Philosopher of free speech Alexander Meiklejohn famously remarked of the Supreme Court, “no other institution is more deeply decisive in its effect upon our understanding of ourselves and our government.” With that in mind, this course will explore some of the major cases at the Supreme Court from this past term. Using excerpts from the Court’s opinions, as well as earlier decisions, we'll look at how the Court dealt with issues from criminal justice to religious liberty. We will look not only at the decisions themselves, but also at how individual justices voted, the legal reasoning behind the opinions, the advocacy groups who briefed the court, and the societal consequences and future ramifications of the decisions.

No previous legal experience is necessary.
Continuing Education Units (CEU) : 0

You'll walk away with

• The ability to analyze the legal reasoning behind key Supreme Court decisions and how individual justices contributed to the outcomes
• Knowledge about the influence of advocacy groups and prior case law on the Court’s rulings
• An understanding of the broader societal and constitutional implications of recent Supreme Court decisions

Ideal for

• Those interested in the Supreme Court and legal cases
• Students seeking to reflect on and discuss the influence of the third branch of government
• All members of the community—working, retired, and in-between