Tommy G. Thompson Center on Public Leadership Presents:

Power and Perception: Democracy, Enforcement, and Trust in U.S. Courts

Kenosha, Wis. - The Tommy G. Thompson Center on Public Leadership will host a nationally recognized panel of legal scholars, journalists, and public thinkers for Power and Perception: Democracy, Enforcement, and Trust in U.S. Courts, a public event examining the role and limitations of the judiciary at a time of heightened political tension and declining trust in American institutions. The program will take place on Tuesday, April 16, 2025, at LOCATION, featuring a moderated conversation from 7:30-8:40 p.m., followed by a public Q&A session.

This event will cover public expectations, judicial capabilities, and unknown territory while exploring the role and challenges facing U.S. courts against the backdrop of waning public trust, democratic decline, and constitutional uncertainty.

With the country increasingly divided on the courts' role in resolving major political conflicts, this event will engage critical questions shaping the present and future of the federal judiciary, including:
• What expectations does the public place on the judiciary-and are they compatible with constitutional limits?
• How should courts respond when commentators describe a modern "constitutional crisis"?
• Has the public placed too much-or too little-faith in courts as guardians of democracy?
• What is broken, what is misunderstood, and what challenges lie ahead?
• Is the current court system capable of addressing today's power struggles, or is it becoming obsolete in changing political dynamics?

Featured Panelists
Lee Epstein is an Ethan A.H. Shepley Distinguished University professor at Washington University in St. Louis. One of the world's foremost scholars of judicial behavior, Epstein is a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and the American Academy of Political and Social Science. She has authored or edited 20 books and more than 160 scholarly works and serves as Principal Investigator of the U.S. Supreme Court Database. Her research and teaching span constitutional law, free speech, and Supreme Court decision-making.

David French is a columnist with The New York Times. French is a bestselling author, former constitutional litigator, and veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom, where he was awarded the Bronze Star. A graduate of Harvard Law School, he has served in leadership roles at The Dispatch, The Atlantic, and the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education. His recent work includes Divided We Fall: America's Secession Threat and How to Restore Our Nation.

Michelle Goldberg is an Opinion Columnist with The New York Times. A Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, Goldberg writes extensively on politics, democracy, gender, and cultural movements. She is the author of three acclaimed books and has contributed to The New Yorker, The Nation, The New Republic, and more. She is also an on-air contributor for MSNBC.
Alex Tahk will moderate the evening's conversation and facilitate audience questions.

Schedule
• 5:00-6:00 PM - Catered dinner for speakers (private)
• 6:00-7:00 PM - VIP reception with appetizers and beverages
• 7:00 PM - Speakers sound check
• 7:00-7:30 PM - Attendees finish dinner; speakers seated at head table
• 7:30-8:40 PM - Moderated program
• 8:40-9:00 PM - Audience Q&A

About the University of Wisconsin-Parkside
Since its founding in 1968, the University of Wisconsin-Parkside has been a trusted partner for the region's higher educational needs, empowering students to thrive, advancing applied knowledge, and developing talent for the future. The university offers undergraduate and graduate degrees, as well as certificates and pre-professional programs, designed to foster personal and professional growth through real-world and impactful learning experiences. Located in the dynamic Chicago-Milwaukee corridor, UW-Parkside offers unmatched access to world-class internships, professional networks, and endless career-building opportunities, placing students at the center of it all.