The Supreme Court will be handing down decisions in high-profile cases in the next few weeks, including King v. Burwell which challenges the Affordable Care Act, commonly known as Obamacare, and Obergefell v. Hodges which aims to clarify states’ rights in recognizing same-sex marriages.

Richard Pacelle, a University of Tennessee, Knoxville, professor and head of the Department of Political Science, is an expert on the US Supreme Court. Pacelle can provide expert insight, analysis, and commentary on the Court’s arguments and processes as well as significance of the rulings. These cases have the potential to fundamentally change the law in a number of areas, create ripples across constitutional law and show the broad impact of the Supreme Court plays in our daily lives. The decisions also will also help shape the contours of the 2016 presidential election. "The decisions in the same-sex marriage and Obamacare cases should remind everyone of the influence that unelected justices have in American politics. And given the ages of the current justices and the ideological composition of the Court, the judiciary promises to be a central issue in 2016," said Pacelle.

Pacelle recently published a book, "Supreme Court in a Separation of Powers System," that examines how it interacts with other arms of government.

More information about Pacelle is available at http://experts.tntoday.utk.edu/experts/richard-pacelle/.

Please contact Pacelle at 865-974-2845 or [email protected]. For assistance in arranging an interview, contact Lola Alapo at 865-974-3993 or [email protected].