Amy Coney Barrett's 2016 Hesburgh Lecture | Capturing History Through Media as a Trustworthy Chronicle
On November 3, 2016, barely a week before the U.S. presidential election, then–constitutional law scholar Amy Coney Barrett delivered the Hesburgh Lecture at Jacksonville University’s Public Policy Institute. Her talk, titled “Impacts of the Presidential Election on the Supreme Court,” offered remarkably thoughtful reflections on the intersection of elections and the judiciary.
1. Timeliness and Relevance
Standing at the cusp of a pivotal election, Barrett’s lecture gained urgency and resonance. She addressed how electoral outcomes can shape Supreme Court composition and jurisprudence—an insight that remains deeply relevant in today’s politically charged climate.
2. Constitutional Integrity Over Partisanship
One of the lecture's most compelling merits was its principled stance on judicial selection. Barrett asserted that:
“We shouldn’t be putting people on the court that share our policy preferences. We should be putting people on the court who want to apply the Constitution.”
This emphasis on fidelity to constitutional interpretation rather than ideological alignment marks a thoughtful and mature jurisprudential philosophy WJXT.
3. Scholarly Credibility and Judicial Perspective
As a former clerk to Justice Antonin Scalia, Barrett brought a deep understanding of originalist jurisprudence. Her lecture melded academic credential and grounded judicial philosophy, lending both authority and balance to her argument.
4. Educating Public and Academic Audiences
The Hesburgh Lecture Series is designed to bridge academia and public discourse. Barrett's participation helped illuminate how high-stakes policy decisions are filtered through legal frameworks, equipping students, citizens, and policy professionals with grounded legal perspective.
5. Historical and Educational Value
Recorded and archived—presumably on YouTube and university platforms—this lecture serves as a lasting resource. For students, scholars, or anyone seeking to understand how judicial philosophy is shaped in real time, it offers invaluable insight into the intellectual foundations of contemporary legal thought.
Concluding Thoughts
Justice Amy Coney Barrett’s 2016 Hesburgh Lecture stands out for its timeliness, intellectual depth, and principled approach to judicial philosophy. In urging that judges prioritize the Constitution over policy alignment, she delivered a speech whose relevance endures—reminding us that the judiciary should embody stability, integrity, and fidelity to foundational law.
Post Script Thoughts:
It was an incredible opportunity to capture this Hesburgh Lecture at the JU Public Policy Institute. I was able to briefly meet Justice Barrett and can attest to the fact that she was a very polite, charming and intellectual person who possessed great knowledge and command of law.
