The Supreme Court of the United States, often abbreviated “SCOTUS,” is the most powerful judicial body in the country. The Supreme Court provides the final say on constitutional issues, and is the highest legal authority in the United States. The Supreme Court was designed to check the power of the other two branches of American government, and has been in existence since the ratification of the Constitution. Over the centuries, the Supreme Court has proven to be a catalyst of change in American politics, handing down controversial decisions on topics ranging from gun control and abortion to gay rights and affirmative action. The Court’s rulings are often the end of constitutional disputes, since the only way to reverse a decision of the Supreme Court is to pass a constitutional amendment. The Supreme Court consists of nine members – one Chief Justice and eight Associate Justices. These justices are nominated by the President of the United States and confirmed by the United States Senate. The current members of the Supreme Court are Chief Justice John Roberts and Associate Justices Sonia Sotomayor, Ruth Bader Ginsberg, Samuel Alito, Anthony Kennedy, Elena Kagan, Antonin Scalia, Clarence Thomas, and Stephen Breyer. Scalia, Thomas, Alito, and Roberts are generally considered to be the conservative members of the court, while Kagan, Sotomayor, Ginsberg, and Breyer are considered to be more liberal. Because of this 4-4 divide, Justice Kennedy often serves as a swing vote in controversial cases.
The Supreme Court at HMCA
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Recognizing the importance of this body in the American system of checks and balances, HMCE’s judiciary simulates the process and procedures of the legal system in our own Supreme Court. In HMCA, the Supreme Court hears historic cases and hypothetical trials based on real constitutional issues. Delegates are divided into three different groups – petitioners, respondents, and justices, and rotate roles through the conference. As in real Supreme Court cases, the petitioners and respondents do not engage in a direct discourse with each other, and instead present their arguments successively to the Court. Delegates portraying an associate justice are not assigned a specific role, and instead are encouraged to question the petitioners and respondents on the merits of their case. The committee chair acts as the Chief Justice, and is tasked with guiding the committee’s discussion towards the central issues of each case. Each delegate will have the opportunity to approach a case from the perspective of the petitioner, the respondent, and an associate justice. Students will learn the importance of research, public speaking, and logic in working to uphold the principles of the Constitution. Occasionally, the Supreme Court committee at HMCA is called upon to resolve a crisis in the conference itself, such as an impeachment proceeding or a war crimes trial.
Relevant Links for Further Research:
(please click on the listings below)
The United States Supreme Court
Supreme Court Historical Society
Supreme Court Collection, Cornell Law Library
FindLaw: Supreme Court Opinions
Landmark Supreme Court Decisions
