Question

Justice Antonin Scalia died on February 13, 2016, leaving only eight justices on the Court—four appointed by Republican presidents and four appointed by Democratic presidents. The vacancy went unfilled for over a year. Yet during this time, very few Court opinions were a 4-4 split. What might this tell you about the relationship between politics and judicial decisions?

Answer 1

It tells you that the law is independent of most political thought.

It tells you that these eight people were obedient to something that was independent of how they got on the supreme court. They became the guardians of the constitution.

It tells you that you can depend on them to defend your rights as a citizen, perhaps the only group left who are.

It tells you that there are people who believe that the bill of Rights really is the bill of rights.