Keep 9 Amendment Essay Contest Rules
Topic: In 1000 words or less, answer the following prompt:
Should America adopt the Keep 9 Amendment?
Proposed Amendment: “The Supreme Court shall be composed of nine Justices.”
Eligibility: All United States high school students in grades nine through twelve attending public, private,
parochial, or home schools.
Essay Guidelines:
● The essay must not exceed 1000 words (excluding footnotes and/or bibliography)
● First page must include the title
● No applicant information must be listed on essay pages
● 12 point Times New Roman font and double spaced
● Bibliography and/or footnotes not required
Submission Guidelines:
● Submit the essay as a PDF file to [email protected]
● The essay deadline is June 1 at 11:59 PST
● Within the submission, include applicant’s name, grade, email and phone number, as well as the
applicant’s high school’s name and address
Winners will be notified by August
Recognition and Awards:
● First Place: $500 awarded to the winning essays on both sides.
● Runner-ups: certificates awarded, number of awards to be determined.
● Top essays will be judged by a bipartisan judging panel.
Optional Sources:
Presidential Commission on the Supreme Court of the United States Final Report – https://keepnine.org
Expand the Supreme Court: Reps. Nadler, Johnson, and Jones and Senator Markey Introduce Legislation to Restore Justice and Democracy to Judicial System
Court Packing as an Antidote by Rivka Weill
The Trouble with Court-Packing by Neil Siegel
How to Save the Supreme Court by Daniel Epps, Ganesh Sitaraman
Supreme Court as Superweapon: A Response to Epps & Sitaraman by Stephen Sachs
The Atlantic: “Don’t Pack the Courts” by Bob Bauer
The ‘Keep Nine’Amendment Can Save the Supreme Court by Dan McLaughlin
Questions may be directed to [email protected]
