In this course, we will examine major legal, social, and political issues before the United States Supreme Court from the twentieth century to the present. We will explore the shifting relationship between the Court and U.S. society, asking the following core questions: How does, and should, the Supreme Court function? Under what conditions does the Supreme Court produce social change? What roles does, and should, politics play in Supreme Court decisions? Beginning with an introduction on how cases are heard at the Court, the course will be framed around a series of topical case studies. For each case study, we will explore the contextual events surrounding the cases, the legal reasoning of the Court, and the social and political effects of the decisions. For cases scheduled for argument during the 2027 term, students should be prepared to engage with current debates and commentary before the opinions are issued. Students are encouraged to explore and raise questions regarding the role of judicial review in our democracy, various methods of constitutional interpretation, and the function of the judiciary in American politics.

At the end of this course, students should be able to:

• Understand and explain the role of the United States Supreme Court in U.S. government and politics
• Identify key legal principles and concepts such as the rule of law, common law, constitutionalism, stare decisis, judicial review, and major philosophical approaches to the constitutional interpretation of the law.
• Identify and explain the legal arguments and reasoning of key cases
• Analyze and reflect on the significance of the Court’s decisions and its role in U.S. public life

This class will meet once a week, Wednesday evenings, in person on the Olympia campus. In addition to attending these class meetings, 2 hours of learning will be conducted asynchronously. This asynchronous work will consist of listening to and analyzing audio recordings, participating in individual and group research projects, completing writing workshops, and engaging with discussion assignments. Students should expect that this asynchronous work will add between 1-2 hours of active learning in addition to the 2 hours of attending the synchronous in-person meetings.

Anticipated Credit Equivalencies:

4 - History: United States Supreme Court