Abstract
This activity, “The Fight Against Warrantless Wiretapping,” simulates the process of fighting a legal case through the federal court system. You will assume the role of the president of a non-profit organization that advocates greater protections for civil liberties. In this capacity, you will
- pick the right plaintiff, in the right circuit, to make the most favorable case you can and generate the best publicity;
- take the case through the US District Court and US Court of Appeals; and
- petition for a writ of certiorari, and then argue before the US Supreme Court.
Learning Goals
After reading your text and completing this exercise, you will be able to:
- describe how, and on what terms, cases come to be heard in the federal judicial system and in the US Supreme Court;
- identify and explain the significance of several historic US Supreme Court cases, including civil liberties-related cases in particular; and
- articulate the role played by the courts in the policy-making process.
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