#2: The Supreme Court

After watching the videos on the Supreme Court, I have a better understanding of the judicial process and the significant role the Supreme Court Justices have. Although I did have background knowledge on the court system, these videos taught me more about what goes into making their decision for each case.

I learned that each of the nine Supreme Court Justices and their teams give each case they receive individual attention. This was the most surprising to me, considering the thousands of petitions they receive each year.

One important take-away from these videos is the immense power the Supreme Court holds, while also recognizing the limits. The United States government is built on a system of checks and balances, and the Supreme Court is no different. While it may seem that they hold the most power because they can declare laws unconstitutional, they can only solve issues in a case they receive.

Additionally, I learned that the Supreme Court does not uphold a decision by the lower courts by not hearing the case. With the limited number of cases they can take, they can only apply their decisions to a select few cases. Ultimately, the Supreme Court is an essential part of the government because they have great power of shaping decisions, it is balanced by their restraint to create laws and work with the cases they get. 

Another important aspect of the videos was how they demonstrated the complex the decision-making process is for the Supreme Court Justices. First, the Supreme Court Justices review cases on their own and meet once a week to discuss the ones they will hear. The cases will be argued in public and each of the lawyers will have thirty minutes to present their side. During this, the Justices utilize this time as a way to clear misunderstandings and debate their points through the lawyers. Then, the nine will discuss and vote on the case privately.

One valuable part of the process I was not aware of before watching these videos is the opinion writing. I did not realize that this aspect was the most time-consuming, when in reality, it is crucial because it sets a precedent for the future.

These videos changed my perspective on the Supreme Court by teaching me about the important process the Justice goes through to make these decisions. The approach to giving each case individual attention is so valuable and allows for overlooked voices to be heard.

The complex method of coming to a decision is beneficial because it allows for the Justices to make impactful and controversial decisions. These videos gave me a deeper appreciation for our Supreme Court system by highlighting how they make decisions that have influenced so many people in the United States. 

Supreme Court Videos: