THE SUPREME COURT OF THE UNITED STATES

What is the purpose of the Supreme Court? **It is the final authority on the Constitution Judicial Review!! It is the only court created by the Constitution!

Responsibilities of the Supreme Court 1.Decide which cases to hear from the thousands appealed each year. 2.Hear and decide the case itself. 3.Write an opinion- an explanation for the decision

How do cases get to the Supreme Court? All Cases: this way

How to get to court- The likelihood of getting a writ of certoirari, Case involves fundamental civil rights or civil liberties question, U.S. Government is the appellant, Cases come from the U.S. appeals court or from the state supreme court

ORIGINAL JURISDICTION 1. Cases involving representatives of foreign governments. 2. Cases where a state is a party.

APPELLATE JURISDICTION Cases appealed from the highest state court Only if it involves a Constitutional question

**WRIT OF CERTIORARI: An order of the Supreme Court to a lower court to send up the records on a case for review.

Influences on Judicial Decision Making The Law: stare decisis (precedent) Personal policy preferences  Ideology  Activism v. Restraint Other members of the court Political environment

Could these people be federal judges?

What are the Constitutional requirements for a justice?

**How are all federal judges and justices appointed? Nominated by the President Confirmed by the Senate

HOW MUCH DO JUSTICES MAKE?  $178,300 for an associate justice  $186,330 for the chief justice

BY SERVING LIFE TERMS… ENSURES THAT JUSTICES DON’T FEEL POLITICAL PRESSURE “During Good Behavior”

THE UNITED STATES SUPREME COURT JUSTICES John Roberts Samuel Alito

There are 9 justices on the Supreme Court There are 8 associate justices and 1 chief justice

Ruth Bader Ginsburg Education:  Cornell, Harvard Law School  Columbia Law School Appointed to the court by: Bill Clinton  Considered a “moderate-liberal”

David Hackett Souter Education:  Harvard University  Oxford University  Harvard Law School Appointed by: George Bush Considered a moderate conservative

Clarence Thomas Education:  Holy Cross College  Yale Law School Appointed by: George Bush Considered a conservative

Stephen Breyer Education:  Stanford University  Oxford University  Harvard Law School Appointed by:Bill Clinton Considered a moderate

Antonin Scalia Education:  Georgetown, Harvard Law School Appointed by: Ronald Reagan Considered a “liberal interpreter”

John Paul Stevens Education:  University of Chicago, Northwestern Law School Appointed By: Gerald Ford Considered very liberal

Replacing Sandra Day O’Connor… Samuel Alito! Education: -Princeton University -Yale University School of Law Appointed by: -George W. Bush Considered: -Conservative

Anthony Kennedy Education:  Stanford, Harvard Law School Appointed By: Ronald Reagan Considered a conservative with centrist “tendencies”

Replacing Rehnquist as Chief Justice: John Roberts Education: -Harvard University -Harvard University School of Law Appointed by: George W. Bush Considered a Conservative

The work of a justice is never done… The court term begins in October of each year…  They hear arguments and cases three days a week.  They have “closed” conference meetings once a week  The rest of the week is spent researching and writing opinions and monitoring his/ her circuit.

What is Senatorial Courtesy?  Before nominating a candidate for a federal judge position (not the Supreme Court), to the full Senate, the president runs it by the Senators from that state.

The End.