An Impartial Supreme Court? Evaluating the Role of Public Opinion in Supreme Court Rulings
Abstract
Susceptibility to public opinion is a phenomena faced by most political leaders, whether that be in City Halls or the United States’ Senate. Regardless, when separation of powers was conceptualized and the Supreme Court of the United States was created, the intent was to have a particular branch that didn’t make the law, but interpreted it, impartially, with a lack of partisanship opinion. In recent years, researchers have noticed a pattern of Supreme Court rulings aligning perfectly with public opinion, making field experts and citizens alike, question the integrity of the institution. The current study seeks to better understand the extent to which public opinion is reflected in Supreme Court rulings by examining some of the most controversial cases that have come before the courts. The implications of this research dictate the level of restructuring that needs to occur in the Supreme Court, and, more importantly, if the Supreme Court can be trusted as highly with ruling on cases that change millions of Americans. The integrity of the Supreme Court determines accessibility to constitutionally guaranteed rights.
Faculty Sponsors
Dr. Ransford Edwards
Project Type
Event
Location
Alvin Sherman Library
Start Date
4-5-2023 12:00 PM
End Date
4-6-2023 4:00 PM
An Impartial Supreme Court? Evaluating the Role of Public Opinion in Supreme Court Rulings
Alvin Sherman Library
Susceptibility to public opinion is a phenomena faced by most political leaders, whether that be in City Halls or the United States’ Senate. Regardless, when separation of powers was conceptualized and the Supreme Court of the United States was created, the intent was to have a particular branch that didn’t make the law, but interpreted it, impartially, with a lack of partisanship opinion. In recent years, researchers have noticed a pattern of Supreme Court rulings aligning perfectly with public opinion, making field experts and citizens alike, question the integrity of the institution. The current study seeks to better understand the extent to which public opinion is reflected in Supreme Court rulings by examining some of the most controversial cases that have come before the courts. The implications of this research dictate the level of restructuring that needs to occur in the Supreme Court, and, more importantly, if the Supreme Court can be trusted as highly with ruling on cases that change millions of Americans. The integrity of the Supreme Court determines accessibility to constitutionally guaranteed rights.
