The Supreme Court of the United States

Introduction

The Supreme Court of the United States is the highest court in the nation. The court hears cases that raise constitutional questions, but it also has original jurisdiction over a small range of cases. The court’s decisions are final and cannot be overturned by Congress or any other institution.

What Is The Supreme Court of the United States?

The Supreme Court of the United States is the highest court in the U.S. It has final authority over all federal and state courts, as well as appeals courts. The Supreme Court also reviews state court decisions on issues of federal constitutional law (that is, cases where there’s a conflict between a state and federal law).

The Supreme Court consists of nine justices who are appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate. The justices serve for life or until they retire or resign from their positions.

The Supreme Court was created by Article III of the Constitution and has been in existence since 1789 when John Jay was appointed as its first chief justice.

John Jay first Chief Justice of the United States

Composition of the Court

The Supreme Court is composed of a chief justice and eight associate justices. The justices are not elected; instead, they are nominated by a President and confirmed by a majority vote of Senators in Congress. The judges serve for life unless they resign or are impeached. Justices have to be at least 35 years old when they take office. Finally, the judge must be an American citizen for at least 14 years and they cannot run for public office while serving as a justice.

The Supreme Court’s Authority

The Supreme Court’s authority comes from the U.S. Constitution. It gives Congress the power to establish lower courts and define their jurisdiction. The Constitution also empowers Congress to decide how the judicial branch will be organized. In 1869, Congress passed a law that gave federal courts including the Supreme Court exclusive jurisdiction over all cases under federal laws or involving foreign ambassadors or diplomats.

Article III, Section 1 of the Constitution states that the judicial power  “shall be vested in one supreme Court, and in such inferior Courts as the Congress may from time to time ordain and establish.” In addition to granting power to both Congress and federal courts, Article III also contains a number of other provisions that define jurisdiction over cases involving different kinds of disputes or controversies between private parties or between state governments (or local governments).

Major Functions of The Court

The Supreme Court’s major functions are to decide appeals and review cases. The Court also interprets the Constitution and federal laws, and it decides cases involving the rights of individuals. But it doesn’t have a major role in setting national policy.

The Court’s workload

Each year, thousands of cases start their journey to the Supreme Court in various ways, but they must be accepted by at least four members of the 9-member court to be heard. The Court’s workload is so great that it will hear only about 80 cases during its term (October through June). These cases are chosen from among 7,000 or more that are filed annually.

Most cases argued before the Supreme Court involve appeals from lower courts that have decided on an important question of federal law or a significant constitutional issue.

The Court hears less than 1% of all cases filed at lower courts throughout the country and around 100 appeals from state courts each year as well. However, these appeals often involve issues of national importance.

How are decisions made?

A decision is made by a majority vote. The court’s nine justices sit in two groupings, called “liberal” and “conservative,” which are based on their voting patterns over the last few years. The justices who voted most often together form the majority, while those who voted most often against each other form the minority.

The Supreme Court has become more active in recent years, taking an active role on issues such as abortion rights and gay marriage that have traditionally been left to state governments.

Conclusion

The Supreme Court of the United States is one of the most important institutions in our country. It has the power to decide what laws are constitutional and which ones are not. The members of the court interpret the Constitution and decide cases that will affect the lives of millions of Americans, present, and future. It is essential to understand how this institution operates and why it is important for all Americans to be aware of its decisions.