We’re taught the Supreme Court was designed to be above the fray of politics. But at a time when partisanship seeps into every pore of American life, are the nine justices living up to that promise? More Perfect is a guide to the current moment on the Court. We bring the highest court of the land down to earth, telling the human dramas at the Court that shape so many aspects of American life — from our religious freedom to our artistic expression, from our reproductive choices to our voice in democracy.
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We’re taught the Supreme Court was designed to be above the fray of politics. But at a time when partisanship seeps into every pore of American life, are the nine justices living up to that promise? More Perfect is a guide to the current moment on the Court. We bring the highest court of the land down to earth, telling the human dramas at the Court that shape so many aspects of American life — from our religious freedom to our artistic expression, from our reproductive choices to our voice in democracy.
The law protects creators' original work against copycats, but it also leaves the door open for some kinds of copying. When a photographer sues the Andy Warhol Foundation for using her work without permission, the justices struggle not to play art critics as they decide the case. More Perfect explores how this star-studded case offers a look at how this Court actually makes decisions.
Voices in the episode include:
• David Hobbs — known as Mr. Mixx, co-founder of the hip-hop group 2 Live Crew
• Jerry Saltz — senior art critic and columnist for New York magazine
• Pierre Leval — judge on U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit
• Jeannie Suk Gersen — More Perfect legal advisor, Harvard Law professor, New Yorker writer
• Lynn Goldsmith — photographer
• Andy Warhol — as himself
Learn more:
• 1994: Campbell v. Acuff-Rose Music, Inc.
• 2023: Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, Inc. v. Goldsmith
• "Toward A Fair Use Standard" by Pierre Leval
• The Andy Warhol Foundation
Shadow dockets, term limits, amicus briefs — what puzzles you about the Supreme Court? What stories are you curious about? We want to answer your questions in our next season. Click here to leave us a voice memo.
Supreme Court archival audio comes from Oyez®, a free law project by Justia and the Legal Information Institute of Cornell Law School.
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Support for More Perfect is provided in part by The Smart Family Fund.
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More Perfect
We’re taught the Supreme Court was designed to be above the fray of politics. But at a time when partisanship seeps into every pore of American life, are the nine justices living up to that promise? More Perfect is a guide to the current moment on the Court. We bring the highest court of the land down to earth, telling the human dramas at the Court that shape so many aspects of American life — from our religious freedom to our artistic expression, from our reproductive choices to our voice in democracy.
