What Will the Supreme Court’s Most Consequential Decisions Mean for Democracy? On July 1, Georgetown Law’s ‘2026 Term in Review’ Tackles the Question

On July 1, leading legal scholars, journalists and advocates—including Michele Goodwin, Erwin Chemerinsky and Sherrilyn Ifill—will examine the Supreme Court’s latest term and its implications for reproductive rights, voting rights, executive power and the rule of law.

The 2025 Supreme Court in Review. (Derek Lamar Studios)

On Wednesday, July 1, Georgetown Law and the O’Neill Institute for National and Global Health Law will host the 2026 Supreme Court Term in Review, a timely discussion examining one of the most consequential Supreme Court terms in recent memory. As the United States marks its 250th anniversary, participants will consider how the Court’s decisions are reshaping the balance of power among the branches of government and testing the resilience of American democracy.

Held at Georgetown University’s Capitol Campus (125 E Street, NW, Washington, D.C., 20001), the event will bring together leading legal scholars, journalists and advocates to analyze the Court’s major decisions and their implications for democracy, civil rights and the rule of law. RSVP here.

Moderated by Georgetown Law professor Michele Bratcher Goodwin—faculty director of the O’Neill Institute, executive producer of Ms. Studios and host of the Ms. podcast On the Issues—the program will explore cases involving birthright citizenship, voting rights, reproductive healthcare access, LGBTQ+ rights, criminal justice, free speech, tariffs and the limits of executive authority.

Panelists in the Supreme Court Term in Review discussion include Dean Erwin Chemerinsky of UC Berkeley School of Law, New York Times columnist Jamelle Bouie, Slate senior writer Mark Joseph Stern, Guardian columnist Moira Donegan, civil rights scholar Sherrilyn Ifill and legal journalist Chris Geidner.

The Rule of Law in the Trump Era

A second discussion, “The Rule of Law in the Trump Era,” will examine the legal and constitutional challenges arising from the Trump administration’s use of executive power. More than 750 lawsuits have challenged administration policies, with dozens reaching the Supreme Court, raising urgent questions about executive authority, judicial independence and the separation of powers.

The panel will address issues including executive orders, immigration and mass deportations, the Alien Enemies Act, efforts to dismantle federal agencies, federal workforce reductions, attacks on diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, tariffs, birthright citizenship and the potential revival of the Comstock Act.

Featured speakers include The Nation senior editor Regina Mahone, Skye Perryman, president of Democracy Forward, Fatima Goss Graves, president and CEO of the National Women’s Law Center, Lizz Winstead, co-creator of The Daily Show, Phil Brest, American Constitution Society president, and healthcare expert Andrew Twinamatsiko.

For reproductive rights advocates, the discussions come at a pivotal moment. Panelists will examine abortion access, the future of reproductive healthcare, the continued threat posed by Comstock-era antiabortion laws, and the broader implications of Supreme Court rulings for bodily autonomy and gender justice.

The event will take place from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. ET on Wednesday, July 1, at Georgetown University Capitol Campus, 125 E St., NW, Washington, D.C. Attendance is free and open to the public, with registration required. Continuing legal education credit is available through the American Constitution Society. Save your spot and register today.

The 2026 Supreme Court Term in Review is sponsored by Georgetown Law, the O’Neill Institute for National and Global Health Law, Ms. Studios, Ms. magazine and the Feminist Majority Foundation.

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