the video and my personal knowledge, is that the judges in our court system are in their roles until they die. I am surprised that such a role like being a judge is so demanding to the point that retirement from the position is not really an option. Overall, our judges serve an important role to define our basic rights and freedoms within our country, through the interpretation of the Constitution, amendments, and laws that govern our lives.

Sources:

Davis Stephens. (2013, Sep. 11). Comm3390 Supreme Court, Pt. 1 [Video]. Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cWRoXYRsaeo.

Davis Stephens. (2013, Sep. 11). Comm3390 Supreme Court, Pt. 2 [Video]. Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ca8qSuWxcG8.