Explore the career of Earl Warren, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court from 1953 to 1969, justices on the Warren court (Black, Douglas, Frankfurter, Brennan), and some of the important and controversial cases decided by the Warren court. During his tenure, the John Birch Society tried to have Warren impeached. President Eisenhower, who nominated Warren for the court, said after leaving office that putting Warren on the court was the worst decision of his presidency. But some court scholars put Warren among the top five of all Supreme Court justices. You decide.
We'll discuss how cases get to the Supreme court and how cases are decided. We will also look at cases dealing with school desegregation, privacy, libel, miscegenation, prayer in school, one-person one-vote, and rights of criminal defendants. You'll leave with a more informed understanding of how the court functions, an appreciation of the contribution to American constitutional law made by the Warren court, and a passing knowledge of some of the significant/controversial cases decided by the court.