Supreme Court

Imagine a group of judges with the power to counter the President or the entire Congress. You may know that there have only been 46 U.S. Presidents, but did you know there have only been 115 Supreme Court Justices? This article is about the U.S. Supreme Court, the highest level of the U.S. judicial system. As the highest court in the U.S. federal government, decisions have a massive impact on the citizens, businesses, and even other branches/levels of government. In this summary, we will examine the functions and structure of the court, as well its history and membership.

Supreme Court Definition

Have you ever heard of SCOTUS? This acronym refers to the Supreme Court of the United States. Currently made up of nine judges, called justices, this body is known as the highest court in America. The Supreme Court has the ability to have the final say on reviewing laws and policies.

“Equal Justice Under Law '' is inscribed on the building above the main entrance for all to see. The mission of this court is to serve as the final decision maker in reviewing legal issues in the United States of America.

Fig 1. U.S. Supreme Court, Washington, D.C.

Supreme Court Structure

The Supreme Court was organized and empowered by Article 3 of the U.S. Constitution.

Purposes of the Supreme Court

The Supreme Court as we know it decides what violates the constitution and what doesn't. Sometimes this means deciding whether a citizen's rights have been violated, or whether the government has acted outside the scope of its powers. The court uses many tools to make these decisions: The original text; amendments; interpretations; and previous court decisions for example. In addition, the Court serves a ceremonial role in administering the Presidential Oath of Office during inaugurations, as well as overseeing pivotal procedures such as Presidential impeachment trials.

Justices of the court deliberate and issue rulings, or "opinions," on a limited number of cases annually that impact U.S. law and policy. As designed in the Constitution, three branches of national government were established, with a separation of powers between each branch. In contrast to the judicial branch, the legislative branch is charged with making the laws while the executive branch is charged with carrying out the laws.

Judicial Review

The Supreme Court has the power to declare federal laws or Presidential actions unconstitutional. This clear example of checks and balances seeks to prohibit the legislative and executive branches from abusing their power under the Constitution. The federal courts and the Supreme Court have the unique power of judicial review in order to make sure the other branches do not become too powerful.

Fig 2. The seal of the United States Supreme Court

Powers and Functions of the Supreme Court

The basic functions of the Supreme Court are to:

• Interpret the Constitution of the United States

• Rule on cases where the Constitution or federal regulations or laws are questioned in the lower courts

• Use the power of Judicial Review (established in Marbury v. Madison) to determine whether actions of the other two branches of government violate the constitution.

Supreme Court Operations

The Supreme Court holds annual sessions in Washington, D.C.starting on the first Monday in October. The session runs through June and occasionally into early July. During that time, the Justices hear cases, draft opinions and deliver decisions. Court opinions are heavily followed and reported in the news.

Supreme Court Justices

The Supreme Court Justices have a powerful role in the U.S. federal government. Each Supreme Court justice is nominated by the U.S. President and must be confirmed by the U.S. Senate, bringing a certain level of political discussion to the process. In a rare government instance, Supreme Court Justices serve for life. That means justices can serve in the role until they choose to retire or die. The Chief Justice and Associate Justices have considerable power.

Supreme Court Chief Justice

One of the nine justices serves as ‘Chief Justice,’ who acts as the chief administrator of the Court and helps facilitate decisions among the justices about which cases to hear. In this process, the justices usually receive 7,000-8,000 requests to hear cases each year. These are called Petitions for Certiorari, and are reviewed using a threshold known as the "Rule of Four." When at least 4 of the 9 justices are in favor of hearing arguments in a matter, they issue a Writ of Certiorari. Only about 80 cases per year are chosen by the court for review.

Members of the Supreme Court

Since 1869, Federal law has fixed the number of Supreme Court Justices at 9. The current makeup of the court is listed below, with Republican appointees labeled in red and Democratic in blue.

Current Members of the U.S. Supreme Court 2022. StudySmarter Original.

Supreme Court History

Since its creation under the U.S. Constitution in 1789, the Supreme Court has undergone minimal changes for most of U.S. History. Court composition has ranged between 5-10 justices, with the current number of 9 set in 1869. As long as Justices exhibit what the Constitution labels ‘good behavior,' they can remain in office unless they decide to retire or are forced out due to illness or death. The only case of impeachment of a Supreme Court Justice was in 1805 when Samuel Chase was impeached by the U.S. House for treason, but the Senate dismissed the case for lack of jurisdiction.

Supreme Court Interpretations

Over its long history, the Supreme Court has ruled on issues ranging from free speech, gun ownership rights, abortion, and health care. On occasion, some decisions are so far-reaching and stand out as impacting the course of the nation’s legal system that they are known as landmark decisions.

Landmark Supreme Court Decisions

Table of Landmark Supreme Court Decisions, StudySmarter Original