Supreme Court Opinion Essay

In general, the Supreme Court does govern well on issues related to abortion, school desegregation, and gay rights. Moreover, the court governs well because the courts decisions are based on the rule of law. “The Supreme Court may not speak directly for the people, however, its opinions speak to the people, and the methods used by the justices to express those opinions have revealed changes in the conception of the Court’s voice throughout history” (Bozzo, Shimmy, & April). Lastly, “The voice of the Supreme Court is expressed most clearly in its opinions, where the justices convey their decisions and discuss their rationales” (Bozzo, Shimmy, & April). Judicial opinions rely on well-established legal rationales and they are not influenced by personal biases or predispositions (Bozzo, Shimmy, & April). However, in regards to abortion and gay rights justices personal views do influence their thinking, but the
Also, the Supreme Court decides cases accordingly to the law of the legal system (Barak). The judicial review gives the justices the authority to interpret the Constitution (Barak). Ultimately, “When federal judges rule that laws or government actions violate the essence of the Constitution, they profoundly shape public policy” (Barak). The power of the judicial review gives the Supreme Court the authority to govern well. Also, another important power of the Supreme Court is the ability to overrule itself. For example, “In 1954, the Supreme Court ruled in Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka that schools segregated by race were unconstitutional” (Barak). Brown reversed the 1896 Plessey v. Ferguson decision that upheld the doctrine of separate but equal (Barak). Therefore, the power to overrule itself allows the justices the ability to governor well because new justices can overturn decisions made by past courts if they feel that the decision goes against our