The Supreme Court of the United States

 

Using this time to take another look at the Supreme Court, I have developed a better understanding on the areas I felt cloudy on, as well as strengthening my knowledge on the historic part of our government. While I’ve had a good understanding on how the Supreme Court works for a while, it is important to refresh on some points that I don’t think about too often. Throughout the readings and videos, I am able to understand more about the importance this system holds. 

While watching the video, I learned that they accept around 100 cases a year, despite receiving hundreds of cases per week. I was unaware of this number, but it is interesting to see how few cases are taken in comparison to what is received. One thing that I took away from the video is how every case is viewed similarly. While it might be expected that every case would be looked at based on how important it is, that isn’t the case. The video states that every case gets the same view, and one is not looked at as more significant than another. Another thing that I didn’t necessarily know about was the process of opinions amongst the judges. I didn’t understand just how lengthy and how many drafts can come from one singular document. It surprised me to see this, as I would’ve never expected it to be such a grueling process. This video gave me a better look at the Supreme Court, allowing me to see an inside look on the men and women that fight to uphold the rights of the country I live in.

It is important to note how influential and essential the SCOTUS is to the U.S. government.  They keep the other branches of government in check and make sure that what they are doing aligns with the Constitution.  This power protects the people in the United States and makes sure that the government does not abuse their power. While people tend to skip over the Supreme Court whilst talking about the government in casual conversation, their impact should not be forgotten.