1. Judicial Branch
The Supreme Court, Equal Justice under the Law, The Federal Court System

2. #49 The Supreme Court Head of the Judicial Branch
Justices: The Judges who sit on the Supreme Court Bench
Size of the Court is determined by the Congress
Constitution doesn’t specify
Number has been set at 9 since 1869
Justices are appointed by the President, approved by Senate
Appointed for Life, can only be removed through the impeachment process

3. #49 The Supreme Court Annual salary for Chief Justice is $181,400
Associate Justices get $173,600
Justices are typically men and all have been lawyers
Sandra Day O’Connor: first woman appointed to the court in 1981
Ruth Bader Ginsburg: appointed in 1993
Thurgood Marshall: first African American in 1967

4. #49 The Supreme Court Judicial Review
Unique feature of US Court system
Judicial Review: courts have the power to determine whether a law or presidential action is Constitutional
Supreme Court holds ultimate authority
Unconstitutional: a law that conflicts with the US Constitution
Constitution doesn’t specify this
John Marshall: Chief Justice from

5. #49 The Supreme Court Influence of John Marshall Marbury v. Madison
Idea of Judicial Review was promoted by Marshall for the first time in 1803 in the case of Marbury v. Madison
Marbury v. Madison
Involved William Marbury, who’d been promised appt. as Justice of the Peace and Secretary of State James Madison
Significance: established the Supreme Court’s power of judicial review

6. #49 The Supreme Court Supreme Court cannot begin a case on it’s own
Mainly an Appeals Court
Supreme Court decides which cases it will hear and places them on it’s docket.
Docket: the calendar/schedule for the Court
Supreme Court chooses to hear cases that involve issues of significant public interest
4 judges have to want to hear the case
If it refuses, then original decision stays in effect
Remand: Supreme Court can order a case to a lower court fo a new trial

7. #49 The Supreme Court
Supreme Court begins session on the first Monday of October and ends in late June
Once a case is to be heard, lawyers for each side prepare a brief.
Brief: a written statement explaining the main points of one side of the argument
Lawyers then present their case to the Court
Get only 30 minutes
Court then issues it’s opinion.
Concurring Opinion: what a Justice writes when they agree with the ruling but for different reasons
Dissenting Opinion: a written explanation as to why a Justice disagreed with the decision of the Court

8. #49 The Supreme Court
The Court helps make the Constitution a flexible document by meeting the demands of society as it changes
In addition to judicial review and being an Appeals Court, the Supreme Court has Original Jurisdiction: the right to hear a case for the first time
Involving diplomatic representative of another country
Involving disputes btw states
Involving a State and the Federal government