The focus of this course will be on the process of Supreme Court decision-making. The process questions to be considered during the semester will include the certiorari process, the use of history, the treatment of constitutional facts, reasoned and principled decision-making and the value of precedent. The course also will look at the Supreme Court as an institution, and will examine the selection of Supreme Court justices and the role played by the modern Supreme Court. Finally, the class will also sit as "The Court" in a case selected from the Supreme Court's pending docket. Each student will be assigned the role of a sitting Justice. After consideration of the briefs and a "Conference" on the case, each member of the class will produce a written opinion expressing the views of his or her Justice.