AUWCL Professors Share Analysis on Supreme Court Decisions

The final week of the just-completed U.S. Supreme Court session was marked with some landmark decisions, which will impact millions. During this historic term, the Supreme Court Justices ruled in favor of same-sex marriage, upheld tax subsidies in the Affordable Care Act, voted against housing discrimination, and much more.

American University Washington College of Law faculty closely followed the Court’s decisions, analyzing the implications, politics, and consequences of each of the cases.

Professor Stephen Vladeck, an expert on constitutional law and federal jurisdiction, shared his insider knowledge of the Supreme Court with CNN Newsroom. Following the Affordable Care Act decision, Vladeck discussed what made Justice Kennedy change his mind about the constitutionality of the law. He also spoke to CNN about Chief Justice Roberts’ stern dissent after the same-sex marriage decision.

Professor Stephen Wermiel, whose experience with the Supreme Court spans over 30 years, appeared on WTTG-FOX5, analyzing the significance of the Affordable Care Act decision for the Obama administration and previewing the same-sex marriage ruling.  Wermiel separately spoke about the decision in Obergefell v. Hodges on WTTG-FOX5 the morning after. Wermiel also told the The Columbus Dispatch, that despite the recent high profile rulings we still have “a pretty conservative Court.” 

Professor Amanda Frost, an expert in constitutional law and federal courts and jurisdiction, commented on the possibility of Justice Anthony Kennedy siding with the liberal justices ahead of the same-sex marriage decision in an interview with KETV7-ABC.

In an op-ed for Reuters, Professor William Yeomans argued that Chief Justice Roberts’ vote to uphold the Affordable Care Act is a “big gift to Republicans,” as Republicans realized a Supreme Court ruling against the law would result in a collapse of the health care system.