Unlike members of Congress, US Supreme Court justices cast their votes in complete privacy during weekly meetings. Only justices are allowed in the Chief's conference room where they discuss, deliberate, and make initial decisions on cases. What’s more, the sole record of what has been said, and by whom, is provided by the notes the justices take. These hand-written documents reveal the inner workings of the Court, long considered the federal government's most secretive institution. The course includes an opportunity to join a cadre of citizen scientists who are transcribing notes for the historical record.
