Video Reflection on the Supreme Court

Today in the class Talking About Freedom, we as a class watched a short yet informative video on the Supreme Court of the United States.

The Supreme Court is made of 8 justices and one chief justice. These 9 justices review close to 7,000 petitions each year; these petitions come from all around the fifty states, ranging from those in homes to those in prison cells. On average, less than 100 of those cases are accepted by the Supreme Court. This discretion is known as certiorari: the power of the courts to decide whether or not to hear a case. 

They usually choose cases based on the premise and its significance. It is their duty to decide if the court before them applied the law correctly; they must then make decisions based on constitutionality and precedent, or the formal consideration based on previous rulings to ensure  (The Court's Exterior, Washington D.C.)      predictability and ensure consistency in the law.                         

It was fascinating to learn that there have only been around 100 justices in all of the Supreme Court's history. Their life tenures provide them with the ability to outlast the president that appointed them to their position. They end of leaving a lasting impact that goes beyond the presidents they started with.

It was also interesting to hear that previous Chief Justice Rehnquist had developed a system with his colleagues to ensure their voices were heard equally. He went on to say how they established the rule that "everyone speaks once before someone speaks twice," (Part 1).        (Supreme Court Justices 2026)

The most important thing I learned in this video was that all cases, regardless of premise, are given the same amount of time and attention. I think that is extremely respectable knowing that consideration and thought are put inti every issue. We the people rely on the Supreme Court to remedy issues that may be ignored in the lower district/appellate courts. 

Finally, I'd say my perspective of the Supreme Court has shifted slightly. Knowing they can disagree with the same fundamental understandings is intriguing to me. I appreciate that while they all come from different parties, it is their key responsibility to come to a ruling based off precedent and constitutionality with the help of the work done by the legislative and executive branches. 

Even though they are considered the branch with the least power, I still firmly believe their influence makes a huge impact on society.