The Changing Nature of the Federal Judiciary
*This event is by invitation only
Is something changing at the U.S. Supreme Court and the U.S. Courts of Appeals? Are recent decisions on same sex marriage (Obergefell v. Hodges 2015), campaign finance (Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission 2010) or presidential elections (Bush v. Gore 2000) signaling that the federal courts are becoming makers of law, rather than ruling on the constitutionality of existing law as adopted by Congress and signed by the President? The Honorable S. Jay Plager, Senior Circuit Judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit in Washington, DC, will put the spotlight on recent court decisions in a historical context and take an “80,000 foot” look at our third branch of government. The Federal Courts have always molded American history, societal norms and public behavior through their decisions, but is something more happening?
Judge Plager was appointed Circuit Judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit by President George H.W. Bush in 1989, and assumed senior status in 2000. Earlier, he served in the Executive Office of the President as Associate Director of the Office of Management and Budget from 1987 to 1989. Before then, he had a distinguished career as an educator, serving as Dean and Professor of the Indiana University School of Law and as Professor of Law at University of Illinois. Judge Plager has also taught at the University of Florida, Stanford University, Trinity College, Cambridge University and University of Wisconsin.
The Honorable S. Jay Plager, Circuit Judge for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, Washington, DC, will share his thoughts on the current role of the judicial branch and how it has evolved since the U.S. Constitution was drafted by our founding fathers.