Zócalo Public Square

It’s age-old wisdom: Every single new justice creates a brand-new U.S. Supreme Court. But some legal scholars suggest that the court taking shape now, with a conservative majority established by President Trump’s second appointee, could make especially broad changes in the law. Long-established precedents on matters of race, sex, religion, and privacy could be overturned. And the basic structure of our government—the power of the presidency, the limits of regulation, access to the court system itself—could be transformed. If the highest court in the land is about to make major legal history, in what ways will Americans feel the effects? What aspects of our economy, our culture, our work, and our lives are most likely to be disrupted? And if this Supreme Court defers to the most powerful people and institutions in society, will their decisions threaten American democracy—or inspire its revival? UCLA specialist in constitutional law Adam Winkler, University of Chicago legal scholar Justin Driver, and UCLA Law S