With interviews with all of the sitting and departed Justices, “The Supreme Court: Home to America’s Highest Court” offers an unusual glimpse at the Supreme Court, its role, customs, and history. The historical structure’s magnificent public spaces, such as the Great Hall and Supreme Court Chamber, as well as those reserved for the Justices and their staff, like the Robing Room and John Marshall Dining Room, are displayed in the documentary.
In this documentary, Chief Justice John Roberts discusses the principal goal of the Supreme Court and the West Plaza, the site of several public protests. He asserts that he is aware that some involved people might elicit powerful emotions in individuals. However, this is not a circumstance in which justices should let public opinion influence their choices. Therefore, in a sense, the protests serve as a vehicle for people to air their grievances, but they should not be directed at justices. The notion that people should submit to the demands of the general populace goes against everything that a nation governed by the rule of law entails.
Even though Justice Roberts’ assertion must be accurate, I do not think all Americans share the same pinion. The Prologue of Ronald K. L. Collins and David M. Skover’s book The Judge: 26 Machiavellian Lessons addresses this issue and provides a quick overview of the opposing viewpoints on whether or not the Supreme Court is upholding its foremost duty as a law enforcer. It states: “Even those clad in black robes speak the words’ politics’ and ‘judging’ in the same judicial breath” (Collins and Skover 13). This claim lends credence to the notion that politics influence Supreme Court rulings. A Supreme Court justice is no different from others in that one can influence how one reacts to a circumstance by concealing the underlying or even subconscious cause.
In the end, Justices are people, and it can be challenging anyone to put personal convictions aside to reach an objective judgment. Additionally, “some contend that the Constitution has become a fully changeable document that requires no specific result,” according to the article (Collins and Skover 12). I believe that the main issue with human language is that there are multiple possible interpretations, and the Constitution is not shielded from that.
A writer and author named Joan Biskupic described the Supreme Court early on in the program. “I believe the Supreme Court is the most enigmatic branch to the public,” she asserts. They labor in a marble structure where photography is prohibited. They do not generally stand out to the average person on the street, but they use their opinions to communicate with the public. Therefore, they are public in some ways because anything they do that may affect your life will be spelled down in legal opinion in black and white. However, they will not be making that public announcement in front of the cameras themselves. The Supreme Court is thus a real enigma.
I believe this to be true, as well as that, those who are more aware of their position keenly monitor the Supreme Court justices’ every move. Chief Justice John Marshall is a superb example of a Justice who handled his position gracefully. This kind of function, in my opinion, is crucial for a person of such influence. It can be simple to make a choice that will enrage many people when you have such a critical duty to complete. It is simple for people to become enraged over something they do not understand, so keeping a good reputation among the public is essential. If there were a corrupt Justice, the news would spread like wildfire, and that, along with the public’s ignorance of the Supreme Court, would result in a tremendous upheaval for the branch. Perhaps it is ideal for keeping the Supreme Court primarily out of the public eye so they can carry out their duties appropriately without having to deal with continual scrutiny.
Works Cited
Collins, Ronald K. L.; Skover, David M. The judge: 26 Machiavellian lessons. New York. Oxford University Press. 2017.
The Supreme Court: Home to America’s Highest Court, 2010 Edition, C-SPAN | Supreme Court Project, Web.