Publication Date
4-2024
School
Helms School of Government; School of Business
Major
Government: Pre-Law
Keywords
Supreme Court, public opinion, impact
Disciplines
Law
Recommended Citation
Medlin, Savannah, "Public Opinion and Its Potential Impact on the U.S. Supreme Court" (2024). Senior Honors Theses. 1367.
https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/honors/1367
Abstract
The Supreme Court of the United States has a fundamental role in the interpretation of the Constitution and the configuration of the legal landscape of the country. But, while the Framers isolated the Court from political pressures, the Court is not removed from the impact of public opinion. This essay considers the effect of public opinion on Supreme Court rulings by reviewing studies and cases to discover the part public opinion plays in the courtroom. My findings imply that public opinion impacts the Court. There are limited ways by which the Court can prevent this impact. I emphasize that the Supreme Court has potentially become a majoritarian body controlled by society rather than its appointed justices.
