The origins of public policy reflect a combination of public opinion, influence by organizations and businesses, and court cases. But every policy really starts with a single idea, usually emanating from a problem that a group of people face.

To fully understand the meaning of court decisions and the reasoning behind court opinions, it is essential that we delve into an understanding of the policy decisions that affect the people that ultimately brought those court decisions.

To prepare for this Discussion:

Think about the role that government institutions, individuals, and organizations play in the policymaking process. Has it changed over time? Has influence shifted in recent years?

How does the role of local and state governments differ from that of the federal government in policymaking?

Research and select a recent case in LexisNexis that is representative of the court’s policymaking and explain how the decision would affect public policy at the local, state, or federal level. You must use a case other than the ones identified in the Learning Resources.

With these thoughts in mind:

Proved a brief 300-500 word summary of the case you selected and citation. Then, explain how you see this case having a significant impact on local, state, or federal policy and why. Support your explanation with scholarly resources.

Note: You must select a case that is not identified in your text or the weekly reading.

• Required Resources
  GRAGLIA, L. A. (1994). DO JUDGES HAVE A POLICY-MAKING ROLE IN THE AMERICAN SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT? HARVARD JOURNAL OF LAW & PUBLIC POLICY, 17(1), 118–130. RETRIEVED FROM HTTP://WWW.HARVARD-JLPP.COM/VOLS-13-19/#171ARTICLE…
  Reinhardt, S. R. (1994). The Supreme Court as a partially political institution. Harvard Journal of Law & Public Policy, 17(1), 148–153. Retrieved from http://www.harvard-jlpp.com/vols-13-19/#171