Arizona Humanities presents One Supreme Court as part of their AZ Speaks program. •
The United States Supreme Court (SCOTUS) in recent years has been in the news more than ever. Controversy and distrust accompany many of its major decisions to a degree that is driving a crisis in public confidence. SCOTUS “is suffering from a historic lack of trust and confidence,” Reporter Domenico Montanaro noted in a May 3, 2023, National Public Radio (NPR) news story. Yet beyond the headline takeaways, few in the public understand exactly what the Court does or how it operates. Reviewing the Court’s Constitutional mandate, how cases reach the Court for decision, and how the Court disposes of cases in its decisions contributes to understanding the Court and its power and role in the US federal structure.
Thomas J. Davis is an historian, lawyer, and professor emeritus at Arizona State University, Tempe, where he taught U.S. constitutional and legal history.
The program is made possible by Arizona Humanities.