Once among the most revered institutions in America, the Supreme Court is under a cloud. Several justices have been harshly criticized for failing to report large gifts from people likely to have cases before the Court, and for political displays that undercut the Court’s claim to impartiality. Longstanding precedents establishing basic freedoms, and ensuring that no one is above the law, have been overturned. In this lecture, Jess Velona will review how we got here and address some of the major reform proposals, including expanding the Court, term limits, and a binding ethics code.

About the Presenter: Jess Velona has taught courses on Russian history, the Nazi regime, and other topics at Fordham University’s College at 60 and NYU’s School of Professional Studies, as well as African American history at CUNY’s College of Staten Island. He has been a Lecturer-in-Law at Columbia Law School since 2006. Jess graduated from Harvard College and received an MA in history from NYU before completing Columbia Law School. He was a law clerk for then-Judge Ruth Bader Ginsburg,  As a one time candidate for public office in Manhattan and former aide to Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan, Jess loves sharing his passion for politics and history with students and adult audiences across the New York metropolitan area.