If Supreme Court cases were simply a matter of applying/not applying the law, a good law student could go straight from the bar exam to a seat on the Court and little would be lost. It is judgment, as well as (if not more than) knowledge of the law, that makes a good judge, and - speaking only for myself here - in my opinion reason and empathy are both important factors in good judgment.
Excellent points, Julia!
It is unforunate that, looking at the Supreme Court in the broad history of the USA, good judgment has so often been lacking in their decisions --- not to mention empathy and simple humanity.
However, the "selection" of G. W. Bush as President in 2000 was not the worst thing that the Supreme Court has ever done --- that "honor" goes to the Dred Scott decision of 1857, which made the Civil War inevitable.
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