Why is the U.S. Supreme Court a branch of government which remains a mystery? Videotaping is not...

Why is the U.S. Supreme Court a branch of government which

remains a mystery?

Videotaping is not allowed in the Supreme Court and justices do not

grant interviews

What is Justice Anthony Kennedy considered today?

He is considered the “swing vote” between conservative and liberal justices

Who is the present chief justice?

John G. Roberts Jr.

Who was the longest serving justice in history?

William O. Douglas – 36 years

Why do justices get their jobs for life?

To grant them independence from influence and safeguard separation of powers

Why are so many decisions 5 to 4?

Because the justices are so evenly split between conservatives and liberals

Do U.S. Supreme court decisions ever change? Explain

Yes, examples include Plessy v. Ferguson and Dred Scott v. Sandford

Was Obamacare found to be constitutional?

Yes, the Affordable Healthcare Act was found to be constitutional

What did The Defense of Marriage Act do?

Act which defended the traditional definition of marriage as the only legally acceptable one

What change took place as the 96th justice was appointed to the

Supreme Court?

Thurgood Marshall, the first African-American justice, was nominated to the US Supreme Court

“The Connor challenge” Name the nine U.S. Supreme Court justices:

Alito, Breyer, Ginsburg. Thomas, Sotomayor, Scalia, Roberts, Kagan and Kennedy