Polarized Supreme Court explored in Nov. 20 panel

In an upcoming panel discussion, "A Polarized Supreme Court: What It Means for Democracy," experts will explore the politics of the current Supreme Court, declining public confidence in the court, its ethics controversies and its potential response to likely challenges to the policies of the incoming Trump administration.

The panel, moderated by Washington Post Supreme Court correspondent Ann Marimow '97, the Zubrow Distinguished Visiting Journalist in the College of Arts and Sciences (A&S), will be held Nov. 20 at 5:30 p.m. in the Landis Auditorium in Myron Taylor Hall. A public reception will follow at 7 p.m. The event is free, and the public is invited.

Joining Marimow on the panel will be Michael Dorf, the Robert S. Stevens Professor of Law, Cornell Law School; Peter John Loewen, the Harold Tanner Dean of A&S and professor of government; and Jamila Michener, associate professor of government (A&S) and public policy in the Cornell Jeb E. Brooks School of Public Policy.

"This is a pivotal time in America and the Supreme Court has a profound impact on every person," Loewen said. "Right after the presidential election is the perfect time to explore that impact and what we can expect in the coming years. We're grateful to have Ann Marimow with us as our Zubrow Distinguished Visiting Journalist to guide us as we explore these questions."

Marimow has reported on the federal courts for more than a decade and written revelatory stories about President-elect Donald Trump's lasting legacy on the judiciary, the aftermath of the Supreme Court's decision eliminating the nationwide right to abortion and gaps in the judiciary's system for investigating workplace misconduct. She has covered the confirmations of three Supreme Court justices and Trump's two impeachment trials, and she broke the story about the Obama Justice Department's leak investigation targeting a Fox News reporter as a possible criminal co-conspirator.

Before joining the Post in 2005 to cover politics in Maryland, Marimow spent five years reporting for the San Jose Mercury News, where she covered Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and the recall by California voters of Gov. Gray Davis. Previously, she reported for the Concord Monitor in New Hampshire, where she followed the late Sen. John McCain on the campaign trail.

"During Trump's first term, the Supreme Court often pushed back or restrained the president's policies," Marimow said. "I look forward to discussing with Cornell's deep bench of experts how the court, now with three Trump nominees, will be tested in the coming months and to exploring the broader implications of the public's lack of confidence in the court at this critical moment."

The event is sponsored by the College of Arts and Sciences and the Cornell Law School. To request an accommodation or for inquiries about accessibility, please email Kathy Hovis as soon as possible at [email protected].

Linda B. Glaser is news and media relations manager for the College of Arts and Sciences.