Whoo Hoo!

I went to the Supreme Court yesterday. It was a pretty amazing experience the whole way through. Firstly, I had reserved seating through my school. So there was a line of people out front and I got to walk right up to the side door and just go in. Once inside it was run a bit like they expected everyone to already know what they were doing. I'm sure they get a lot of the same DC lawyers coming over and over, but a lot of us were milling aimlessly. I had to ask a person who looked like she knew what she was doing if I was supposed to go somewhere or just wait.

After awhile, they took us upstairs in a big group like we were a well-dressed field trip group. We walked past a tour group and it felt cool to be part of the DC machine, if only just this once. Upstairs I used the lockers. I didn't want to be that girl. You know, the one who carried flip flops into the Supreme Court. The lockers were only a quarter which, in this day and age, I thought was a steal. I was expecting to have to feed multiple quarters in there. I checked in with the Marshall. I don't think he liked me because I was digging out my ID while I was telling him my name. Apparently you don't have to show ID or anything, just say your name. That seems pretty lax and open to problems to me, but whatever works for them. Then more waiting, but in a line behind a rope. Then security again! This time they dug through my purse. (Side note: I beeped both times going through the metal detector. I had on dress slacks and a button down. The only metal I had on my whole person was the hook at the top of my pants and the two safety pins I use as button supplements. Either those things are set really sensitive, or I have mystery metal in me.)

Then we went in and sat down. Inside is set up in a loose U shape with wood benches that look a lot like tall-backed church pews. At the end of every row was a chair. I got the distinct impression that the chairs were added so there would be more seating and the aisles used to be wider. I was seated in court about 20 minutes before the case started, so I had a lot of time to look around and think about where I was. OK, I'm going to lawyer-geek out on you for a minute. It was really emotional for me to be in there. It overwhelmed me a bit to think of all the tremendous cases that have been heard in that building. This is the place of last resort for our ideals. This is where you go with your individual problems and every American finds their rights. I was truly a bit awestruck in a way I hadn't been since I came to DC.

Anyway, I was there to hear Bruesewitz v. Wyeth. It was a complicated case that, I will be frank, I didn't totally understand going into it. Listening to the arguments didn't do a lot to clear up my confusion. There was a lot of talk about surplus language and the definition of unreasonable and similar technical stuff. Which is honestly almost all the Supreme Court does. I didn't have to follow all the arguments to know there was a reason this case made it there. I was shocked at how efficiently it was run. Time limits were time limits were time limits.

In no time at all, the case was over and my time at the Supreme Court was almost over. I ended up being surrounded by a lot of crying women and their comforting husbands. I assume they are parents of children similarly affected like the plaintiff. The lady in front of me was pretty irritating. When the plaintiff was arguing and the justices were grilling him (as they do), she just sat there. But when the defendant was arguing and the justices were grilling him (as they do), she turned to her husband with this stupid smirk on her face like "Take that, other side! I totally agree, Supreme Court! You knock them down a peg!" totally ignoring that they interrogate everyone and in fact just interrogated their side's attorney not 10 minutes ago. I just found it really distracting. Squeeze his hand or something. We're in a dead silent court with everyone paying rapt attention. Could you not whip your head around every 7 seconds with a childishly triumphant look on your face?

After it was over, I just collected my flip flops and walked home. It was such an amazing experience, I'll definitely hold on to the memory forever.

PS: This was one of the cases Kagan recused herself on. At first I was supremely disappointed. She's the brand new Justice! I wanted to see her in my one shot at a glimpse of Supreme Court Glory! But then I thought about it. This is actually cooler, in a dorky, historical way. She will be Justice for many, many years (knock on wood). So hearing her at the court would not be that unique. There are not many times in the history of the court that they have heard cases with only 8 Justices. That is a much rarer occurrence. So I'm looking on the bright side on that one.