The American Association of University Women (AAUW), Half Moon Bay Branch is teaming up with San Mateo County Libraries to bring you a discussion on the work of the Supreme Court. Through her popular interactive discussion on important cases pending before the Supreme Court, retired lawyer Barbara Creed will help participants gain an understanding of how the Court does its work and an appreciation for the complexities of the cases the Court handles.

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Youth under 13 years old must have their adult join them for this event. By registering you are acknowledging that you are over 13, and that you intend to participate in this program. If you are under 13, please ask your adult to help you sign up.

Additionally, we use a third-party vendor for this program, Zoom. Zoom has their own privacy and data collection policies which you can find here https://zoom.us/privacy/. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of every third-party website or service that you visit or use, including those third parties with whom you interact through our Library services.

The Supreme Court as composed October 27, 2020 to present. Front row, left to right: Associate Justice Samuel A. Alito, Jr., Associate Justice Clarence Thomas, Chief Justice John G. Roberts, Jr., Associate Justice Stephen G. Breyer, and Associate Justice Sonia Sotomayor.

Back row, left to right: Associate Justice Brett M. Kavanaugh, Associate Justice Elena Kagan, Associate Justice Neil M. Gorsuch, and Associate Justice Amy Coney Barrett.

Credit: Fred Schilling, Collection of the Supreme Court of the United States Nine Justices make up the current Supreme Court: one Chief Justice and eight Associate Justices.

The Honorable John G. Roberts, Jr., is the 17th Chief Justice of the United States, and there have been 103 Associate Justices in the Court’s history.

Attorney Barbara Creed believes that the Supreme Court is the least well understood branch of our Federal government.

Through her popular interactive discussion programs of important cases pending before the Supreme Court Barbara seeks to help participants gain an understanding of how the Court does its work and an appreciation for the complexities of the cases the Court handles.

Each Court term starting on the first Monday in October, Barbara selects three cases the Court will consider during that term.  These are not cases that are front-page news, but they involve important and discussable issues.  Reading links are available on this web site before the sessions.  During the session Barbara briefs the group on the facts and issues involved in each case and leads the group in discussion of the case.  After discussion the group votes on how it believes the Court should decide the case.  When the Court has issued its rulings in all three cases (usually the end of June) Barbara writes to the group to let them know what the Court decided and how the Court’s decisions compare with the group’s votes.

Because the Court’s term starts in October and ends in June, Barbara gives these programs in October through February.  The ideal length of the session in 75 to 90 minutes, but Barbara can present a 60 or 120-minute program by adjusting the time allowed for discussion.

Barbara has presented these programs to many groups, including alumni organizations, social clubs, retirement communities, church groups and groups of friends.  (in the 2019-20 Court term Barbara gave the program over 25 times, reaching almost 500 participants.)   The programs are appropriate for groups from 10 to 100.  Barbara will travel throughout the Bay Area to give programs and also has given programs in the form of a webinar.  There is no charge for a program, but if the organization normally provides an honorarium to its speakers, Barbara requests that the honorarium be sent to a charity of her choice.

During the pandemic, Barbara is offering these programs by Zoom. She can use your group’s account or give a program to your group on her own account.