Micro-Seminar: The Current U.S. Supreme Court PART ONE

Micro-Seminars have two parts. Attendance to both parts is required. Registering for the PART ONE session will automatically enroll you in the PART TWO session on Friday.

Part 1: Thursday, August 22, 2024 from 3:00 – 4:30 pm (PST)
Part 2: Friday, August 23, 2024 from 10:00 – 11:30 am (PST)

The U.S. Supreme Court is one of the most important and consequential institutions in American government. Wielding the power of judicial review, the nine unelected, lifetime-appointed members of the Court practically have a veto power and the final say over whether any law or official government action is unconstitutional and, thus, impermissible.

This micro-seminar will introduce students to the Court in its current form, its structure and authority, and some of its most significant recent decisions. We will also discuss the current public perception of the Court, the appointments and confirmation process, and its non-majoritarian nature.

Day 1 will introduce the Supreme Court and the American legal system. We will also look at the Court’s two dominant methods of constitutional interpretation: historical originalism and judicial pragmatism. We will discuss these concepts by examining some of the Court’s most significant recent decisions including New York State Rifle and Pistol Association v. Bruen (2022) (concerning the right to bear arms) and Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization (2022) (concerning abortion and reproductive rights).

Day 2 will focus on the contemporary discourse about the Court’s legitimacy and authority. We will examine the political process by which justices are appointed to the Court, the implications of justices’ lifetime tenure, and the Court’s placement within the American system of checks and balances.

This micro-seminar is for anyone interested in the Supreme Court, constitutional law, or American government more broadly. Students need not have a background in the law or politics, only an open mind and willingness to think critically and creatively about the Court.

Lead By: Professor Todd Grabarsky

Todd Grabarsky is a deputy attorney general with the California Department of Justice, Office of the Attorney General. He specializes in federal constitutional law, and in his practice he defends the constitutionality of California’s laws and policies including gun-control legislation, public health laws and regulations, labor protections, election laws, policies that expand access to affordable housing, protections of LGBTQ rights, and the accuracy and completeness of the census count. He practices before a wide variety of courts including the U.S. Supreme Court, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, and the California Supreme Court.

As an adjunct faculty at U.S.C.’s Gould School of Law, Prof. Grabarsky teaches undergraduate legal studies courses including LAW 225: Current Court Cases, a course examining the current U.S. Supreme Court and its significant recent opinions. He also teaches a senior thesis writing seminar, LAW 497: Legal Studies Capstone Project, and has taught courses in legal writing in Gould’s J.D. program as well.

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