Courts and Public Confidence
Justice Elena Kagan discusses what it means for a court to "act like a court," and how court's can maintain public confidence.
Description
Justice Elena Kagan discusses what it means for a court to "act like a court," and how courts can maintain public confidence.
Bell Ringer Assignment
- What is "important?"
- According to Justice Elena Kagan, what should courts not be looking toward? Why?
- What is the court "meant to be?"
- Summarize Justice Kagan's comments about how courts can create public confidence.
- Of what should courts be "wary?" Why?
- Summarize the paraphrased quote from Chief Justice John Roberts, as told by Justice Kagan.
- What should be "respected," and what should be applied "consistently" by judges? Why?
- How should judges act, and what must they "separate?"
- What "right" does the public have?
Additional Resources
- Video Clip: Supreme Court Ethics and Reform Efforts
- Bell Ringer: Judicial Philosophies
- Bell Ringer: How the Court Operates
- Bell Ringer: What is the Supreme Court's Shadow Docket?
- Bell Ringer: Purpose and Importance of Judicial Precedent
- Lesson Plan: Public Perceptions of the Supreme Court
- Lesson Plan: The Steps in a Supreme Court Case
Participants
Vocabulary
- Case Or Controversy Clause
- Chief Justice
- Constitution
- Executive Branch
- Legislative Branch
- Precedent
- Supreme Court
- Textualism