MURAJ: In Focus – The Odyssey of a Court Junkie

Abstract

An esteemed scholar of the United States Supreme Court, Dr. Timothy R. Johnson identifies himself as a “court junkie,” someone who lives and breathes the study of courts.  I spoke with Dr. Johnson to discuss his odyssey from an undergraduate student interested in international politics to one of the leading scholars on oral argument in American judicial politics. We discussed his research agenda, his advice on how to get involved in undergraduate research, and how seriously he takes teaching. Always eager to help, Dr. Johnson has surprised many of his students by replying to email questions before students can exit out of their email page. As a student, research assistant, and coauthor of Dr. Johnson, I left our conversation ecstatic and motivated to continue my own pursuit of a career as a political scientist.