The Roberts Court: The Political and Legal Influence of the New U.S. Supreme Court

  • Thursday, October 31, 2019
  • 3:00 PM–4:00 PM
  • Covenant Fine Arts Center Recital Hall

For the first time in several decades, the balance of power on the U.S. Supreme Court rests with a clear conservative majority. It can now truly be called the Roberts Court, with Chief Justice Roberts taking the place of the more moderate Anthony Kennedy as the Court’s center. But how bold is the Court’s conservative bloc likely to be? How likely are they to either adhere to, or diverge from, conservative judicial orthodoxy? And how can we expect the Court’s work to intersect with or impact the more political branches of the federal government, particularly with another presidential and senate election season fast approaching? This presentation will take a closer look at the highlights from the just-completed 2018-19 term as well as the docket for the upcoming term to explore these and other important questions surrounding the Supreme Court and the federal judiciary. 

Speaker David Ryden is Professor of Political Science and Department Chair at Hope College. His expertise in the realm of electoral politics garnered him significant media attention this presidential cycle, with his insights appearing on CNN, in The Christian Science Monitor, U.S. News and World Report, and The New York Times.