History and Workings of the U.S. Supreme Court - Blog Post #2

       Falling under the Judicial Branch, the Supreme Court is the highest court in the United States. The United States Supreme Court is the most influential legal institution in the world. They are responsible for the interpretation of laws and the guarantee that these laws are applied fairly and unbiased. The supreme court hears cases that involve constitutional questions or disagreements between states and federal entities. Their decisions then set the legal precedents that determine American laws for years to come, therefore, they play a vital role in shaping the functioning of the U.S government. 

     I learned several things about the Supreme Court that I was unaware of before watching YouTube videos on it. The fact that the justices do not wear robes during private sessions yet do so during public hearings, for instance, intrigued me. Since the justices are not required to agree on the reasoning behind their decisions, they can have differing opinions and still come to the same conclusion. This is yet another unanticipated fact. I also learned that the Senate had to approve the President's choices for justices of the Supreme Court, a process I had not completely understood before. One of the most important things I discovered was that the Court carefully considers a case from a number of perspectives. As I watched these videos there were many things I learned that I had not known before. The Supreme Court will read about 100 cases a week, however, they only choose to take on a few of those cases. In the U.S. there are so many cases. In the end, the movies altered my viewpoint on the Supreme Court. The chief justice, the judges, and the staff all perform far more work than I previously realized. They handle each petition with the same deference and give careful thought to the American people.

      The most significant lesson to be learned about the Supreme Court is that it is essential in interpreting the Constitution, making sure that legislation are consistent with it, and rendering judgments that ultimately benefit the people.  Each case is given careful consideration, and the Court's collaborative decision-making process, in which all justices work together and debate opposing views, guarantees that the rulings have a long-lasting effect on the legal and social structure of the United States.