The Relationship Between Public Opinion & Supreme Court Decisions: A Focus on Modern-Day Media Coverage

Abstract

The objective of this thesis is to investigate the dynamic relationship between public opinion and Supreme Court decisions. This thesis focuses on how media coverage plays a significant role in effecting this relationship. Using past research and findings, this thesis attempts to apply these conclusions to modern-day media sources such as the Internet. The findings from this thesis suggest that Slotnick and Segal's conclusion that the number of amicus curie briefs filed within a Supreme Court decision in addition to the subject area of a case continue to be the two most determinant factors in the level of media coverage which a Supreme Court decision will receive. Additionally, these findings suggest otherwise in Hoekstra's conclusion that local and national media sources report Supreme Court decisions differently than each other including the extent of their coverage over extended periods of time. Understanding this thesis' findings will assist in conceptualizing the significant role media coverage plays in the relationship between public opinion and Supreme Court decisions.