On January 30, the Byron R. White Center Study for American Constitutional Law hosted its inaugural SCOTUS Preview lunch talk at the University of Colorado Law School. CU Law professors dissected the current cases before the U.S. Supreme Court and discussed their potential real-world impacts.
The event garnered an enthusiastic audience of students, staff, faculty and administration, packing the classroom, and leaving standing room only. The White Center’s Student Fellows moderated the event, introducing each professor and asking them specific questions about the upcoming cases. Professors Sloan Speck, Helen Norton, Deep Gulasekaram, Doug Spencer, and Blake Reid offered information and insights on diverse topics such as the tax code and the Due Process Clause (Moore v. United States), government officials’ free speech and social media (Lindke v. Freed and O’Connor-Ratcliff v. Garnier), gun rights and domestic violence (U.S. v. Rahimi), the 2024 election (Trump v. Anderson), and speech by “Big Tech” internet platforms (Netchoice v. Moody and Netchoice v. Paxton), respectively. Following an intellectually-invigorating primer, students and professors followed up with their own questions.
Reflecting on the event, 2L student Ursula Davy remarked, “There is a lot transpiring, between the elections and the current cases before the U.S. Supreme Court. I learned so much and gained an understanding of how the law and current term’s cases will impact everyone’s daily lives. “ She continued, “I always anticipate White Center events because they offer an engaging platform to learn from experts.”
The White Center is proud to extend its successful fall SCOTUS Review to a spring SCOTUS Preview. This initiative is a testament to the center's commitment to fostering the expansion of knowledge and stimulating public discussion on matters of constitutional law. As Professor Suzette Malveaux, Director of the White Center, shared “It’s exciting to see how engaged our community is in understanding the Court’s power and impact on their lives. It’s incredibly satisfying to supplement the classroom experience with the expertise of our own colleagues.” The Colorado Law community eagerly awaits the Court’s rulings, with a greater appreciation for what to expect and what’s at stake.