The 8th Amendment protects people from cruel and unusual punishment. This protection is meant to ensure that no person is overly punished for the crimes they were sentenced for. But in all actuality, what determines a punishment to be cruel?

The Fourth Amendment to the Constitution was designed to protect U.S. citizens from abuses of privacy by government power. In Fourth Amendment cases, justices are tasked with deciding whether a defendant’s right to privacy was violated or whether an illegal search and/or seizure occurred. But how are these decisions made, and does broader representation on the court alter such decisions?