The Supreme Court

The Judicial Branch of our government is by far the smallest, but perhaps the most closely correlated with the fundamental principles of our nation. Our own Pledge of Allegiance ends with the words “liberty and justice for all,” which is a good representation of our desire to promote justice within our borders. Every citizen is committed to the knowledge and practice of justice, yet this branch is a fraction of the size of the two other branches of government. There are 9 Justices, all nominated by a President. Their job is to review previously decided upon cases and determine their constitutionality.

The Supreme Court, specifically, is dedicated to the correction of injustice, those that have already been committed. There’s a mention in the documentary of the almost passive nature in which the Supreme Court operates. The Justices working the bench wait for problems to come to them, rather than taking active stances on the issues happening in this country, like say Congress or the President would do. They work with any kind of person, be it the lowest of wrongly-convicted prisoners, to the most prestigious of law experts. Their job has one sole purpose and pursuit and that is to provide fairness to all. I think this view of the Supreme Court is really insightful and important to understanding the mindset the 9 Justices go to work with everyday. They adapt a 200-year-old document to the insights history provides and the modern day standards of life in America to ensure constitutionality for every man.

The sheer amounts of paperwork these Justices go through daily is overwhelmingly huge, so large that it’s got to be carted around on a cart. Sure they have clerks and secretaries, but they must deliberate over every case personally and make informed decisions on the fate of many, and the validity of the law. The volume of work the Justices take on is a testament to their intellect and also their dedication to justice in the purest form.

Overall, the Supreme Court seems to be a simple institution, with a simple goal, but a wildly complex, diverse, intricate day-to-day reality.