The Brethren: Inside the Supreme Court Study Guide

The United States Supreme Court performs its work in secret. Very little of what they do is in front of the public, whether it is internal debates, drafts of opinions, deliberations, etc. The decisions are announced in the form of written decisions. The Justices also tend to shun the public eye, limiting their public appearances to those that are ceremonial. The court's session, known as the term, is from October to June or July. This is the period during which it hears cases and renders decisions. (read more)