Technology review: SCOTUS Blog and App

The SCOTUS blog and app provide up-to-date information about the U.S. Supreme Court.

Maintained by well-respected professionals and having received many awards, this blog provides up-to-date information about all aspects of the Supreme Court of the United States.

In addition to frequent blog postings, the website also contains fascinating information. The Merits Cases provides access to each October Term. The Petitions section lists the docket number, case page, and issues for petitions they’re tracking. The Statistics page provides data on dispositions by sitting. The Special Features page highlights articles and multimedia of particular interest. The Plain English page features background information, procedures, a glossary of legal terms, biographies of the justices, and blog entries for novices. The Videos page links to interesting presentations, speeches, and panel discussions. The Resources page links to background information of interest including the multimedia library and blogroll. Finally, the Administration page provides information about the website and connects with social media.

The app provides some of the information provided at the website, but formatting problems can make it difficult to access some content. On the other hand, students who just want quick access to key ideas may like the streamlined approach of the website.

Librarians will find this website useful for students studying US government. Easier to access than some of the government sites, the Plain English area is of particular interest to teachers because of the way it provides background information for people interested in learning the procedures and terminology related to the courts. Teachers may also find some of the videos useful for classroom activities.

To visit the website, go to http://www.scotusblog.com/
To download the app, go to https://itunes.apple.com/…/supreme-court-united…/id723205705.