Jessica Schoenherr is an Assistant Professor of Political Science at the University of Georgia. She received her Ph.D. from Michigan State University in 2020. Dr. Schoenherr’s research interests are in American political institutions and the U.S. federal court system, particularly the Supreme Court. She specifically addresses two different but related questions: (1) Who shapes the law? and (2) Who shapes perceptions of the judiciary and its shaping of the law? Some of her work is funded by a National Science Foundation grant, and different pieces have been published or accepted in outlets including the American Journal of Political Science, the Journal of Politics, and the Journal of Law and Courts.

Karson Pennington Ray is a Lecturer in the Department of Political Science at the University of Georgia. Karson is interested in judicial politics, constitutional law, and criminal justice studies. She received her Ph.D. from the University of Georgia, and her dissertation explores technology usage in the federal district courts before, during, and after COVID-19, specifically in criminal cases. Her passion for education and early literacy skills works in tandem with her interests in increasing civic engagement. In 2021, Karson represented the University of Georgia as Miss UGA at the Miss Georgia Scholarship Competition. After becoming Miss Georgia 2021, she competed at the 100th Miss America Competition while advocating for equal education for all. Karson grew up in Augusta, Georgia and currently resides in Norcross, Georgia. In her spare time, she enjoys reading and spending time with her husband and three cats.

Jonathan M. King is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Political Science. He received his Ph.D. from Michigan State University in 2023 and bachelor’s degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Prior to joining UGA, he was an assistant professor at West Virginia University from 2023-2025.

Professor King’s research and teaching focus on American political institutions, specifically the U.S. federal courts. In his work, he examines 1) who is selected to become federal judges and the inter-branch dynamics that influence the confirmation process and 2) how interactions between judges or justices influence judicial decision making and the public’s reaction to judicial outcomes. His work has been published in the American Journal of Political Science, Political Research Quarterly, American Politics Research, and the Journal of Law and Courts, among others, and has been supported by National Science Foundation Collaborative Research and Dissertation Improvement grants. Professor King teaches courses on constitutional law, judicial politics and process, and criminal justice administration.