The Supreme Court

in America is not the same as the Supreme Court here. The Downunder equivalent would be the High Court.
I have been to our High Court. I have been there more than once. It is a rather intimidating building, especially for a law student. I have even managed to actually squeak out my arguments in the High Court - and yes, I probably did sound like a frightened cat. You are standing there in a huge room facing people who have immense power, whose decisions will  not only determine your future but influence the entire nation. It doesn't matter if you are merely a student. You have to support your case - and it had better be well supported or they can tear you to shreds. Fortunately for me the judges were sympathetic. 
It is little wonder that those appearing in front of the judges are normally very senior members of the legal profession. 
Because of the location of the law school I attended - it is in the nation's capital - we sometimes saw High Court judges in the law school. They generally tended to be courteous - but not terribly interested in the students.
But, I was introduced to more than one. The Senior Cat's cousin, despite being retired from foreign affairs, still wielded a great deal of influence. When I was the subject of an editorial in the capital's newspaper - thankfully for all the right reasons - I was asked to speak briefly to three of the judges. They heard what I had to say in the court itself. I was told "You have three minutes Cat - get it right and you'll have immense backing."
I am immensely thankful that the Senior Cat's cousin was there to hold my paw. I might not have been arguing the law but what I wanted was every bit as important and the weight of the responsibility I felt was far greater than anything I had ever felt before. It's still there in a sense.
They made me realise the immense responsibility held by those who sit in the highest courts of any country - and the responsibilities of those who appear before them. It is something which has stayed with me.
Judges are not perfect people. They are human like the rest of us. They can get things wrong. Their upbringing and education can influence them. They have emotions like the rest of us. They have beliefs. It is their job to try and put those aside and apply the law. I remember my constitutional law professor admitting that a decision by one judge had surprised him. 
    "I didn't think he would write a dissenting judgement. He's usually more conservative."
Perhaps someone will one day be able to say the same thing of the newly appointed judge to the US Supreme Court. I hope so anyway.