**1. Historical Overview of the Supreme Court:**
– The Supreme Court met in Philadelphia’s City Hall from 1791 to 1801.
– Delegates at the 1787 Constitutional Convention established the national judiciary.
– Article Three of the United States Constitution outlined the judiciary’s role.
– The Judiciary Act of 1789 organized the federal judiciary.
– The first session of the Supreme Court was held in New York City in 1790.
– The court’s first decision was in West v. Barnes in 1791.
– Initially, the court had only six members.
– The Marshall Court (1801–1835) established the power of judicial review over acts of Congress.
– Marshall Court made important constitutional rulings shaping the balance of power.
– The Taney Court (1836–1864) made important rulings like Sheldon v. Sill.
– The Taney Court is remembered for its ruling in Dred Scott v. Sandford.
– The Chase, Waite, and Fuller Courts (1864–1910) interpreted the Civil War amendments.
– These courts developed the doctrine of substantive due process.
**2. Supreme Court Structure and Powers:**
– The Supreme Court Building is located at 1 First Street, NE, Washington, D.C.
– The court consists of nine justices: the chief justice of the United States and eight associate justices.
– Justices have lifetime tenure on the court.
– The president appoints new justices with the advice and consent of the Senate.
– The court receives about 7,000 petitions for writs of certiorari annually.
– The Supreme Court has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all U.S. federal court cases.
– It has original jurisdiction over cases involving ambassadors and states.
– The court has the power of judicial review to invalidate statutes violating the Constitution.
– Justices have a single vote in deciding cases.
– The chief justice decides who writes the court’s opinion when in the majority.
**3. Nomination, Confirmation, and Appointment Process:**
– President nominates Supreme Court justices.
– Senate confirms or rejects nominees.
– Confirmation process attracts attention from press and advocacy groups.
– Senate Judiciary Committee conducts hearings and votes on nominations.
– Senate has rejected twelve Supreme Court nominees in history.
– Appointments Clause empowers president to nominate and Senate to confirm justices.
– Senate Judiciary Committee conducts hearings on nominees.
– Full Senate considers nominations.
– Filibuster can block nominations.
– Fortas and Gorsuch nominations faced filibusters.
**4. Justices’ Tenure, Vacancies, and Court Dynamics:**
– Lifetime tenure for US Supreme Court Justices and Rhode Island’s Supreme Court justices.
– Insularity of lifetime tenure can lead to judges representing past views.
– Criticism of judges staying in office despite health issues.
– Proposals for term limits and mandatory retirement age for justices.
– Vacancies can be unpredictable due to justices’ indefinite tenure.
– Vacancies can occur in quick succession or long gaps.
– Lengthy vacancies can affect court decision-making.
– Timing of vacancies can influence court rulings and dynamics.
– Impact of vacancies on court composition and decisions.
**5. Court Composition, Diversity, and Ideological Leanings:**
– Current Supreme Court has 9 justices: Chief Justice and 8 associates.
– Clarence Thomas is the longest-serving justice.
– Ketanji Brown Jackson is the most recent justice.
– Court has 5 male and 4 female justices, with diverse religious affiliations.
– Justices nominated by the president and confirmed by the Senate.
– Ideological categorization by media as conservatives or liberals.
– Chief Justice Roberts and five others form the conservative wing.
– Three living retired justices: Anthony Kennedy, David Souter, Stephen Breyer.
– Justices’ seniority and seating arrangements play a significant role in court dynamics.
The Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) is the highest court in the federal judiciary of the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all U.S. federal court cases, and over state court cases that turn on questions of U.S. constitutional or federal law. It also has original jurisdiction over a narrow range of cases, specifically "all Cases affecting Ambassadors, other public Ministers and Consuls, and those in which a State shall be Party." The court holds the power of judicial review, the ability to invalidate a statute for violating a provision of the Constitution. It is also able to strike down presidential directives for violating either the Constitution or statutory law.
Supreme Court of the United States | |
---|---|
![]() | |
38°53′26″N 77°00′16″W / 38.89056°N 77.00444°W | |
Established | March 4, 1789 |
Location | 1 First Street, NE, Washington, D.C., U.S. |
Coordinates | 38°53′26″N 77°00′16″W / 38.89056°N 77.00444°W |
Composition method | Presidential nomination with Senate confirmation |
Authorized by | U.S. Constitution |
Judge term length | Life tenure |
Number of positions | 9, by statute |
Website | supremecourt |
Chief Justice of the United States | |
Currently | John Roberts |
Since | September 29, 2005 |
Established by Article Three of the United States Constitution, the composition and procedures of the Supreme Court were initially established by the 1st Congress through the Judiciary Act of 1789. The court consists of nine justices: the chief justice of the United States and eight associate justices, and the justices meet at the Supreme Court Building in Washington, D.C. Justices have lifetime tenure, meaning they remain on the court until they die, retire, resign, or are impeached and removed from office. When a vacancy occurs, the president, with the advice and consent of the Senate, appoints a new justice. Each justice has a single vote in deciding the cases argued before the court. When in the majority, the chief justice decides who writes the opinion of the court; otherwise, the most senior justice in the majority assigns the task of writing the opinion.
The Supreme Court receives on average about 7,000 petitions for writs of certiorari each year, but grants only about 80.