Seton Hall Law Students Visit the Supreme Court

Justice Brett Kavanaugh and Dean Ronald Weich stand at the center, surrounded by Seton Hall Law students during their visit to the U.S. Supreme Court. Photo courtesy of Ronald Weich.

A visit to the nation's highest court gave Seton Hall Law students an opportunity to observe oral arguments, meet Justice Brett Kavanaugh and reflect on the importance of preparation, humility and mutual respect.

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When I entered law school, I never imagined I would have the opportunity to sit down and speak with a U.S. Supreme Court Justice. On Nov. 2, 2026, I had that privilege alongside Dean Ronald Weich and 14 fellow Seton Hall Law students. What began as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity became an experience that profoundly shaped my appreciation for the judiciary and the people behind the decisions we study. 

We began with two hours of oral arguments. In Maxwell v. Dinis, the Court considered whether habeas corpus could be used to seek earlier placement in home confinement or a halfway house. In Younge v. Fulton Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office, the issue concerned an affirmative defense omitted from an initial answer. What struck me most was how thoroughly prepared the justices were and how a single question could shift the direction of the discussion. 

Following oral arguments, we had lunch with Dean Weich before meeting with Justice Brett Kavanaugh. “I am grateful to Justice Kavanaugh for welcoming our students and sharing his perspectives. Experiences like this bring the law to life beyond the classroom,” said Dean Weich. “I hope our students carry forward the importance of thoughtful engagement, intellectual curiosity and respect for differing perspectives that are essential to the legal profession.” Our visit concluded with a guided tour of the Supreme Court, capping a memorable day for all of us. Meeting Justice Kavanaugh was a particularly meaningful highlight of the experience. 

One of my greatest takeaways from the visit was that justices are people, too. As law students, we encounter Supreme Court justices primarily through our textbooks. Meeting Justice Kavanaugh offered an entirely different perspective. I appreciated his humor, humility and genuine enthusiasm for his work and family. He spoke fondly about his daughters and how their interests led him to follow the WNBA and women’s college basketball. His depth of knowledge of both was particularly impressive. Equally impressive was his remarkable recollection of the cases he had decided.

Justice Kavanaugh shared three guiding principles with us: (1) putting yourself in someone else’s shoes, a lesson he drew from Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird; (2) always be prepared, advice from his former high school Latin teacher, Father Byrne; and (3) never be afraid. He emphasized the importance of doing the right thing even when times get tough. 

Perhaps one of the more powerful lessons of the visit was that mutual respect and meaningful relationships are essential to institutions where disagreement is inevitable. This was especially evident during oral arguments, where Chief Justice John Roberts made a deliberate effort to ensure that every justice had an opportunity to participate, periodically checking whether anyone had additional questions. 

As Catherine Birri, president of Seton Hall Law’s Federalist Society, reflected, “I deeply appreciated how invested and collaborative all nine Supreme Court justices were during oral arguments. They were exceptionally well prepared, built on one another’s questions and showed the utmost respect for each other and for the Court. These are nine very different people, yet it’s clear they all share a deep love of the law.”

Justice Kavanaugh also spoke warmly about his friendship with Justice Elena Kagan, who had previously hired him to teach at Harvard Law School. I was honored to ask him how the justices build relationships and foster a sense of community. He explained that they share lunch following oral arguments, often discussing matters entirely unrelated to the law. It was refreshing to learn that, despite their differing judicial philosophies, the justices make a conscious effort to connect as both colleagues and individuals.

I left Washington with a renewed appreciation for the rule of law and the importance of approaching disagreements with humility and respect. I am incredibly grateful to Justice Kavanaugh, Dean Weich, and Seton Hall Law for an experience I will carry with me throughout my legal career.

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Jason Galak is a third-year student at Seton Hall University School of Law, where he serves as president of the Student Bar Association. He previously worked as a summer associate at Trenk Isabel Siddiqi & Shahdanian. Upon graduation, he will serve as a law clerk for the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of New Jersey.