Post #2: The Supreme Court

     The Supreme Court is the head of the judicial branch of government. Established in 1789, the Supreme Court is currently made up of 9 justices and it has the power to check the actions of both the executive and legislative branches of government.

    As I read about the Supreme Court, something I didn't know about beforehand was related to the role of Chief Justice and what their job is. The Chief Justice is in charge of setting the agenda for the justices' weekly meanings, they are required to sit on the Board of Regents of the Smithsonian Institution, and if part of the majority can choose to assign who will write the court’s opinion. In addition, they also preside over impeachment trials such as the recent one against former president Donald Trump.

    Something that I found important to take away from the article was how the Supreme Court is responsible for many important rulings that have shaped our country into what it is today. Supreme Court rulings can both legalize or outlaw all sorts of things. They could legalize a type of marriage or give you a right as a citizen, but they could also outlaw an everyday item or make a previously legal action illegal. Not to mention these rulings can also be overturned such as Roe v. Wade (1973) which gave women the right to an abortion which was overturned in 2022.

    The most surprising thing I learned while reading was how the Supreme Court didn't have a single case until 1791, almost 2 years after being established. Not only that but when they finally did get a case, it was a fairly unremarkable case involving a farmer and a family he owed money to. I was also surprised to learn that William Howard Taft served as chief justice in addition to being president.

    After reading the article, I now know a lot more about the power of the Supreme Court. I know that they can check the actions of the other branches of government and that their decisions can have a huge influence on the country as a whole. While I knew they had a lot of power before reading the article, I now know just what those powers are so I have a better understanding of how powerful the Supreme Court actually is.