Diane P. Wood, Chief Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, was recently interviewed for High School SCOTUS, a blog written by high school students that focuses on the U.S. Supreme Court.
In the interview, Chief Judge Wood spoke about the importance of civic engagement, the judiciary’s role in a functioning democracy, and the past Supreme Court justice she would most like to have dinner with. Additionally, she shared memories from her own time in high school, including pressing topics of the day and what eventually influenced her to attend law school.
When asked about the rewards and difficulties associated with working as a Chief Judge she said,
“It’s very rewarding to have the trust of people, to be in the position to resolve disputes in such a wide range of subjects. I’ve traveled quite a bit internationally and met with judges from a very large number of other countries, and they’re often astonished that we have constitutional, administrative, criminal, civil, state, and federal responsibilities. I find it a great challenge, but it’s also a great privilege.”
Read the full interview here.