My Reflections on the U.S. Supreme Court

Our Supreme Court is located in Washington, DC.

 

After watching this documentary about the U.S. Supreme Court, I learned several things that I did not know before. One fact that stood out to me was that only a little more than 100 people have served as Supreme Court justices throughout American history, and the average justice serves about 16 years.

I also learned about some of the Court's traditions and procedures. Whenever a new justice joins the Court, the justices pose for a new official portrait.

Another thing I did not know was how the justices communicate with one another. The documentary explained that they often use written exchanges and essentially act as their own internal post office when sharing ideas and opinions.

The most important takeaway for me was that the Supreme Court's power rests on public faith. The Court does not have the power of the military or the power to create laws, so its authority depends on the American people accepting and respecting its decisions.

That idea changed the way I think about the Court.

Before watching the video, I mostly thought of the Supreme Court as a permanent and unquestioned institution. I was surprised to learn that Americans have not always accepted the Court's authority and that its place in the government had to be established over time.

One of the most memorable parts of the documentary was its discussion of Chief Justice John Marshall. His statement, “We must never forget it is a constitution we are expounding,” helped me understand the Court's responsibility to interpret the Constitution rather than simply apply rules.

The most surprising thing I learned was about the Court's private decision-making process. When a case is being decided, the nine justices are the only people in the room when the vote is taken.

I was also struck by the discussion of the Dred Scott case. The documentary described that decision as the Court's biggest self-inflicted wound and used it as an example of how Supreme Court decisions can have lasting consequences for the nation.

The video ultimately showed me that the Supreme Court is more than a group of judges deciding cases. It is an institution whose authority has evolved over time, whose decisions can shape the country, and whose power depends on the trust and confidence of the American people.