The Supreme Court, considered by some to be the most powerful branch, had humble beginnings. How did it stop being, in the words of Alexander Hamilton, "next to nothing?" Do politics affect the court's decisions? And how do cases even get there?
This episode features Larry Robbins, lawyer and eighteen-time advocate in the Supreme Court, and Kathryn DePalo, professor at Florida International University and past president of the Florida Political Science Association.
Want our new "Civics is my cup of tea" mug? <a href="https://bit.ly/42opxtI" target="_blank">CLICK HERE TO DONATE AND GET YOURS!</a><ul><li><a href="https://www.civics101podcast.org/">CLICK HERE:</a> Visit our website to see all of our episodes, donate to the podcast, sign up for our newsletter, get free educational materials, and more!&nbsp;</li><li>To see Civics 101 in book form, check out <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Users-Guide-Democracy-America-Works/dp/1250751845/ref=sr_1_1?dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.MHIKY3OunXfvpudoPTddQ-tVeZG3cOGWMrqF9w7HyVFGT8cmOZ6PUUVubeuMqdr65yJ7M6ymxHK4R9yuSc0RV9q19ru7Bkxjzv7q1hJr1BsF3wmr8r-_cv773DD-8cFoPNmnG2oPeA-WfH2E1IXk5owYSaFO5_ozB5ildK__oNNhfozl0EPVdDwpiJQ1UbrszU-gV4ZTnupzh9kEv4AEpX7jHVhvqqXVSZmOAryjrgo.MKpOMk22W8ZBn4vph5XOhdkQKfDGhDHp_JT2GsIHBws&amp;dib_tag=se&amp;keywords=a+user%27s+guide+to+democracy&amp;qid=1730151470&amp;s=audible&amp;sr=1-1-catcorr">A User's Guide to Democracy: How America Works</a> by Hannah McCarthy and Nick Capodice, featuring illustrations by Tom Toro.</li><li>Check out our other weekly NHPR podcast,<a href="https://outsideinradio.org/" target="_blank"> Outside/In</a> - we think you'll love it!</li></ul>

Starter Kit: Federalism

How do landmark Supreme Court decisions affect our lives? What does the 2nd Amendment really say? Why does the Senate have so much power? Civics 101 is the podcast about how our democracy works…or is supposed to work, anyway.