The words “justice” and “equity” have been on the front burner for several years, and no matter color, race or creed, Americans have always strived to interpret them in ways that support a universal idea of fairness. Lawyers often use the concepts of justice and equity when making closing arguments to juries to appeal to a sense of rightness or appropriate conduct..

The recent $137 million jury verdict against Tesla in a racial discrimination case brought by Owen Diaz, a former African-American subcontractor of Tesla, is a perfect example of how Americans still harken back to ideals and principles enshrined in our Constitution and words engraved into stone atop the U.S. Supreme Court building: “Equal Justice Under Law.”